The morning sun painted the Accra sky with hues of gold as Kwesi, dressed in a distinguished black suit, stepped out of his simple and humble Honda Civic, and moved to the back seat to take out his bib, black gown, and wig. Once he had donned the necessary attire and looked lawyerly as usual, he slammed the door shut, locked the car and gazed at the bustling Court Complex from the car park.

It was a busy Friday morning as always, with lawyers, court workers and litigants lining the halls, moving to and fro, in search of the administration of justice for another day. The fact that the week had come to an end certainly didn’t mean things slowed down, although the definition of ‘busy’ on a Friday carried a lower threshold than ‘busy’ on a Monday or Wednesday.

Looking at the file in his hand, he adjusted the gown and smiled. Another day of fulfilling his dreams and climbing up the ladder. He knew the drill, and for the past two years, he never got tired of it. Hopefully, it would remain that way. He had major aims in this profession, and until they were fulfilled, there was no time for slowing down.

As he approached the entrance, Kwesi noticed his senior, Mr. Ofori, also emerging from the car park, similarly attired in the traditional lawyer’s garb. The older lawyer greeted him with a nod.

“Good morning, Kwesi. Ready for your first day at the Labour Court?” Mr. Ofori inquired.

“Absolutely, sir. I’ve got the case file right here,” Kwesi replied, holding the leather-bound folder while adjusting his bib.

“Good. So, just follow my lead, and you’ll see how things are done in the Labour Court,” Mr. Ofori stated, as they entered the Court Complex.

Kwesi couldn’t help but take in the grandeur of the legal complex—the hurried footsteps, the rustle of gowns, and the distant murmur of legal discussions all blending into a symphony of legal activity.

As they approached the entrance to the Labour Court, Kwesi took a deep breath. The imposing entrance hinted at the solemnity of justice dispensed within its walls. Mr. Ofori led the way, guiding Kwesi through the corridors adorned with plaques of quotes from famous judgments cherished by the legal fraternity.

They entered the Labour Court. As expected, court was not yet in session, as it was not yet nine o’clock, allowing them a moment to settle in.

As they crossed the bar where the lawyers usually sat, Mr. Ofori approached the clerk at the front desk before the bench where the judge sat. With a playful smile, Mr. Ofori greeted her in a teasing voice. “Maria eeyyyyy!”

Maria, a pretty bespectacled lady who looked like she was in her early forties, laughed out loud. “Ei, Mr. Ofori! You and this your greeting!”

“You know me, jor. Special greeting for my favourite clerk.

Maria shook her head and smiled. “You this man and your flattery. Good morning, ooo. You’re here for your TransGlobal case, right?”

“As usual, my dear, as usual. How we go do am? We said we’ll settle, my good friend’s client said nahhh, he’ll not understand. So we continue. Aluta continua…”

Maria, with a hint of a smile, replied, “Victoria ascerta. Abi we’re here, so we’ll see how it goes.”

“Most definitely. Speaking of being here, your small girl hasn’t come yet, eh?”

“Oh, she’s on her way. She said today, the trotro she took didn’t pass the usual shortcut, so traffic caught her. But she’ll be in soon. And please, you haven’t introduced this young counsel you’ve brought with you ooo.”

“Ei, sorry ooo. Look at me behaving like a bush man.” Smiling while shaking his head, Mr. Ofori gestured towards Kwesi, “So, Maria, meet Kwesi Kaakyire Amamfi. He’s our promising new associate who joined us just this week from Kumasi. Kwesi, this is Maria, my all-time favourite clerk since I started practicing litigation.”

Maria sat back and eyed Mr. Ofori suspiciously while folding her arms. “This line di33, I know I’m not the only clerk you’ve used this on, so I’m very suspicious.”

“Oh, you’re not. But you’re the last, so you know it’s real. Plus, your husband is a Prempeh College boy, so that solidifies your position kraaa.”

Kwesi couldn’t help but laugh along with Mr. Ofori and Maria, the latter of who smiled warmly at him afterward. “Anyways, welcome to practice in Accra, Counsel. You’ve got a good senior to move with and learn from. Just don’t follow him when he’s vibing me like that.”

Kwesi laughed again. “Thank you, Maria. It’s a pleasure to be here,” he replied with a respectful nod.

With the short but amusing banter concluded, Mr. Ofori led Kwesi to their seats. As they settled in, Kwesi quickly observed the surroundings.

It was a typical courtroom you would expect to find yourself in on a regular day, with a solemnity in the atmosphere. This appeared to be one of the newer courtrooms, with the presence of intricate woodwork, and the sharp and authoritative presence of the judge’s bench.

Kwesi nodded. Looks way better than some other courts I’ve been to. Some courts have some pretty pathetic benches for their judges. It’s bad, eh.

