By. Admin
The chairperson Law council of Uganda justice Stephen Engoda Ntende reveals that the process is under way to have a regulation that will guide all paralegals in the country as they go about serving their clients.
A paralegal is an individual who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, government agency, or other entity and who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible. Paralegals perform tasks requiring knowledge of the law and legal procedures.
Officiating at the national paralegals dialogue today in Kampala, justice Ntende states that paralegals are very important in the process to access justice but are working under hard conditions and thinks that with the coming of the law to regulate paralegals will make life and work easy for them.
Justice Ntende further warns them against engaging in corrupt tendences saying this will affect access to justice by poor Ugandans.
Meanwhile, the executive director LAPSNET-Uganda Sylvia Namubiru recognizes the good work paralegals provide to the poor in Ugandan communities hence the need to be appreciated.
Accordingly, 21.4 million Ugandans (63% of the population) are either poor or vulnerable to poverty.
The poorest and most vulnerable households often have limited assets or productivity capabilities and cannot afford basic services. They find it difficult to navigate the justice system whenever they are faced with legal problems such as land disputes, family and inheritance.
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