Legal ethics education can play a foundational role in fostering trust in legal institutions, thus serving as a catalyst for building effective and fair legal systems.

Recognizing this, White & Case partnered with the African Centre on Law & Ethics (ACLE) at Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) Law School, Fordham Law School and Strathmore Law School to engage stakeholders in a discussion about establishing this ethical foundation in law students, before they embark on their legal careers.

Creating a community rooted in ethics

A three-day program in Nairobi, Kenya, entitled "Ethical Foundations of Legal Education: The Future of Access to Justice in Africa," brought together more than 35 law school deans from 11 African countries, including the Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda.

The deans were joined by prominent lawyers, judges and academics from across the continent, as well as New York partner and General Counsel Jennifer Paradise, London partner and Chair of the Firm's Responsible Business Committee Melissa Butler and the Washington, DC Director of Responsible Business Elizabeth Black.

Through interactive discussions and panels, participants explored the challenges and opportunities of incorporating legal ethics into law school curricula, reviewed the current state of legal ethics education in African law schools, shared best practices, and reinforced the ethical principles and rules central to professional legal practice.

The conference emphasized that instilling a strong ethical foundation in future lawyers is not just about compliance with professional codes—it is about shaping legal professionals who are committed to integrity, accountability and justice.

"Ethical legal training is critical not only for individual practitioners but for the credibility of the entire legal system," said Dr. Peter Kwenjera, Dean Emeritus and Lecturer at Strathmore Law School. "By establishing ethical decision-making from the start, we equip future legal professionals with the tools to uphold the rule of law and promote access to justice."

The conference concluded with the creation of the Council for Ethics in Legal Education in Africa (CELE – Africa). The Council's goal is maintaining the focus on legal ethics in Africa by developing legal ethics curricula to help professors integrate it into their teaching.

Prepared for the future

The final day of the conference included interactive exercises addressing actual legal ethics scenarios with more than 80 students from ten Kenyan law schools. Small group sessions focused on cross-border issues involving legal codes of ethics, regulation and enforcement, attorney-judge relationships, confidentiality and conflicts of interest, and allowed students to provide feedback on curriculum content and pedagogical teaching methods.

Paradise, who helped organize the conference and prepare the program's curriculum, says, "The student sessions incorporated real-life scenarios so that students can apply this training to situations that may arise in their careers. Instilling a strong sense of legal ethics in future lawyers is increasingly important, so that they are prepared to navigate complex legal landscapes while upholding justice and integrity."

White & Case, Fordham Law School and GIMPA Law School first collaborated on legal ethics training in 2016 in Ghana. In 2017, the three created the ACLE to continue the legal ethics training for students and practitioners. The ACLE is now independently operated and managed by GIMPA Law School.

Partner and General Counsel Jennifer Paradise discusses the importance of legal ethics education

© Strathmore University / Victor Anyura
Strathmore University logo is shown on glass doors reflecting students who are walking to class.