Penalties for ‘pretend lawyers’ soon – Nandlall

Attorney General Anil Nandlall SC has flagged concerns that several unqualified and uncertified individuals are masquerading as lawyers, offering services to unsuspecting citizens.

And soon, Nandlall vowed, there will be stricter penalties in place to sanction these individuals.

“We can’t continue to have these fraudulent misrepresentations taking place… actions will be taken, laws will be strengthened to address this situation,” the Attorney General said on Tuesday night during his weekly ‘Issues in the News’ commentary.

Not only are such actions fraudulent, but they lead to undue hardship for individuals seeking services. Nandlall said many citizens have lost their properties, money, or personal liberties after engaging such individuals. As such, he has been tasked with clamping down on the situation.

Beyond this, Nandlall also said that the mechanism to hold lawyers more accountable will also be reviewed.

This has been a discussion for some time now. In January, at the opening of the 2026 Law Year, President of the Bar Association of Guyana, Kamal Ramkarran SC, called for urgent reform of the disciplinary system governing lawyers, warning that accountability must apply not only to judges but also to attorneys whose conduct contributes to prolonged court delays.

He also pointed out that Guyana has no system of mandatory continuing legal education, meaning attorneys can technically practice for decades without ever updating their legal knowledge after law school. Even more concerning, Ramkarran said then, is the cumbersome and ineffective disciplinary process. He revealed that no lawyer has been suspended or struck off the roll under court rules in over 25 years, and possibly much longer.