Lawyers face complaints surge

The Malawi Law Society (MLS) has recorded a sharp rise in complaints against legal practitioners during the 2025/26 financial year highlighting a growing scrutiny of professional conduct within the fraternity. According to MLS Disciplinary Committee report for period February 1 2025 to January 31 2026, it received 204 complaints, a significant increase from 133, which were recorded during the previous year, representing a 53.4 percent surge. The report was released yesterday during the society’s 2026 annual conference and general meeting in Mangochi District.

“This significant increase is a key indicator of growing public awareness and confidence in the society’s mandate to receive, resolve and discipline relating to professional misconduct by legal practitioners,” reads the report, which was read on behalf of the committee by Bright Theu. The committee handled 29 conduct meetings and 23 disciplinary hearings out of which 14 matters were dismissed, six legal practitioners were ordered to make restitution, six were admonished, 10 were suspended and six legal practitioners were recommended to the Chief Justice for disbarment. In addition, it ordered nine legal practitioners to pay costs of the disciplinary proceedings in accordance with Section 96(2) (a) of the Legal Education and Legal Practitioners Act (LELPA).

However, despite the increase in complaints, MLS president Davis Njobvu said in an interview the trend was a positive development signalling an improved trust in the regulatory role of the society and its commitment to enforcing ethical standards within the profession. He said the surge in complaints underscored the growing demand for accountability among lawyers and highlights the importance of strengthening disciplinary mechanisms to maintain public confidence in the legal system. “For us we don’t look at the increase in the numbers.

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On the contrary, what that points to is that you have working systems and people are having confidence to come and lodge complaints because they know that under our leadership we are not going to just sit on those complaints,” he said. The committee also observed there were delays in concluding some disciplinary matters that were before the courts due to failure by the courts to assign dates or deliver pending judgments. “This included the delays to assign dates or deliver decision on the recommendations to the Chief Justice by the committee to strike legal practitioners off the roll.

According to the report, one matter has been awaiting judgment for almost three years now. The committee also observed a growing trend of lawyers transferring funds from clients’ accounts without their knowledge or consent. This practice, according to the report, is contrary to the obligations governing the handling of client funds and undermines trust in the legal profession.

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