Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has called for a reevaluation of global legal frameworks to remove regulatory barriers that limit cross border law practice.
Speaking at the African Regional Forum of the International Bar Association (IBA) annual conference on Thursday, September 19, 2024, in Mexico City, Mr.Dame urged international legal regulators to harmonize legal regimes to reflect the realities of a globalized world.
In his keynote address, Dame emphasized that the world’s increasing reliance on digital and virtual platforms has transformed legal practice into a cross-border endeavor.
He stated, “African lawyers must be world-class, working as part of an open global community to resolve modern disputes, many of which have cross-border elements.”
He pointed out that existing licensing regimes, which prevent lawyers from practicing outside their home jurisdictions, must be reconsidered to meet the demands of international legal work.
Dame also highlighted the inconsistencies in the current legal framework, noting that while lawyers can represent their nations in arbitration panels abroad, they are often restricted from appearing in domestic courts of foreign countries without specific licenses.
He advocated for the gradual removal of these barriers to create a blueprint for harmonizing legal training standards, ethics, and practices across borders.
The Attorney-General also addressed the significant role African lawyers will play under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the largest free trade area since the World Trade Organization (WTO).
“ With AfCFTA expected to boost intra-African trade and create a $3.4 trillion economic zone”,
He noted that legal professionals will be critical in resolving the disputes that will inevitably arise from increased commercial interactions on the continent.
