Legal Practitioners undergo training as Gambia moves to modernise high court rules

The training, organised pursuant to the Legal Practitioners Act 2024, is aimed at enhancing the knowledge, competence and professional development of members of the Bar ahead of the anticipated implementation of the new rules later this year.

The initiative comes at a time when the Judiciary of The Gambia is undertaking significant reforms to replace the existing High Court Rules, which date back to 1928 and are widely considered outdated.

The new draft rules are designed to improve efficiency in the administration of justice, reduce delays and introduce modern mechanisms such as electronic filing, remote hearings and improved case management systems.

Addressing participants, the Chief Justice, His Lordship Hassan B. Jallow, underscored the importance of preparing legal practitioners for the transition to the new legal framework.

“It is very important for us to prepare ourselves to implement the rules, to make sure that when the rules are adopted later in the year, they are implemented with as few challenges as possible,” he stated.

He emphasised that the reforms are critical to ensuring the efficient functioning of the High Court and urged practitioners to take full advantage of the training sessions to familiarise themselves with the changes.

“These rules are the tools of your trade. They are what keep the system going,” he further stated, noting that the current rules are “very old and antiquated” and no longer suitable for modern legal practice.

Justice Jallow further indicated that plans are underway for the Rules Committee to adopt the new framework later in the year, with implementation expected before the end of 2026.

Also speaking at the training, the Acting Secretary General of the General Legal Council, Omar Sambou, highlighted the importance of ensuring that legal practitioners are well-equipped to apply the new rules in practice.

He noted that following similar training for judges, it is essential for members of the Bar to equally understand and adapt to the new legal procedures.

“The Council expresses its sincere appreciation to the lead consultant and her team for facilitating this training,” he said.

For her part, the President of the Gambia Bar Association, Nenneh M.C. Cham, described the training as timely and necessary in maintaining professional standards within the legal profession.

She noted that continuous legal education plays a critical role in ensuring that practitioners remain competent, ethical and effective in serving their clients. 

“In our noble profession, competence is a core ethical duty,” she said. “Training such as this strengthens our ability to provide sound and up-to-date legal representation.”

President Cham further emphasised that the evolving nature of law, including emerging areas such as data privacy and technological advancements, requires legal practitioners to continuously upgrade their skills and knowledge.

She added that the introduction of new court rules will significantly reshape legal practice, making it essential for practitioners to fully understand their application.

“The purpose of this training is to ensure that we can interpret and properly apply these new rules in our everyday practice,” she said.

The training forms part of broader judicial reforms aimed at modernising the justice delivery system in The Gambia, improving access to justice and enhancing efficiency within the courts.