Lawyer in private practice, Yaw Aning Boadu, has instituted a court action against Ghana Law Society (GLS) also known as Law Society of Ghana, the Office of Registrar of Companies and the General Legal Council (GLC), challenging the legality of the formation of the Ghana Law Society and praying for a perpetual injunction to restrain the executive and members of the GLS from holding themselves out as a registered or accredited professional body of lawyers.
The writ of summons and statement of claim were issued by Kwasi Adu-Mante, ESQ., of Hales Solicitors, on behalf of the Plaintiff (Yaw Aning Boadu on Friday, 23 January 2026, at the registry of the general jurisdiction high court in Accra.
In his statement of claim, Lawyer Yaw Aning Boadu argues that the Ghana Law Society has engaged in acts calculated to create the impression that it has lawful authority from the General Legal Council (GLC) to license chambers, lawyers, and pupils in Ghana.
Contention of applicant
Arguing his case further, Yaw Aning Boadu notes that “sometime in September 2025, the GLS together with two of its members, issued a writ against the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) before the Supreme Court seeking, among other reliefs, an interpretation of the 1992 Constitution on the alleged monopoly of the Ghana Bar Association, contending that same contravened the constitutional right to freedom of association, which suit is still pending.
“Sometime on 22 January 2026, there was a wide circulation on social media of a notice purporting to emanate from the Executive Council of the GLS announcing the formal launch of the GLS as a professional body on 26 January 2026 at the International Press Centre.
“The said notice further represented that the GLS had been duly registered by the Office of the Registrar of Companies and accredited by the General Legal Council (GLC) and was competent to issue practising licences, chamber licences, and pupillage licences.
“The said public representations, invitations to media engagement, and other similar acts of the GLS are in breach of statute, misleading, and constitute a clear affront to the regulatory framework governing the registration of professional bodies in Ghana,” the statement of claim read.
The Plaintiff, Yaw Aning Boadu, further states in his statement of claim that “the law governing the registration of professional bodies in Ghana expressly provides that a professional body shall not be registered unless it satisfies strict statutory requirements, including numerical representation of seventy-five percent (75%) of the persons trained and qualified in the profession concerned.
“Under the enactment, any professional body established in Ghana is required to be registered with the Office of the Registrar of Companies, and an applicant body is mandatorily required to submit, among other things, its constitution together with a list of its members, indicating their qualifications and addresses.
“The Registrar may only register a professional body where satisfied that the applicant has complied with all the statutory requirements, including that it represents not less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the persons trained and qualified in the profession concerned,” the Plaintiff’s statement of case further read.
“A search conducted at the Office of the Registrar of Companies revealed that the GLS has not complied with this statutory requirement as its membership is barely one per cent (1%) of the persons trained and qualified in the legal profession.
“The purported registration of the GLS by the Office of the Registrar of Companies was therefore done outside the scope of the Registrar’s authority, in breach of statute, and constitutes an illegality,” the Plaintiff, Yaw Aning Boadu’s statement of claim concluded.
Injunction
In a separate application, the plaintiff, Yaw Aning Boadu, ahead of the hearing of the substantive action, is seeking to injunct the GLS from carrying out any other things it claims it has been authorized to do until the substantive action has been dealt
“Unless restrained by this Honourable Court, the GLS will persist in holding itself out as a professional body of lawyers and purport to issue licences, thereby creating confusion, undermining regulatory authority, and occasioning irreversible damage to the administration of justice.
“Damages will not be an adequate remedy for the harm likely to be occasioned by the continued unlawful conduct of the GLS, as the injury complained of is regulatory, institutional, and affects the integrity of the legal profession,” the affidavit attached to the application read.
“That the balance of convenience tilts heavily in favour of the Plaintiff/Applicant, Yaw Aning Boadu, as the grant of the injunction would merely restrain unlawful conduct, whereas a refusal would permit the perpetuation of an illegality.
“In the circumstances, it is just, equitable, and convenient for this Honourable Court to exercise its discretion in favour of the Plaintiff/Applicant by granting the interlocutory injunction sought,” the affidavit accompanying the application further read.
Reliefs sought
To this end, the applicant is seeking five reliefs in his substantive action before the High Court. First, “a declaration that the registration of the GLS by the Office of the Registrar of Companies as a body of persons trained and qualified in the legal profession is illegal.
Second, “an order directed at the Office of the Registrar of Companies to expunge the GLS from the Register of Professional Bodies. Third, “ an order directed at the General Legal Council to withdraw, and expunge any purported accreditation, approval, or recognition granted to the GLS.
Fourth, “a perpetual injunction restraining the GLS, its executives and members from holding themselves out as a registered or accredited professional body of lawyers,” and lastly, “any further or other orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit.”
Background
The General Legal Council reportedly granted the Ghana Law Society, also known as the Law Society of Ghana, accreditation to issue all types of professional licences for the practice of law in the country on 22 January 2026.
According to reports, the Ghana Law Society now has the accreditation to issue practising, chamber, and pupillage licences, a role previously reserved for the Ghana Bar Association.
The report indicated that the Executive Council of the Ghana Law Society (GLS) would address a media conference on Monday, January 26, 2026, to apprise the public of their accreditation
The latest report comes after leaders of the Ghana Law Society visited the Chief Justice, Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, to formally express their intention to seek recognition and licensing from the General Legal Council (GLC).
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