Ghana School of Law
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5°33′20″N 0°11′47″W / 5.555608°N 0.196327°W
| Abbreviation | GSL |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1958 |
| Type | Law School |
| Purpose | Train lawyers |
| Headquarters | Ghana |
| Location | |
Official language | English |
Director | Professor Raymond Atuguba.[1] |
| Website | www |
The Ghana School of Law (GSL) is an educational institution in Ghana for training lawyers. The school is the only institution responsible for training for law graduates in the Professional Law Course (PLC) programme and the Post-Call Law Course.[2]
The PLC programme is designed for law graduates who have obtained an LL.B degree or its equivalence and have passed the entrance examination into the Ghana School of Law. The Post-Call Law Course on the other hand is designed for Ghanaians or non-Ghanaians who have qualified in common law jurisdictions outside Ghana, which operate a legal system analogous to that of Ghana. On completion of either courses, the graduate is qualified to practice law in Ghana.[3] Prior to the establishment of the Ghana School of Law in 1958, all lawyers in Ghana were trained abroad, almost always at the Inns of Court in England.[4]
By convention, all lawyers admitted to practice in Ghana become automatic members of the Ghana Bar Association.[5]
After Ghana attained independence in 1957, the development of legal education was discussed after which the legal practitioner's Act, of 1958 was enacted, which gave birth to General Legal Council. The council was charged with the responsibility of organizing legal education in Ghana. The first African Chief Justice of Ghana Sir Kobina Arku Korsah, appointed Professor J. H. A. Lang as the first Director of Legal Education to ensure the administration and supervision of Legal Education and also the establishment of some courses on instruction.[6] The main campus of the Ghana School of Law is at Makola in Accra.[7] Other satellite campuses were also subsequently established at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi,[8] GIMPA campus near Legon,[9] and UPSA. The Kumasi campus of the GSL was officially inaugurated in November 2010 by Her Ladyship Mrs Justice Georgina Theodora Woode, Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana at the time.
Academics and Curriculum
The Ghana School of Law offers the following programs;
Professional Law Course (PLC)
This is a two year Programme designed for Bachelor of Laws graduates from the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and other universities approved by the Council.[10] The students of the Professional Law Course study the following compulsory subjects;
- Part I:
- Alternative Dispute Resolution(ADR)
- Civil Procedure
- Company and Commercial Practice
- Criminal Procedure
- Law of Evidence
- Law Practice Management and Legal Accountancy
- Part II:
- Advocacy & Legal Ethics
- Conveyancing and Drafting
- Family Law and Practice
- Interpretation of Deeds and Statutes.
Post Call Law Course
This course is designed for Ghanaians or non-Ghanaians who have qualified in Common Law countries outside Ghana, which operate a legal system analogous to Ghana. Post-Call students study the following subjects:
- Criminal Procedure
- Civil Procedure Law of Evidence
- Family Law & Practice
- Law of Interpretation of Deeds and Statutes
- Ghana Constitutional Law
- Ghana Legal System
Directors
Professor Raymond Akongburo Atuguba is the current Director of the Ghana School of Law, having taken over from Justice Nana Barima Yaw Kodie Oppong on September 1, 2025. Justice Oppong who was recalled to the judiciary.[11][12]
List of directors of the Ghana School of Law
| Director | Years |
|---|---|
| Professor John H. A. Lang | 1958 - 1962 |
| Professor W.B Harvey | 1962 - 1964 |
| Dr. William C. Ekow Daniels | 1964 -1966 |
| Hon. Justice Amaa Ollenu (Acting) | 1966 - 1969 |
| Hon. Mr. Justice Amissah (Acting) | 1969 - 1973 |
| Dr. William C. Ekow Daniels | 1973 - 1980 |
| Ofori Boateng | 1981 - 1989 |
| B.J. Da Rocha | 1989 - 1992 |
| Dr. Seth Y. Bimpong-Buta | 1992 - 2001 |
| Prof. Akua Kuenyehia (Acting) | 2001 - 2002 |
| Kwaku Ansa Asare | 2003 - 2005 |
| Professor Nii Ashie Kotey (Acting) | 2005 - 2007 |
| Dr. Kofi Oti Adinkrah (Acting) | 2007 - 2008 |
| George Sarpong | 2009 - 2012 |
| Kwasi Prempeh Eck | 2012 - 2020 |
| Maxwell Oppong Agyemang ( Acting) | 2020 - 2021 |
| Kwasi Prempeh Eck | 2021 - 2022 |
| Nana Barima Yaw Kodie Oppong | 2022 - 2025 |
| Professor Raymond Akongburo Atuguba | 2025 - till date |
