Post a comment 
The Lawyers’ Society Sierra Leone has submitted its official Position Paper on the proposed Legal Practitioners Act, 2025, the Bill set to repeal and replace the Legal Practitioners Act, 2000, and reshape the regulation of legal practice in Sierra Leone.
In the Position Paper, the Society welcomes the Bill as a significant opportunity to modernise the profession, strengthen continuing professional development, and enhance public confidence in the administration of justice.
At the same time, the Society calls on Parliament, the General Legal Counsel, and other stakeholders to adopt the following key amendments before the Bill is enacted into law:
Broader electoral representation: Amending provisions that would place all seven practitioner seats on the General Legal Counsel, and all nine practitioner seats on the Disciplinary Tribunal, exclusively in the hands of Sierra Leone Bar Association electors, in favour of a franchise open to all legal practitioners holding valid practising certificates;
Removal of the Council’s proposed power to initiate disciplinary proceedings on its own motion, which the Society warns could compromise institutional neutrality, weaken accountability, and undermine independent legal practice;
Preserving judicial oversight of disciplinary appeals – Replacing the proposed internal Appellate Tribunal with a right of appeal to the Court of Appeal, ensuring disciplinary decisions remain subject to independent judicial review, with appeals operating as a stay pending determination;
Protecting access to independent practice – Permitting sole legal practice under clearly defined conditions, rather than mandating a minimum two-partner requirement for law firm registration;
Reachable by 5. A practical, accessible Continuing Legal Education framework for practitioners nationwide, including those outside Freetown, and delivered through a mix of in-person, regional, and online training;
Reviewing penalties for unqualified practice upward to ensure genuine deterrence, and clarifying the composition, tenure, and election procedures of the General Legal Counsel and Disciplinary Tribunal.
According to the Lawyers’ Society, these recommendations are offered in a constructive spirit, reflecting the Society’s ongoing commitment to the rule of law, professional excellence, and the independence of the Bar.
Finally, the Society said it stands ready to engage further with Parliament, the General Legal Counsel, and all relevant stakeholders as the Bill progresses towards enactment.
