86 lawyers and 2 legal procurators today received their warrant during a ceremony attended by Justice Minister Owen Bonnici.

During his speech, Minister Bonnici said that being a former law student himself, he is aware of the sacrifice and effort needed to be successful. “I can’t stress enough the importance and responsibility of such a profession, and the ethical guidelines you should follow. One is not a lawyer from 8am until 5pm, but 24/7.”

Dr Bonnici said that the government has introduced a number of measures to improve the efficiency of the legal sector, following a report by the Justice Commission in 2013. Authorities have come up with a three-year plan for a holistic reform of the legal sector, which has been long due.

During 2013, the government worked on a number of reforms in the criminal sector by amending a number of existing laws and introducing new ones, with seven bills being discussed in parliament. These include the right of revoking a decision by the AG in drug-related cases and the right of disclosure during arrest.  The government is also working to improve the technological infrastructure to speed up procedures. When a case has been adjourned, parties involved will be informed via sms.

Lawyers are now able to have the latest updates on judicial acts via email, instead of having to visit the registrar at the court.

Dr Bonnici added that last year, the government launched a pilot project in one of the court rooms to test if parties involved in case can be called in at different times of the day instead of 9am. Authorities are also working on launching an information campaign about the legal system.

The minister urged the newly graduates to be part of this holistic change and to keep in mind their responsibilities and ethical behaviour.

The lawyers will be officially appointed on 16 April.