The Lawyers’ Society Sierra Leone has submitted its official Position Paper on the proposed Legal Practitioners Act, 2025, urging Parliament and key stakeholders to adopt a series of amendments before the Bill is enacted into law.
The proposed legislation seeks to repeal and replace the Legal Practitioners Act, 2000, with the aim of reforming the regulation of legal practice in Sierra Leone.
In its Position Paper, the Society welcomed the Bill as an important opportunity to modernise the legal profession, strengthen continuing professional development, and enhance public confidence in the administration of justice. However, it emphasised that several provisions require amendment to ensure greater fairness, accountability, and the independence of the legal profession.
Among its recommendations, the Society called for broader electoral representation by allowing all legal practitioners with valid practising certificates to vote for practitioner representatives on the General Legal Council and the Disciplinary Tribunal, rather than restricting the franchise solely to Sierra Leone Bar Association electors.
The Society also proposed removing the General Legal Council’s power to initiate disciplinary proceedings on its own motion, arguing that such authority could compromise institutional neutrality, weaken accountability, and undermine the independence of legal practitioners.
Additionally, the Position Paper recommends preserving judicial oversight of disciplinary appeals by replacing the proposed internal Appellate Tribunal with a right of appeal to the Court of Appeal. The Society believes this would ensure independent judicial review of disciplinary decisions, with appeals serving as a stay of execution pending determination.
To protect access to independent legal practice, the Society further urged lawmakers to permit sole legal practice under clearly defined conditions instead of requiring law firms to have a minimum of two partners before registration.
The Society also advocated for the establishment of a practical and accessible Continuing Legal Education framework that would accommodate legal practitioners across the country through a combination of in-person, regional, and online training.
Furthermore, it recommended increasing penalties for unqualified legal practice to serve as a stronger deterrent, while also calling for greater clarity on the composition, tenure, and election procedures of both the General Legal Council and the Disciplinary Tribunal.
Describing its proposals as constructive, the Lawyers’ Society said the recommendations reflect its continued commitment to upholding the rule of law, promoting professional excellence, and safeguarding the independence of the Bar.
The Society reaffirmed its readiness to engage with Parliament, the General Legal Council, and other relevant stakeholders as deliberations on the Legal Practitioners Act, 2025 continue. It also noted that the full Position Paper is available upon request and through its official communication channels.
