Paper Presented by Justice (RTD) Jones Dotse at the 2023/2024 Conference of the Ghana Bar Association

For this beautiful day

“Let us give thanks for this life.
Let us give thanks for the water.
Without which life would not be possible
Let us give thanks for Grandmother Earth
Who protects and nourishes us.”

Daily prayer of the Lakota American Indian.

On my own part, let me give thanks to the Almighty Father for making it possible for us to gather here this morning as well as the National Executive of the Ghana Bar Association for giving me this platform to address them.

WHAT DOES THE TOPIC ENTAIL?

Chambers, 21st Century Dictionary (Revised Edition) defines ensure/ensuring as follows:-

a.To make something certain, to assure or guarantee and

b.To make (a thing a person) safe and secure. 

The same Dictionary defines High as follows:-

a.Elevated, tall,

b.Significant, exalted or revered

The same Dictionary defines standard as (a) a degree or level of excellence, diligence, value, quality etc. e.g “a principle of morality, integrity, of moral standards”. Integrity is defined and explained by the same Dictionary as  “strict adherence to moral values and principles, uprightness” and “the quality or state of being whole or unimpaired.”

Put in the context of the meanings ascribed to the key words in the topic, the topic might very well be said to encompass the following “Guaranteeing, a diligent and strict adherence to moral values and principles in public life, The role of the Legal Profession.” This topic as explained above is capable of being dealt with in a variety of ways

1.One way of dealing with it is to look at the broad application of the topic in all aspects of public life and how the legal profession will impact it.

2.The second way of dealing with it, is to consider the fact that, if fish should rot, it will start from the head. In that instance, it will be proper to look at the broad principles of the topic through the lense of the legal profession. In that respect, the laws, Rules and Practices of the Legal Profession would be digested in detail and apply them broadly to the principles enunciated in the topic. This is because, in Ghana, Lawyers are always in leadership positions and their work impacts the public.