The National Bar Association of Cameroon has strongly reacted to an initiative by Françoise Puene, a senator from the West region, who offered to support candidates for the lawyer-in-training entrance exam by helping them find a sponsor. The Bar Association called this approach a "drift" and stressed that sponsorship should not be exploited.
Françoise Puene sent a message to potential candidates for the exam, scheduled for February 22, 2026, stating that she had noticed that many were struggling to meet the sponsorship requirement, as stipulated by the Ministry of Justice decree of February 12, 2026. This decree stipulates that candidates must include a sponsorship letter from a lawyer who has been practicing for at least five years in their application. Faced with this difficulty, the senator offered to involve law firms to facilitate access to sponsorship, inviting candidates to submit their applications to the Franco Hotel in Yaoundé.
In response, the National Bar Association issued a statement to correct the senator. The President of the Bar Association insisted that sponsorship is neither a commercial act nor a simple political artifice, but a process governed by law and tradition. He reminded that applications containing attestations from unlisted firms or not complying with the rules would be rejected.
The Bar Association also warned lawyers who would lend themselves to this "drift", warning them of possible disciplinary sanctions. The President stressed that sponsorship must be a serious process and not a mere formality.
This reaction from the Bar Association highlights the importance given to the integrity of the selection process for future lawyers in Cameroon. Françoise Puene's call and the Bar's response raise questions about potential attempts to circumvent the established rules for obtaining the sponsorship letter, a mandatory document for competing. Any potential candidate should therefore carefully consider the senator's offer, given the firm position adopted by the Bar Association. To be eligible to take the bar exam in Cameroon, candidates must be Cameroonian citizens, at least 21 years old, enjoy full civic rights, and hold a law degree or equivalent qualification.
