Beyond Accra: Panellists highlight career prospects in Ashanti, Bono and Ahafo regions for young lawyers

Young lawyers in Ghana have been urged to consider establishing their legal careers outside Accra, as experienced practitioners highlight growing opportunities for professional development, financial independence and practical courtroom experience in the Ashanti, Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions.

According to the practitioners, the widespread perception that Accra offers better career prospects does not always reflect the experiences of lawyers who have established successful practices in other parts of the country.

The observations were made during a webinar organised by Dennislaw in collaboration with the Ghana Bar Association Young Lawyers' Forum on Thursday, October 29, 2026, under the theme, "Beyond the Capital: Legal Practice Opportunities across Ghana (Ashanti, Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Region)."

The discussion featured Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, Managing Partner of Otu-Essel, Tuah-Yeboah and Associates; Yvonne Adjimah Adjare, Ashanti Regional Zonal Head of the Office of the Registrar of Companies; Shadrach Obeng-Yeboah, Senior Partner at Obeng-Manu Law Firm; and Fredericka Amfo Boakye-Duah, Senior Associate at Dofoyena Chambers.

It was moderated by Dennis Adjei Dwomoh, Managing Partner of Law Plus (Attorneys at Law).

The panellists shared personal experiences of how practising outside the national capital had exposed them to opportunities they believed might have taken longer to obtain in Accra.

Why some lawyers are choosing the regions

For Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, the decision to establish his career in Sunyani was influenced by a desire to contribute to the development of his home region.

He recalled that some of his colleagues questioned his decision to leave Accra, believing that the capital offered better opportunities for a young lawyer.

However, he maintained that returning home was important because he wanted to serve the community that had contributed to his upbringing and education.

He disclosed that he was called to the Bar on a Friday and had already made his first court appearance by the following Monday.

Recalling his early experience, he narrated how he was assigned to defend about 25 people who had been arrested by sanitation officers and brought before the District Court at Duayaw Nkwanta.

According to him, the magistrate wanted him to advise the accused persons to plead guilty, although his clients insisted that they were innocent.

He said he refused to persuade them to plead guilty, prompting his senior to intervene.

Mr Tuah-Yeboah explained that the experience formed part of the practical exposure he received at the beginning of his career.

He added that although Sunyani remained his professional base, he had handled cases in several parts of Ghana, including Kumasi, Tamale, Bolgatanga, Takoradi, Accra and Koforidua.

He therefore dismissed the perception that practising in the regions necessarily restricted lawyers to cases arising within their immediate communities.

Beyond earning an income, he said the opportunity to provide legal representation to people who could not afford legal services remained one of the most fulfilling aspects of his career.

More responsibilities, faster professional growth

Yvonne Adjimah Adjare, who previously worked in Accra before relocating to Kumasi, said the move significantly improved her exposure to legal practice.

She explained that she had initially wanted to remain in Accra after completing her legal education.

Following her pupillage, she joined the Attorney-General's Department and worked in Accra for approximately three years before moving to Kumasi.

According to her, the decision attracted criticism from people who believed relocating from Accra amounted to a professional setback.

However, she said her experience proved otherwise.

She explained that the concentration of senior state attorneys in Accra meant junior lawyers were often assigned less demanding cases, including motor traffic matters.

In Kumasi, however, she was given greater responsibilities, including handling cases before the Court of Appeal.

She indicated that gaining such exposure in Accra might have taken considerably longer because of the number of senior practitioners already handling those matters.

For her, the experience demonstrated that the regions could offer younger lawyers opportunities to assume significant responsibilities earlier in their careers.

Cost of living and financial independence

Fredericka Amfo Boakye-Duah, who moved from Accra to Sunyani, identified the cost of living as one of the major factors that influenced her decision.

She explained that despite working in a law firm in Accra, the expenses associated with accommodation, transportation and other daily needs made it difficult to achieve financial independence.

After approximately three years in Accra, she began considering alternatives when an opportunity to practise in Sunyani arose.

Although the decision required some persuasion, she eventually relocated, believing that she had acquired sufficient professional training to take on a new challenge.

