President John Dramani Mahama has officially granted assent to the Legal Education Reform Bill, 2025, ushering in what many observers are describing as one of the most significant overhauls of legal training in recent decades in Ghana.
The new legislation effectively dismantles the long-standing exclusive control of the Ghana School of Law over professional legal training. For 66 years, the institution served as the only approved pathway for law graduates seeking qualification to practice, a system that has frequently been criticised for its limited intake capacity and highly competitive entry requirements.
With the reforms now enacted, the structure of legal education in Ghana is expected to change substantially. Accredited universities and other approved institutions will, under strict regulatory supervision, be allowed to run professional law programmes that previously fell solely under the jurisdiction of the Ghana School of Law.
Speaking after signing the bill on Monday, May 11, President Mahama said the reform is designed not only to uphold high academic and professional standards, but also to broaden access to legal training for aspiring lawyers across the country. He noted that the legislation responds to long-standing concerns about restricted opportunities in the sector.
For years, thousands of law graduates have struggled to secure admission into the Ghana School of Law due to limited space and a highly selective entrance examination process. The resulting backlog of qualified applicants has fueled persistent calls from students, educators, and legal professionals for a more inclusive system.
The Ghana School of Law, which has historically served as the sole gateway to becoming a licensed lawyer in the country, has often been at the centre of national debate regarding fairness, accessibility, and capacity constraints in legal education.
With the passage of the Legal Education Reform Bill, 2025, policymakers and stakeholders are now looking ahead to a more diversified training landscape. The expectation is that expanding the number of institutions offering professional legal education will ease pressure on the system while maintaining rigorous standards for entry into the legal profession.
