Justice Minister organizes Bar exams after pressure from lawyers

The Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, Laurent Esso, has officially launched the Cameroon Bar exams for the first time in nine years.

The long-awaited announcement came through a release dated December 18, with the exams slated to take place on March 24, 2024, in Yaounde.

The bar exam, a crucial step that qualifies aspiring lawyers to practice at the Cameroon Bar, has not been organized since 2014.

Despite legal stipulations mandating its convention every December, the prolonged break has frustrated numerous Cameroonians aspiring to pursue a legal career.

Many were compelled to seek legal education abroad, attending law schools in countries such as Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia before becoming eligible for admission to the Cameroon Bar.

Minister Laurent Esso, in the issued communique, outlined essential guidelines for the upcoming exams.

Candidates seeking qualification must meet specific criteria, including being Cameroonian citizens; at least 21 years old at the time of the exams; enjoying full civic rights, and holding a degree in law or its equivalent.

To ensure a smooth application process, candidates are required to submit their files to the President of the Cameroon Bar Council by no later than 3:30 pm on February 8, 2024.

The examination process will be overseen by a six-member jury, comprising two law professors, two lawyers designated by the Cameroon Bar Association, and two Magistrates.

Their responsibilities encompass invigilating the exams, marking the scripts, and producing an official report on the conduct of the examinations.

The resumption of the Cameroon Bar exams is expected to bring relief to many aspiring lawyers within the country who have faced significant challenges due to the prolonged absence of this critical qualification step.

For years, the absence of local Bar exams compelled some Cameroonian lawyers, led by Barrister Lewis Forchenallah, to take legal action against the Minister of Justice, urging the prompt convening of the Bar exams.

Also, a group of other lawyers, led by Barrister Tamfu Richard, again filed another suit against Minister Esso, accusing him of failing in his legal duties to convene the exams every December.

Barrister Lewis Forchenallah, who schooled at the Rwandan Law School before gaining admission into the Cameroon Bar, decried that the Minister’s failure was hurting thousands of aspiring lawyers in the countries.

While it took an additional year for the ministerial move to materialize, its significance cannot be overstated for thousands of Cameroonians who previously had limited options to study law within their country.

The renewed opportunity comes at a time when, in October of this year, over 400 Cameroonian pupil lawyers undergoing training at Rwandan Law Schools faced a setback when they were denied admission to the Rwandan Bar, leaving them frustrated.

Mimi Mefo Info