She said the move had been rewarding, adding that she had achieved more during her three years in Sunyani than she had while practising in Accra.

Ms Boakye-Duah explained that private legal practice in Sunyani was largely litigation-oriented, with land disputes, estate matters, family cases, divorce and conveyancing featuring prominently.

She also observed that many private practitioners in the region operated through office-sharing arrangements, with individual lawyers responsible for managing their own clients and professional expenses.

Unlike the salaried structure she experienced in Accra, this arrangement required greater independence and responsibility for the management of a legal practice.

She nevertheless acknowledged that regional practice was not without challenges.

According to her, lawyers sometimes had to charge lower fees to reflect the financial circumstances of clients, while travelling to certain courts involved navigating poorly maintained roads.

Despite these difficulties, she said the reduced cost of living and opportunities for professional growth made relocating worthwhile.

Opportunities in commercial and chieftaincy litigation

Shadrach Obeng-Yeboah, who deliberately chose Kumasi over Accra, said his decision was based on the professional opportunities available in the Ashanti Region.

He explained that establishing himself in Kumasi provided access to mentorship, clients and practical experience that helped him build confidence and develop his legal career.

He challenged the impression that lawyers practising in the regions handled less significant matters than their counterparts in Accra.

According to him, practitioners in Kumasi undertake a broad range of legal work, including land litigation, debt recovery, conveyancing, corporate and commercial disputes.

He also identified chieftaincy litigation as an important area of practice in the Ashanti Region.

He explained that the presence of numerous traditional councils, the Regional House of Chiefs and the National House of Chiefs created additional opportunities for lawyers to represent clients in customary law and chieftaincy disputes.

Mr Obeng-Yeboah further disclosed that his firm had an office in Techiman in the Bono East Region, demonstrating how practitioners could serve clients across multiple regions while maintaining their principal offices elsewhere.

He maintained that the geographical location of a lawyer did not necessarily determine the nature or importance of the cases the lawyer could handle.

A supportive legal community

The panellists also emphasised the importance of mentorship and professional relationships in the regions.

Mr Obeng-Yeboah described the Ashanti Bar as a supportive professional community where senior lawyers frequently assisted their younger colleagues.

He explained that it was common for experienced practitioners to offer guidance to junior lawyers, including pointing out procedural mistakes, even when they appeared on opposing sides of a case.

According to him, this collaborative environment enabled young lawyers to develop their confidence and improve their professional skills without excessive pressure.

Mr Tuah-Yeboah expressed similar sentiments about legal practice in the Bono areas.

He said lawyers often assisted one another with court appearances and other professional assignments, creating opportunities for junior practitioners to gain experience and earn income.

He cited his own experience of acquiring a vehicle within six months of beginning practice as an illustration of the financial opportunities that could be available to young lawyers willing to work diligently.

However, the panellists' experiences also showed that financial success depended on factors such as access to clients, professional relationships, personal commitment and the ability to manage a practice.

Beyond career growth: Access to justice

Beyond individual career advancement, the discussion raised questions about the geographical distribution of legal services in Ghana.

The panellists' accounts suggested that encouraging young lawyers to establish practices outside Accra could improve access to legal representation, particularly in communities where professional legal services may be less readily available.

Mr Tuah-Yeboah emphasised that his decision to return to Sunyani was driven not only by professional considerations but also by a commitment to serving people in his home region.

The discussion also highlighted the importance of work-life balance, with practitioners pointing to shorter commuting times, relatively affordable accommodation and reduced transportation pressures as advantages of working outside the capital.

However, challenges relating to legal fees, infrastructure and the structure of private practice remained important considerations for lawyers contemplating relocation.

Overall, the webinar challenged the assumption that young lawyers must establish themselves in Accra to build successful careers.

The experiences shared by the panellists indicated that the Ashanti, Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions offered opportunities for young practitioners to develop their skills, build independent practices and serve a wider range of clients.

Their central message was that young lawyers should assess the opportunities available across the country before deciding where to practise, rather than treating Accra as the only destination for professional success.