“…look within before looking outward. Know what drives you,”- Bakhita Mawuli Koblavie
Bakhita Mawuli Koblavie is a Ghanaian lawyer and academic with a strong professional background in dispute resolution, transactional advisory, and legal education. She currently lectures Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) at the Ghana School of Law, shaping the next generation of legal professionals with a focus on ethical practice and practical dispute resolution skills. Before joining academia in 2021, Bakhita practised at a full-service law firm in Accra, advising on a broad spectrum of commercial matters, including labour disputes, debt recovery, and investment transactions. She contributed as local counsel in cross-border investment negotiations and played a key role in two international arbitrations — one in the energy sector, the other involving finance and technology.
Bakhita’s consultancy experience spans work with a Dispute Resolution Centre in Ghana and a law firm in Nigeria, where she delivered GIZ-sponsored ADR trainings, advancing capacity-building across jurisdictions. Bakhita has taught law at Central University College and the Faculty of Law, KNUST, where she also earned her undergraduate law degree. She holds a Master of Laws (LLM) in Comparative and International Dispute Resolution from Queen Mary University of London, awarded under the prestigious Chevening Scholarship. She was called to the Ghana Bar in 2012 and received the Best Graduating Student in ADR award at the Call to the Bar ceremony. She is a member of the Ghana Bar Association, the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb-Ghana Branch), and the 2024 cohort of the Africa Arbitration Academy. Her current interests include investment mediation, climate finance, and the AfCFTA’s role in dispute resolution and investment continuity.
1. The Driving Force for Choosing the Legal Profession.
For Bakhita, the path to law was not a childhood ambition but a quiet step into the unknown, one that would eventually reveal her gift for resolving disputes and empowering others through knowledge. Today, she is a lawyer, lecturer, and ADR consultant whose work bridges practice, pedagogy, and reform. Growing up, Bakhita was known for her strong sense of justice. She often spoke up for others, challenged authority figures, and demanded fairness, even when it earned her the label of “disrespectful.” “You couldn’t say an adult was lying,” she recalls, “but I did, and I demanded apologies.” That early instinct to defend the vulnerable laid the foundation for a career in law, even if she didn’t recognise it at the time.
Her initial dream was to become an accountant, inspired by her stepfather and a beloved Senior High School teacher. But when the time came to apply to university, her foster mother, a French lecturer, enrolled her in the Faculty of Law at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, believing she would make a fine lawyer. Bakhita wasn’t sure what that meant, but others seemed to know. During her final moot court assessment, a lecturer told her she would make a great advocate. Years later, during a training programme in London, a fellow participant, one of the finest lawyers she had ever met, echoed that sentiment: “You’re one of the best advocates I’ve ever worked with.” It was a moment of quiet affirmation.
After seven years in practice, Bakhita transitioned into academia, driven by a desire to be more present for her family and to remain intellectually engaged. Teaching offered both. “Through teaching, I keep learning,” she says, “and I make a difference in the classroom through how I execute my task as a teacher.” Three things keep her grounded: the joy of teaching with clarity and purpose; serving her clients with empathy and precision; and inspiring her children through her work. Her ambition remains to grow constantly, so she’s ready for whatever comes next. Bakhita’s story is not one of grand gestures or dramatic turns. It’s a quiet evolution, rooted in empathy, sharpened by excellence, and sustained by purpose. In every classroom and every brief, she brings clarity, conviction, and care. And in doing so, she continues to discover not just her place in the profession, but her power within it.
2. Qualities of an Exceptional Lawyer and How Young Professionals Can Cultivate Such Attributes.
For Bakhita, competence is no longer rare in today’s legal landscape. She observes that “Everyone can study and qualify to practice law. Even lawyers who need lawyers seek those who are competent, knowledgeable, and capable.” But for her, competence is just the baseline. What distinguishes an exceptional lawyer is resourcefulness, adaptability, and empathy. Through years of practice and teaching, Bakhita has come to believe that the best lawyers wear a human face in every case. Whether representing a multinational corporation or an individual in distress, she insists that lawyers must understand their clients, support them, and protect their interests with compassion. “Clients are always represented by human beings,” she says. “And people remember the lawyer with strong values and great people skills. That’s how you earn the referral.”
For Bakhita, resourcefulness is non-negotiable. An exceptional lawyer must either have the solution, know where to find it, or know someone who does. “You don’t shrug and say ‘I don’t know,” she explains. “But you also don’t pretend to know what you don’t. You build the right team, point your client in the right direction, and execute with integrity.”
Her reflections are not just theoretical. This year, Bakhita closely followed the high-profile trial of Sean Combs and was struck by the humility and empathy of his lawyer, Mark Agnifilio. “He built a formidable team, fought hard, and respected his client deeply, even when the world didn’t” she says. What impressed her most wasn’t just the legal strategy, but the holistic care: Agnifilio ensured Combs received therapeutic support during the trial and even afterwards. “That,” she says, “is what legal service should look like.”