Two other lawyers entered the courtroom and took their seats as they greeted him and Mr. Ofori, before turning their attention to Maria to enquire whether their cases were on the cause list for the day.

About two minutes later, the door to the courtroom opened again.

Kwesi turned to see who it was.

And once his eyes laid upon who entered the room, his attention was caught.

And caught good.

She was a graceful being, with light skin and a slightly curvy figure, sweetly but decently accentuated by her formal work attire. She might have entered the room breathlessly, having been later than she usually was, but there was something about her presence that seemed to captivate the room.

Still staring at her, Kwesi barely flinched when she greeted the lawyers at the bar before quickly taking her seat and exchanging a few words with Maria, the latter teasing her while she settled in.

That was certainly the ‘small girl’ Mr. Ofori was talking about. Well, whatever the case might have been, for the next minute or two, Kwesi found himself momentarily and wholly smitten by this clerk’s stunning beauty and elegance.

My goodness! What a beautiful woman!

***

“Legal representation.”

After the lawyer for the plaintiff duly announced himself to the court and took his seat, Mr. Ofori rose to his feet. “With the greatest respect, Your Lordship, Gyasi Ofori, for the defendant. I appear with Kwesi Kaakyire Amamfi.”

Kwesi, upon the mention of his name, duly stood up and bowed quickly, then took his seat.

The judge, Justice Jonathan Amankwah, reclined in his seat with a calm demeanor, exuding an air of laid-back authority. He nodded and asked Mr. Ofori to begin with his submission in respect of the pending motion before the court.

As Mr. Ofori rose again to his feet, he slowly but confidently began articulating his argument, weaving through legal nuances with a fluidity that showcased years of experience. His words carried weight, and the courtroom listened attentively.

Kwesi marveled at the eloquence and strategic finesse displayed by his senior. Wow, they really weren’t joking when they said this man is solid with the law. He really is.

Judge Amankwah, true to his reputation, remained composed and attentive, occasionally interjecting with insightful questions. Kwesi couldn’t help but admire the judge’s laid-back yet discerning approach.

Yep, Kwentsiwa was right. This judge really knows how to keep things chill. I think I’m going to enjoy coming to this court. At least it’s a good place to grow in confidence and all…

As Mr. Ofori continued to present his case, Kwesi’s attention couldn’t help but momentarily shift to the beautiful clerk beside Maria.

She was a lot more composed now, and was diligently recording something in a book before her. Her grace and poise maintained their captivating charm, and Kwesi, for the next few seconds, found himself utterly enchanted by her presence.

His heart beat a little faster as he stole glances at her, appreciating not just her glowing beauty, but the professionalism with which she conducted herself.

Such a beautiful, beautiful woman…

“… my Lord, I pray accordingly.”

Hearing the closing statement from Mr. Ofori, Kwesi’s mind returned to the proceedings ongoing. He sighed as he turned in Justice Amankwah’s direction, with the judge busily writing. Heaving in and out, he stole one last gaze at Maria’s colleague before focusing on Mr. Ofori. Even as his senior spoke to him, though, one question remained on his mind.

Who’s that beautiful girl? And what’s her name?

***

Five minutes later, and having heard both lawyers’ arguments, Justice Amankwah was of the opinion that he had been given enough authorities for the day. He turned to Maria. “Maria, give me a date for ruling.”

Maria duly obeyed, opening the court’s diary and searching for the next available date. She then consulted with Mr. Ofori and the other lawyer on the available dates. Once both agreed on a mutual date, she turned to Justice Amankwah and informed him of the date chosen.

As he nodded and duly jotted down his ‘By Court’ notes, Kwesi saved the date in his Calendar app. Then he briefly lifted his eyes…

… and gazed at the beautiful clerk once more.

She had a serious, businesslike look on her face, as you would expect. But that didn’t distract from her overall enchanting look. She really was a spectacle to behold.

“By Court: Suit is hereby adjourned to 9th February for ruling on the motion. Suit stands adjourned.”

Once again, Kwesi’s attention snapped from the beauty before him to the words of Justice Amankwah. Both senior lawyers rose to thank the judge, then took up their files and books, ready to leave.

Kwesi duly stood up with Mr. Ofori and bowed as they both made their way out of the bar. As he did, he couldn’t get to steal one last glance at the lovely clerk. That didn’t matter, though; her image was embossed in his brain.

Stepping out of the Labour Court with his senior, Kwesi had definitely learned a lot. He had seen for himself what a relaxed atmosphere this was, and he could not wait to go back there again.

But in the midst of all that, something else had added itself to the mix. He had seen one of the most beautiful ladies his eyes had ever been blessed to see. And now, he couldn’t get his mind off her.

Such a beautiful woman. Who is she? And what’s her name? I sure need to find out, coz chale…

Oooohhh, Counsel is smitten! Well, indeed, who is she? He ain’t alone, we all need to know…