Retired judge Justice Francis Korbieh charges 1,568 new lawyers to uphold integrity

Retired Court of Appeal judge Justice Francis Gyafiiry Korbieh has urged the 1,568 newly qualified lawyers called to the Ghana Bar on Friday to uphold integrity, work hard and remain faithful to their professional duties, particularly in their dealings with clients.

He said the legal profession demanded honesty, diligence and a strong sense of responsibility, warning, in effect, that the conduct of lawyers towards those who entrusted their cases to them was central to the profession.

“My advice to them is that they should be men of integrity. They should be hard-working. They should be faithful to the work they do, especially their relationship with their clients,” he said in an interview on Joy FM’s Personality Profile programme hosted by Lexis Bill.

Justice Korbieh also congratulated the new lawyers and urged them to uphold the values expected of members of the Bar.

“Congratulations to all of you,” he said, reiterating the need for them to be “men and women of integrity”.

His message comes as the new lawyers begin their professional careers in a field where public confidence depends heavily on ethical conduct, competence and the trust between legal practitioners and their clients.

For Justice Korbieh, the advice draws on a career spanning five decades. Called to the Ghana Bar on September 30, 1976, he marked 50 years in the legal profession on September 30, 2026.

Born on December 20, 1950, at Jirapa/Kuncheni in the Upper West Region, he went on to serve in law, Parliament and the judiciary. He represented Jirapa in Parliament from 1993 to 2001 before rising to the Court of Appeal, from which he retired in 2020.

His journey through the legal profession and public service gives weight to his appeal to the new entrants: professional success must be matched by integrity, hard work and fidelity to the people they serve.

As the 1,568 lawyers take their place at the Bar, his message is direct: their standing will depend not only on their legal knowledge, but also on the character and commitment they bring to their work.