Francis Korkpor

Early life and education

Born in the town of Zao, Lao Clan, Nimba County, Liberia, Chief Justice Korkpor's career in public service and the law spans over three decades and includes service as a private lawyer, prosecutor, and Supreme Court Justice.

He earned his bachelor of arts at the University of Liberia in 1976 before going on to earn his criminal justice degree from the North Carolina Justice Academy in the United States of America from 1977-1978. He returned to Liberia after completing his criminal justice program and enrolled at the Louis Arthur Grimes School of law, University of Liberia where he graduated in 1982 with a bachelor of laws degree.

Career

Korkpor entered government as a prosecuting attorney in 1982, the same year he graduated from the Law School. While serving at the Ministry of Justice, he aggressively prosecuted repeated offenders, violent criminals, and public officials who committed ethical defilements or indecencies. His untiring work as a prosecutor in the Department of Litigation earned him promotion to the posts of Assistant Minister for Economic Affairs in 1985 and Assistant Minister for Legal Affairs in 1988, respectively. He served in the latter position until the beginning of the civil war, which made him to travel to the United States of America where he pursued advanced legal education.

Having gained experience in practice as a Counsellor during the early 1980s, Chief Justice Korkpor resigned from government and established the Tiala Law Firm in Monrovia. As a busy private lawyer, Chief Justice Korkpor was a testament to his ability to provide sound legal services to the people of Liberia especially human rights organizations and journalists who were targets of the erstwhile government of President Charles G. Taylor. He also represented the legal interests of several other organizations like the Catholic Church of Liberia. During the period of private practice, Chief Justice Korkpor established himself as one of Liberia’s foremost legal minds and built partnerships and maintains collegiality within the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA).

Chief Justice Korkpor has five children; four sons and a daughter- Francis Jr., Tom-Wesley, Michael, Wuo-Victor and Tiala. He also has three grandchildren...

Chief Justice Korkpor has pursued a reform agenda for strengthening the third branch of the Liberian government in a number of key areas:

Office of the Court Administrator

Creation of the Office of Court Inspectors

The Judiciary Inquiry Commission & the Grievance and Ethics Committee

Record keeping and Information Technology

Regional Justice and Security Hubs

Infrastructure

Judicial Training Institute

Legal experience

Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Liberia

Nominated and confirmed in April 2013; seating on April 18, 2013

Associate Justice, Supreme Court of Liberia January 4, 2004 to April 17, 2013

Associate Professor, Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia 2009-2010

Assistant Minister, Legal Affairs, Ministry of Justice 1988-1990

Assistant Minister, Economic Affairs, Ministry of Justice 1985-1988

Assistant Minister, Litigation, Ministry of Justice 1976-1985

Education

Bachelor of Arts, Sociology, 1976, University of Liberia, Monrovia

Criminal Justice diploma, 1978, North Carolina Justice Academy, United States of America

Bachelor of Law, 1982, Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia, Monrovia

Professional

Member, West Africa Judges Association (WAJA)

Member, Chief Justices’ Judicial Council, ECOWAS Community Court of Justice

Member, Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA)

Personal

Born in Zao Town, Lao Clan, Nimba County, Liberia and raised in Sanniquellie, Nimba County, Liberia

Religious Organizations

Member, Knights of Marshall

Member, St. Anthony Catholic Church, Monrovia

Children

Francis Jr., Tom-Wesley, Michael, Tiala, Wuo-Victor