Sweeping reforms to Guyana’s legal profession are on the horizon, according to Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC.

Speaking on his weekly programme, ‘Issues in the News’ on Tuesday evening, the AG outlined a series of changes aimed at improving standards, accountability and public trust in the justice system.

He explained that the Legal Practitioners Act is currently under review, with input from both the judiciary and the Guyana Bar Association. The objective, he said, is to modernise the profession in line with evolving legal realities.

“Many aspects of the legislation will be reviewed with a view of bringing greater transparency, accountability, and professionalism, and of course high ethical value to the profession. So any serious-minded professional should never be objecting to that quality of intervention or engagement. The legal profession, like everything else in the world, is evolving and we have to evolve with it,” he said.

Among the key measures being considered is mandatory continuing education for lawyers, reflecting rapid developments in areas such as cyber law and artificial intelligence. The AG emphasised that stagnation in the profession would directly affect the quality of justice delivered.

“If the profession remains static, so would the justice system,” he warned.

Another major proposal is the introduction of a compulsory attachment period for newly admitted lawyers, ensuring they gain practical experience under seasoned practitioners before operating independently.

The Attorney General also highlighted the need for a stronger disciplinary framework, noting widespread public dissatisfaction with how complaints against lawyers are handled.

“The mechanism to discipline lawyers must be reviewed and strengthened. The  complaint is that…they don’t know where they have to go to lodge a complaint. And when they do, the machinery is not effective and the disciplinary actions that are taken are not commensurate with the gravity of the wrong, even when a wrong is found to be committed. That must change,” he said.

AG Nandlall further noted, “Equally, we have dozens of persons who are pretending to be lawyers, masquerading as lawyers, or sometimes they are not, but they are simply offering legal services. And they are not qualified to do so.”

He said that the government is preparing to take strong action against individuals unlawfully offering legal services.

These activities, he said, are causing serious harm.

“People lose their properties, people lose millions of dollars, people can lose their liberty. These things are illegal and they are going to be addressed and they will carry strong sanctions and penalties,” he stressed.