“…any person given an opportunity at the start of their career, ought to give it their very best.”- Kgopolo Ntseane
Kgopolo Ntseane is a respected jurist in Botswana. As a Senior Magistrate, he is known for his immense contributions to jurisprudence and legal scholarship. His role further ranks him high in the vast network of Botswana’s Magistrates Courts where he, notably, serves as the Head of Station of Jwaneng Magistrates Court. He earned his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the University of Namibia in 2013 marking the beginning of a distinguished legal career. Ntseane has authored two significant legal resources
- ‘Handbook For Trainee Magistrates in Botswana’ (2023)- a practical guide designed primarily for newly appointed magistrates. Though initially carved out only for magistrates, the book has received widespread support and recognition across different sectors within Botswana’s justice system. The Botswana Police Service, Botswana Prisons Service and the wider public are major beneficiaries of the book’s clear and concise guidelines on court procedures within the Magistrates Courts of Botswana.
- ‘Judge Dingake: Selected Speeches and Writings’ (2024)– a curated collection of speeches and legal reflections by Justice Oagile B Dingake. This latter book, released by Notion Press and which spans over 320 pages, reflects on Ntseane’s time as a research assistant to Justice Dingake. It significantly showcases themes such as human rights, the rule of law and constitutionalism.
Ntseane blends the roles of a judicial officer and a legal educator, contributing not just to stellar adjudication but also to the strengthening of the legal profession through scholarly work.
1. The Driving Force for Choosing the Legal Profession.
Ntseane’s spark for the legal profession came about in his late teens as a high school student navigating his way into university. At the time, he simply wanted to pursue a noble and respectable course in the society. A degree in law seemed like the logical choice. His true passion for the profession was, however, fully developed in law school. He was intrigued at how law impacted almost every aspect of life and how it solved complex human problems. In law school, he would come to deeply love and appreciate Constitutional Law which completely changed his perspective of the course. How the Constitution, as the supreme law, aims to protect the rights of individuals regardless of colour, creed or religion remain profound to him and seemed to speak of a higher calling that lawyers were bound to heed.
Law school was also fascinating for him in the sense that most of his lecturers were practising attorneys. They would occasionally share fascinating stories of live court cases and proceedings that they encountered routinely. He recalls a lecturer becoming teary discussing the trauma that came from defending an accused person who had allegedly raped a 4-year-old girl. The trauma mainly came about when the said client confessed to committing the offence. This was after the court found him not guilty.
The lecturer, clearly distraught, admitted that it would be difficult for him to represent a client facing a similar charge again. It was at that point that Ntseane learnt of the humanity of lawyers contrary to the ‘bad guy’ image often used to portray lawyers as dodgy and money hungry folk.
Ntseane’s passion for the law would further be cemented by a legal aid clinic where students would assist litigants who could not afford legal representation. To him, the cases were delightful to work on and even better when the litigants succeeded in court. Ntseane would discover from the clinic that there is no such thing as a big case or a small one. The experience taught him that every case and its outcome is highly important for the litigant. The huge responsibility that the legal profession carried, even for individuals who couldn’t afford attorneys, left a permanent mark in his mind. Law, it occurred to him, could be used as a force for good and a tool for furthering noble causes in a world where the less privileged are often highly prejudiced in the justice system.
2. Qualities of an Exceptional Lawyer and How Young Professionals Can Cultivate Such Attributes.
There are certain general qualities that an exceptional lawyer must have. A number of them come with experience and a few can be learned from books. Below is a few that Ntseane has in mind
●Courage: Lawyers need lots of courage as more often than not what they stand for may not be in the interests of another person or even the majority. Courage, therefore, is the state of mind that is resolute and fearless in achieving justice. This can be particularly difficult in cases which carry public interest. With the advent of social media, the public may have an opinion on a particular case or individual who may just be your client. The opinions of the masses should in no way intimidate a lawyer in these types of circumstances except to defend the client according to the law.
● Good communication skills: A lawyer must have a good command of the language of the court and be able to properly communicate orally and in writing. Written communication and speaking skills can be developed by taking part in activities such as mooting courts and general public speaking. Bad communication not only dents an individual’s confidence but also impairs his credibility before clients and judges.
●People skills: Law is not an abstract practice. At the end of the day, lawyers work with people, and for people. Therefore, they must have people skills; be personable and persuasive and able to read body language. Empathy is also an important skill to have since most clients come to lawyers only when distressed and in dire need of solutions for their problems. A lawyer should thus be patient when always receiving client instructions.
● Assertiveness: A lawyer needs to be assertive. Being assertive does not translate into being disagreeable or aggressive. It refers to the ability to state a case clearly and firmly while remaining respectful of others. One should thus not appear unsure of what they are saying in court because it will show. The best way to be assertive is to be well prepared before a court hearing.
●Creativity and perseverance: Lawyers often say that every case turns on its own circumstances. Indeed, in the real world, no two cases are ever identical to the extent of requiring identical treatment. It is thus paramount for a lawyer to be able to stand his or her ground and be flexible when a case goes to a different direction contrary to the original plan.
●Court etiquette– An exceptional lawyer always observes the etiquette of court. The most important rule of etiquette is, “Stand up when you address the Court and bow and say “May it please the Court.”
This is a mandatory rule and must never be disregarded. In fact, addressing the court whilst seated, other than being disrespectful, is contemptuous. It impugns the authority of the court. It is good practice to not only stand when addressing the court but when being spoken to by the judge. The opposite is also true. If during your address your legal opponent stands to object or indicates he/she wants to object, it is good practice to yield respectfully so that the judge can conduct the trail smoothly. Opposing counsel should not be standing at the same time.
These are the simple yet golden rules to maintain the decorum and dignity of the court of law.
