Lawyers Reject Foreign 'Friends'

By Vision Reporter LAWYERS have protested against the Government's proposal to permit foreign lawyers from other jurisdictions to work and practice law in Uganda. They also said local lawyers who studied law and trained from foreign countries should not be allowed to practice law in the country unless they met the requirements of the Uganda Bar. The lawyers made the protests at a workshop organised by the Uganda Law Society (ULS) on Saturday at the International Conference Centre to discuss recommendations to the Advocates (Amendment) Bill 2000. The workshop also aimed at discussing the issue of easier access to the Ugandan Bar and to try to decide whether lawyers from other jurisdictions can be given permission to practice in Uganda. The Amendments Bill which addresses three main areas including admission to the advocates roll, control of practice and legal education, was prepared by Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister, Jehoash Mayanja-Nkangi. The way forward was yet to be forwarded to cabinet for consideration before tabling it in parliament. Prof. F. E. Ssempebwa, Chairman of the Constitutional Review Committee, who presented a paper during the workshop said he had no problem with the proposed amendments to the Advocates Act. "All qualified Ugandans should have an opportunity for professional fulfillment and everyone should be subjected to the standard of entry that are relatively comparable," he said. Ends