Lawyers To Volunteer Services
Feb 03, 2003
The Law Council will compel each lawyer to offer free representation to a minimum number of prisoners in a move to de-congest prisons, according to the amended Advocates Act, report <b>Anne Mugisa and Hillary Nsambu.</b>
The Law Council will compel each lawyer to offer free representation to a minimum number of prisoners in a move to de-congest prisons, according to the amended Advocates Act, report Anne Mugisa and Hillary Nsambu.
Andrew Kasirye, the president of the Uganda Law Society said advocates who refuse to offer free services when asked by the council, would pay a fee.
“Every advocate shall provide pro bono (agreed upon) services when required by the Law Council or pay a prescribed fee equivalent to such services,†Kasirye said.
He was speaking at the launch of the new law year recently at the High Court in Kampala.
He said failure to comply would disqualify a lawyer from obtaining a practicing certificate for the following law year.
Kasirye said the law society had established a prisoners’ rights committee to help prisoners on bailable offenses and those remanded beyond the constitutional period, be released.
Kasirye said the committee would also address prisoners’ rights and their conditions in prison to ensure adherence to international conventions and constitutional requirements.
He said the amended act would empower the disciplinary committee of the Law council to take action against errant advocates.
He said the Chief Justice had complained that there was a growing practice by lawyers to ask clients for ‘the judge’s envelope.’
“I apologise to their lordship for this despicable conduct and undertake to put the record straight through a public statement,†Kasirye said. The Chief justice, Benjamin Odoki, officiated at the function. Ends
Andrew Kasirye, the president of the Uganda Law Society said advocates who refuse to offer free services when asked by the council, would pay a fee.
“Every advocate shall provide pro bono (agreed upon) services when required by the Law Council or pay a prescribed fee equivalent to such services,†Kasirye said.
He was speaking at the launch of the new law year recently at the High Court in Kampala.
He said failure to comply would disqualify a lawyer from obtaining a practicing certificate for the following law year.
Kasirye said the law society had established a prisoners’ rights committee to help prisoners on bailable offenses and those remanded beyond the constitutional period, be released.
Kasirye said the committee would also address prisoners’ rights and their conditions in prison to ensure adherence to international conventions and constitutional requirements.
He said the amended act would empower the disciplinary committee of the Law council to take action against errant advocates.
He said the Chief Justice had complained that there was a growing practice by lawyers to ask clients for ‘the judge’s envelope.’
“I apologise to their lordship for this despicable conduct and undertake to put the record straight through a public statement,†Kasirye said. The Chief justice, Benjamin Odoki, officiated at the function. Ends