Lastly and in conclusion, a very good lawyer knows the law, but an exceptional lawyer knows the judge. Understanding the ideology of the judge you are appearing before will greatly assist in how you present a matter.
3. Significant Ongoing Project or Initiatives and Possible Impacts.
There are two ground-breaking projects that Ntseane is working on. The first is championing for a child-friendly court facility. It has been a pronounced worry that courts are generally not conducive for children who either appear as victims of crimes or as children in conflict with the law. In a recent workshop facilitated by the Social Welfare Office in the District and the Magistrates Court on the 5th of August 2025, it was resolved that the implementation of such a facility would greatly make it comfortable for minors to attend to court proceedings and get justice. To realize the ground-breaking facility, a first of its kind in the country, a children’s waiting room was identified and purchase of tables, chairs and toys for the children was also provided.
Inside the courtroom, to protect a child victim from coming face to face with an alleged perpetrator, the court purchased an office divider which will in effect allow for the child to give testimony out of view from the alleged perpetrator. All purchases of the items were in the form of donations from court staff and the social welfare office.
The official opening of the facility was the 1st of September 2025 and the hope is that it will transform the way cases involving children are handled. A motto was coined that ‘Justice must not just be seen but also felt by the child to be done.
The second project Ntseane is currently working on is getting his maiden book ‘The Trainee Magistrate Handbook’ translated into the local language of Setswana. The book, which was initially a guide handbook for trainee magistrates, had a good reception from the public who appreciated its simplicity of language in explaining the procedures of Magistrates Courts. The aim of translating to Setswana is to widen its reach to multiple audiences and promote even further the easy understanding of court procedures. It is also a goal to have the book available at every prison facility across the country to support inmates with no financial means in better preparation for their trials.
4. Role Models and Impactful Books
There are two legal minds that influenced Ntseane’s journey. The first is an esteemed attorney in the legal arena – Attorney Dr Anthony Morima. It was Dr Morima who provided mentorship to Ntseane through his days at university. During every school vacation, he would do internships at Dr Morima’s law firm where he gained the practical skills and knowledge to prepare him for a career in law. Dr Anthony Morima would always inspire him to aim for diligence and professionalism in every case he would handle. It fascinated him that Dr Morima had transitioned from being a schoolteacher – completely changing career course and becoming a lawyer to the point of attaining a PhD in Law. The phrase that anything is possible if you put your mind to it is embodied in the life of Dr Morima.
The second legal figure that played a tremendous role in his legal journey is Judge Oagile Dingake (Judge of the Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea). Ntseane worked as intern research assistant to Judge Dingake at the High Court of Gaborone Botswana. The judge would mentor him in legal research, judgment writing and legal ethics. It was in the chambers of Judge Dingake where he developed his love for judicial work. Ntseane was inspired by the judge’s charisma and sharp legal acumen. Every court session would be a deep intellectual discourse on the issues before the judge. It was also during this period that he got inspired that the judges also engaged in other activities such as speaking at legal events and conferences as writing books. These experiences influenced Ntseane who would follow the footsteps.
The book that inspires Ntseane the most is the Holy Bible. There are many verses which he finds relevant, insightful and provide divine wisdom in areas of the law and life. For example, Deuteronomy 16:19 which says “You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous.” Another of his favorite verses is Leviticus 19:15 which says “You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not show partiality to the poor of favouritism to the great but judge your neighbour fairly.” These principles are of course the bedrock of every healthy and effective judiciary, and the words remind Ntseane of his responsibilities as a judicial officer, to treat all who appear before him without fear or favor.
Apart from the Bible, two self-help books which are Ntseane’s favourites are “The 5am Club” by Robin Sharma and “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. These two books read together help him in balancing the mind, the body and the soul to effectively carry out his work diligently each day. They emphasize how daily healthy routines done consistently over time deliver the best results.
5. Advice or Guiding Principles for Young Legal Professionals and Advocates Trying to Find their Place and Purpose in the Legal Terrain.
Ntseane’s advice for a law student would be not to panic if they are unsure of which field of law they would love to pursue. Even at his graduation, he wasn’t sure the path he would take. At the time he did not even imagine a career in the judiciary. This is because he was very entrepreneurial at university and had planned to go into business, with the law degree being an advantage in navigating business contracts.
He believes that any person given an opportunity at the start of their career, ought to give it their very best. Starting out as a legal intern with an allowance and no salary did not make sense to some of his peers who entered different legal jobs, but he tried to do the best he could and developed a sense of belonging while working with the judges of the High Court. One should also not be imprisoned in a work environment they do not like. If the shoe doesn’t fit you can always try another one-the good part about law is that it is broad and provides numerous different career avenues. His view is that a good paycheck should never be an incentive to stay at workplace that doesn’t grow and stimulate you to become a better lawyer.
Ntseane believes that one should go over and beyond the call of one’s daily duties. Enhancing skills such as public speaking, emotional intelligence, technology acumen and conflict management can elevate one’s career to greater heights.
In the beginning of one’s career, he advises young lawyers to appreciate constructive criticism, find mentors who can guide and give them nuggets of wisdom and lastly to always remain humble and maintain a good sense of integrity in both ones professional and private life.
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Editorial Team
Silver Obioha
Clinton Nyamongo
Kazeem Afolabi
Dikeledi Matlhagare
Tolulope Olasunkanmi
Sulaimon Badmus
Aya Hamdy
Princess Maake
Jemilat Akerele
Vera Enubianozor
Brandon Otieno
Oluwabusayo Awodele
Kyenpiya Wonang
Gift Nwoke
Jessica Odoh
Tracy Karumba
Mary-Jones Ossi
Halimah Oladunni
Mary Linus
Peter Momoh
Jessica Omoruyi
