Chief justice addresses new lawyers

By SAMUEL RAITANO
CHIEF Justice Sir Salamo Injia congratulated 70 new lawyers who had passed out of the Legal Training Institute and swore an oath at the Waigani National and Supreme Court bar last Friday.
Sir Salamo said unless records proved him wrong, this year’s new lawyers admitted to the bar were the largest group in any one year.
He said women made up about half the number of new lawyers.
Sir Salamo said for the first time, the admission of the new lawyers had to be carried out in four court rooms.
He said it was encouraging to see many women lawyers coming up, showing that the once male-dominated profession was now proving to be an equal representation career.
He said it showed that there were equal partners in the development of the country.
Sir Salamo said the ratio of one lawyer for every 10,000 people in the country was not enough to deliver legal services to a population of seven million.
Sir Salamo told the new lawyers that they were joining the bar at a time when the legal profession was being put to test by many different and complicated issues.
He told the lawyers to uphold their public duty by being completely honest in all parameters of the law.
Sir Salamo encouraged the new lawyers to perform to the best in serving their clients effectively and honestly.