Every October, a fresh batch of Ghanaians puts on the wig and gown, and their families start introducing them at every gathering as “my lawyer.”
The rest of us nod and congratulate them, while quietly holding on to a few ideas about lawyers that may or may not be true nd everyone has an opinion about what they do.
Most of those opinions come from TV, family gatherings and that one uncle who has been in a land case since 2009.
These are some of the things Ghanaians say and think about lawyers, usually right in front of them.
1. Every lawyer spends their days in court
Thanks to Suits, Nollywood courtroom scenes and a few too many episodes of Kejetia vs Makola, many people picture every lawyer standing in front of a judge, shouting “Objection, my Lord!” and winning dramatic cases before lunch.
2. If you argue a lot, you’ll make a good lawyer
Every Ghanaian family has that one child who wins every argument at the dinner table, and at some point an uncle has looked at them and said, “This one should go and read law.”
3. Being called to the Bar means you’re about to be rich
The moment someone adds “Esq.” to their name, people assume the big money is on its way, so a new lawyer can expect relatives to start asking when they’re buying their first V8.
4. Lawyers are liars
It’s probably the oldest joke about the profession, and many people still believe that a good lawyer is just someone who can lie well enough to convince a judge.
5. A lawyer can handle any legal problem
Whether it’s a land dispute in the village, a cousin’s divorce, a friend’s visa issue or a small matter at the police station, people expect the one lawyer in the family to know exactly what to do about all of it.
6. Legal advice from a family lawyer should be free
Once there’s a lawyer in the family, it’s assumed that drafting a tenancy agreement or reviewing a contract is a small favour they’ll happily do on a Sunday afternoon after church.
7. All lawyers love being called “Lawyer” or “Barrister”
Some people think every lawyer wants the title used everywhere they go, from the office to the market to the family WhatsApp group.
8. “Let me commit a crime, my lawyer will bail me” is a funny joke
New lawyers hear this one from almost everyone they know, and it’s usually followed by the assumption that they can make any police case disappear with one phone call.
