HISTORY

1957 - 1958

A Vision for Legal Education

When Ghana gained independence in 1957, President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah recognized the need for a local system to train lawyers. Until then, aspiring lawyers had to travel to the United Kingdom for legal education — a privilege available to only a few.

Though not a lawyer himself, Nkrumah’s foresight led to the creation of an indigenous institution that would train lawyers in Ghana, for Ghana.

1958

Establishment of the Ghana School of Law

In 1958, Parliament passed the Legal Practitioners Act, which:

Established the General Legal Council (GLC) to regulate legal education and professional standards.
Created the Board of Legal Education, responsible for organizing courses and examinations.

The GLC held its first meeting on 3rd September 1958, chaired by Chief Justice Sir Arku Korsah, marking the beginning of a new chapter in Ghana's legal history.

1958 - 1959

The School Opens at Makola

The Ghana School of Law officially opened its doors in December 1958 at Makola, Accra — a name meaning

“I have come to fetch fire.” Hundreds applied, but after rigorous selection, only 97 students began their training.

In 1959, Dr. Nkrumah unveiled a commemorative plaque at the completed campus, symbolizing the dawn of Ghana’s own legal education system.

1963

The First Graduating Class

By June 1963, after years of dedication, nine pioneering students became the first locally trained Ghanaian lawyers. They were called to the Ghana Bar on 22nd June 1963. The First Nine Graduates:

E.K. Aikins
M. Akotiah
H. Anancy
K. Bannerman-Williams
E. Creepy
E. Essiem
E. Offei
Osafo-Buabeng
P.K. Senayah

(Kwaku Baah Esq. was also part of the first cohort but could not be called that day.)

1963

The Pioneering Years

Following the first call to the Bar in 1963, the Ghana School of Law quickly gained recognition for its high academic and professional standards.

The Class of 1967 produced some of Ghana’s most influential lawyers, judges, and public servants — pioneers who helped cement the School’s reputation and shaped the nation’s legal landscape.