Lawyers warned against emotional entanglement with clients’ cases
Legal experts in Uganda are warning lawyers against becoming emotionally entangled in their clients' cases to avoid psychological stress and unprofessional conduct. This follows a public altercation between two senior lawyers during a court hearing.
Why it matters
The warning addresses the importance of professional ethics and mental health in the legal profession to maintain judicial integrity.
Lawyers have been cautioned against becoming emotionally entangled in their clients’ cases, with legal and mental health experts warning that the practice can trigger stress, paranoia and other psychological challenges.
The warning comes days after two senior lawyers, Asuman Basalirwa and Frank Kaduho, nearly engaged in a physical fight before a judge at Mukono Court during the hearing of an election petition involving former minister Ronald Kibuule and incumbent MP Abdullah Kiwanuka.
The incident, which reportedly escalated into a heated exchange of insults, has renewed concerns about the need for lawyers to maintain professional boundaries while representing clients in contentious cases.
Speaking at a conference on confronting barriers facing reproductive justice lawyering in Uganda on Wednesday in Kampala, senior lawyer Magellani Kazibwe cautioned that advocates should learn to separate their professional responsibilities from their clients’ disputes.
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