Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, S.C., says the Legal Practitioners Act is now under review as the government moves to impose tougher standards on lawyers, strengthen discipline within the profession, and clamp down on unqualified people offering legal services to the public.
Speaking on his Issues in the News programme, Nandlall said he has already engaged both the Judiciary and the Guyana Bar Association on the proposed reforms, which he said are intended to bring greater transparency, accountability, professionalism, and higher ethical standards to the legal profession.
Among the key changes being proposed is mandatory continuing legal education for practising attorneys. Nandlall said the law is constantly evolving, with newer fields such as cyber law and AI law emerging, while older areas of law have also significantly changed over time. He argued that if lawyers remain stagnant, the justice system itself will stagnate.
He also announced that newly admitted lawyers will be required to undergo a mandatory period of attachment with more experienced attorneys before fully entering practice. According to him, the details are still to be worked out, but the reform is intended to improve the quality and preparedness of young practitioners entering the profession. Nandlall said the disciplinary system for lawyers must also be overhauled, noting that he continues to receive complaints from members of the public about poor treatment at the hands of attorneys and ineffective avenues for redress. He said many complainants do not know where to go, and even when complaints are made, the disciplinary process is often not strong enough or the sanctions are not proportionate to the misconduct found. At the same time, the Attorney General warned that the government is also moving against persons who are pretending to be lawyers or otherwise offering legal services without the qualifications, certification, or authority to do so. He said these practices are causing serious harm, including the loss of property, money, and even liberty for unsuspecting members of the public. He specifically pointed to justices of the peace and commissioners of oath to affidavits who, he said, are performing functions they are not authorised to carry out and are improperly converting their appointments into money-making ventures. Nandlall said such appointments were intended for service within communities, not for persons to falsely market themselves as legal service providers.
“These things are illegal, and they are going to be addressed, and they will carry strong sanctions and penalties,” Nandlall said, while warning that licences and appointments will be revoked in appropriate cases. He added that the President has also received complaints on the issue and has spoken with him about it. The Attorney General further alleged that some lawyers are acting in concert with these unqualified operators by signing off on documents and sharing fees, which he described as racketeering. He warned that lawyers found engaging in such conduct will also face serious consequences under a strengthened disciplinary regime.
According to Nandlall, Guyana has gone decades without a lawyer being disbarred, and that culture of weak enforcement must end. He said the reforms now being pursued are aimed at restoring confidence in the profession and ensuring that the justice system is not undermined by poor standards, fraud, and abuse.
