Published August 18, 2025
Atuguba Named Acting Director of Legal Education
Commencing 1st September, 2025 Professor Atuguba, an accomplished academic and legal practitioner with extensive experience in legal education and public service, will oversee the administration of legal education in Ghana.
This development follows the recall of the immediate past director, Justice Oppong by the Acting Chief Justice, to resume full duties as a Justice of Appeal at the Court of Appeal bench.
Professor Atuguba, a former Dean of the University of Ghana will serve in acting capacity pending the appointment of a substantive director.
While it remains unclear when the substantive replacement may assume the august role, it is beyond question that professional legal education is clearly at a cross road.
Only recently, the Attorney-General mentioned a proposed legislation aimed at creating a centralised admission system for the professional legal education in the country. Should Professor Atuguba’s appointment be confirmed, it is reckoned that, his leadership may prove pivotal in charting a clearer path for the future of legal education- one that address the challenges without compromising the quality and competence of law graduates and acceptable to stakeholders.
We extend to him our best wishes in the execution of this important mandate.
The Bar Council’s Demand to the Government of Ghana
On 14th August, 2025 the Bar Council of England and Wales and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association issued a joint statement expressing concern over the suspension from office of the Chief Justice of Ghana, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo.
The statement affirmed that existence of an independent and impartial judiciary is one of the cardinal features and bedrock of any country governed by the rule of law and commended Ghana’s longstanding commitment to that principle. It noted that by virtue of its membership of the Commonwealth, Ghana has committed to the shared fundamental values and principles of the Commonwealth, including, the maintenance of an independent and impartial judiciary.
“Any measure or action taken by the Executive which is capable of being seen as impacting the independence of the judiciary strikes at the very heart of constitutional governance” the statement observed.
The statement concluded with a demand that the government of Ghana (which is a signatory to its charter) reinstate the Chief Justice to her Office.
It is to be noted that Justice Torkornor and a segment of the Ghanaian public have “voiced” disagreement regarding the weight or substance of the petitions grounding for her removal. However, it bears emphasizing that, prima facie, there is nothing procedurally wrong with the processes for her impeachment so far, a view vindicated in multiple decisions from the Supreme Court-Ghana’s Apex Court- as well as by the High Court, Accra.
In these circumstances, we urge that the constitutionally ordained process be allowed to run its course.
It is equally instructive to state that immediately after the release of the statement by the UK Bar Council, the Honourable Attorney-General also released a statement in response. In the said press release, the Honourable Attorney-General essentially debunked the claims and rejected the calls for reinstatement of Justice Torkornoo, stressing that due process under the Constitution had been followed in the investigation and suspension of Justice Torkornoo; and thus her suspension will remain in force until the conclusion of the work of the Committee set up to investigate her.
In view of the foregoing, It is hoped and expected that an expeditious and fair resolution to this Constitutional impasse will be reached soon.
DOJ Request to Release Ghislaine Maxwell Grand Jury Materials Denied by Judge
A federal judge denied the Justice Department’s bid to release grand jury materials from its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, saying the request didn’t meet the high legal bar to make the secret materials public.
The materials sought by the government, which include transcripts and exhibits, wouldn’t add to the public’s understanding about Maxwell’s and Epstein’s crimes because evidence put before jurors was, with very minor exceptions, already a matter of public record, said U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer.
The Justice Department’s “entire premise—that the Maxwell grand jury materials would bring to light meaningful new information about Epstein’s and Maxwell’s crimes, or the Government’s investigation into them—is demonstrably false,” Engelmayer observed in a 31-page ruling. The Wall Street Journal
Judge Halts White House Effort to Defund Schools With D.E.I. Programs
A federal judge declared last week that the Trump administration cannot move forward with its plans to cut off federal funding from schools and colleges with diversity and equity programs.
The case related to a memo the administration had sent to states in April, asking them to certify that their schools did not practice “illegal D.E.I.,” which stands for diversity, equity and inclusion. The administration threatened to cut off billions in federal dollars from education institutions that did not comply.
In a ruling, Judge Stephanie Gallagher of the Federal District Court in Maryland wrote that the administration had not followed proper administrative procedure, and said its plan was unconstitutional, in part because it risked constraining educators’ free speech rights in the classroom.
“The regulation of speech cannot be done casually,” Judge Gallagher wrote. The administration, she said, had “initiated a sea change in how the Department of Education regulates educational practices and classroom conduct, causing millions of educators to reasonably fear that their lawful, and even beneficial, speech might cause them or their schools to be punished.” The New York Times
