Several law graduates are “stuck in professional limbo” due to delays in obtaining their warrants, leaving them unable to practise officially.

Frustrated by the lack of communication, law graduate Jeremy Mifsud Bonnici said that he feels "literally ignored" after six years of study, despite completing all necessary qualifications.

Mifsud Bonnici received the call that he had passed his exams on 22 October 2024, yet he and his cohort have been waiting for an update on the swearing-in ceremony for the awarding of their warrants, to practise as an advocate.

Speaking to The Malta Independent, Mifsud Bonnici said he has reached a point where he feels "literally ignored."

On a Facebook post lamenting about the situation, Mifsud Bonnici said he had sent emails to Justice Minister Jonathan Attard and his team for an update.

Asked whether he had received a response from Minister Attard, Mifsud Bonnici confirmed that he received a reply on 10 February stating that his case would be forwarded to the Ministry’s Secretariat.

However, he has heard nothing since, saying that he has been stuck in limbo for 143 days.

Describing the impact on himself and other law graduates awaiting their warrants, Mifsud Bonnici explained that they are currently unable to certify documents or sign off on legal work, whether they are legal opinions or documents that require a lawyer’s signature, which is particularly crucial in the corporate sector.

Lawyers involved in litigation are also unable to represent clients in court, rendering them effectively "useless" to their firms, he added.

"That is the reality, let's say it how it is," Mifsud Bonnici said.

He said that without a warrant, employees cannot justify requesting a pay raise.

"It creates so much unnecessary hassle, as well as frustration," he said.

Mifsud Bonnici said that it has been six years since he began studying to become a lawyer, having completed his Bachelor's and two Master's degrees.

"Despite this, I still cannot officially call myself a lawyer, as the warrant is what gives you that ability," he said.

Many law graduates also gain work experience during their studies, and Mifsud Bonnici pointed out that several have been working full-time for more than a year.

"Basically, we are stuck in limbo," he said.

He explained that re-sit exams were held in late September, with oral sessions continuing until December.

"Usually, the tradition is that the swearing-in ceremony takes place more or less a month or two after receiving the call that you have passed your exams," he said.

At this rate, however, he expects his cohort’s ceremony to be delayed until June or July, coinciding with students who will be sitting for their exams in April or May.

Mifsud Bonnici expressed his frustration, saying he had worked hard to finish his exams and dissertation early, only to find himself stuck in limbo.

“This has ramifications on others like me in this predicament on our work, remuneration and most importantly to do the duty we studied for five years to achieve,” Mifsud Bonnici said.

Ministry’s response

Commenting on Mifsud Bonnici’s Facebook post, the Ministry for Justice Facebook page said that it is always pleased to see students successfully completing their studies and entering the legal profession, and is as eager as the students to celebrate this significant day in their professional careers.

However, the Ministry said that “it is equally concerning to see comments like these, which seem to indicate a misunderstanding of how the entity responsible for this process operates independently of the Ministry itself.”

A spokesperson for the Ministry told The Malta Independent that the process of granting warrants to legal professions is entrusted to the President of Malta, based on the recommendations of the Committee of Lawyers and Legal Procurators.

The Ministry said that as it had already explained, and as has been the practice in recent years, once the Committee for Lawyers and Legal Procurators, established under Article 3 of the Act on the Commission for the Administration of Justice, informs the Ministry that the process has been completed, the Ministry will then organise a formal ceremony for the granting of warrants, “to celebrate this important milestone in the legal journey of all new practitioners.”

The spokesperson said that the Ministry has always communicated to those seeking information that the process is managed by the Committee, and that the Ministry will inform them immediately once the formal ceremony can take place.