Bakhita believes that young professionals must interrogate their motivations. Whether driven by financial need or strategic opportunity, lawyers must remain grounded in empathy and professionalism. “Know your client’s problem. Know the goal. Then find a solution that achieves it,” she advises. “Be honest, even when the odds are against them. Keep them informed. Empower them through the process.” And if a lawyer must withdraw from a case, Bakhita insists it must be done with dignity and respect for the client, no matter the circumstances of withdrawal. “Respect the protocols laid down by the profession. Offer alternatives if requested and leave the decision to the client. And if money must be discussed, do so with grace.”
In a profession often defined by intellect and prestige, Bakhita reminds us that the heart of law is still human. Her message is clear: competence gets you in the room, but character keeps you there.
3. Significant Ongoing Project or Initiatives and Possible Impacts.
As a specialist in dispute resolution, Bakhita has identified a critical gap in Ghana’s justice delivery system, one that intersects with the aspirations of law students and young legal professionals. Her current focus is on creating a transformative opportunity that connects these emerging professionals with the justice system in a meaningful, service-driven partnership. Her initiative aims to deliver accessible and high-quality Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services to users of the justice system, particularly in small to medium-value claims and petty cases; areas often underserved yet deeply impactful in everyday life. By doing so, she hopes to rebuild public confidence in the ADR component of Ghana’s legal justice system.
But the vision goes beyond service delivery. It’s also about capacity-building. Bakhita intends to equip professional law students and young lawyers with practical ADR skills, ethical grounding, and real-world exposure. “There is a yearning among young professionals to contribute meaningfully,” she notes. “We must create avenues that allow them to do so while strengthening the justice system from the ground up.”
Her approach reflects a deep belief in collaborative justice where learning, service, and reform converge. It is a model that not only empowers the next generation of legal professionals but also ensures that justice is felt, not just delivered.
4. Role Models and Impactful Books.
Bakhita has been supported and mentored by friends and some respectable seniors at the Ghana Bar, each prodding and guiding her through the winding path of her professional journey. One of the senior lawyers introduced her to Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If”, a timeless piece that became more than literature; it is a quiet compass. Its opening challenge, “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you,” echoed through difficult seasons of practice and transition, anchoring her in moments when clarity felt elusive. The poem affirmed her and taught her the value of courage, patience, humility, integrity, and resilience – the grit to never give up. It reminded her that composure and character are the true measures of strength. “If” didn’t just inspire her; It whispered that the path she chose, shaped by family, mentors, and a hunger for growth, was not a detour, but a deliberate ascent. And in her quiet moments, after a long day, the poem remained a gentle echo, reminding her that the measure of a lawyer, a teacher, and a woman is not found in accolades or applause, but in how she stands when the world shakes.
Books have also shaped Bakhita’s thinking and fortified her path. As a law student, she read “The Family Story”, Lord Denning’s autobiography, and found in it a mirror of possibility. Denning’s early health struggles as a pre-term child, self-taught brilliance, and fearless dissent showed her that greatness is not reserved for the privileged; it’s earned through hard work, courage and conviction.
Denning’s legacy as a judge who challenged orthodoxy and stood by his values resonated deeply. “Some of his dissenting opinions became law,” Bakhita reflects. “He didn’t cower in the face of criticism.” That example emboldened her to pursue her own path in law, embracing unfamiliar areas and venturing into new subjects with confidence. Today, she teaches Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) at the Ghana School of Law, where she finds joy in guiding students from uncertainty to mastery. “Watching them leave with a wealth of knowledge and curiosity for ADR is deeply fulfilling,” she says.
Another pivotal influence was Mindset by Dr. Carol S. Dweck, gifted to her by her husband in 2019. The book reshaped her view of failure and success, encouraging her to focus on effort and growth rather than outcomes. “I work hard, but I value balance, and my talents mean little without discipline and development,” she notes. Looking back to her 2012 Call to the Bar, Bakhita is proud of the knowledge, character, and resilience she’s cultivated. In a profession where self-doubt is common, she measures success by grit and growth. “Now ‘failure’ doesn’t diminish me. It deepens my resolve.”
Her journey is a testament to the power of mindset, mentorship, and meaningful work. And as she prepares for the next phase, she carries with her the quiet strength of those who dared to believe and the courage to become.
5. Advice or Guiding Principles for Young Legal Professionals and Advocates Trying to Find their Place and Purpose in the Legal Terrain.
Bakhita believes that every legal professional must carve a niche, one shaped by personal interest, purpose, and resilience. Her journey has not been without resistance. She has encountered both mentors who believed in her and detractors who questioned her ambition. But she remains steadfast: “No dream is too big. The fact that you haven’t done it yet doesn’t mean you can’t.” For her, preparation, timing, and self-belief are the keys to unlocking potential. She urges aspiring lawyers to immerse themselves fully in their chosen path. “You’re not just acquiring knowledge, you’re building skills,” she says. She’s seen students enter law school with enthusiasm but falter due to lack of discipline. Her advice is simple: know what you’re signing up for, commit to excellence, and put in the work.
She’s also a firm believer in adaptability. “The profession is evolving, and so must the exceptional lawyer,” she says. That means learning and unlearning, embracing unfamiliar perspectives, and drawing wisdom from both seniors and juniors. She encourages young professionals to face their fears, whether it’s courtroom advocacy, legal writing, or volunteering, and to seek direction through learning.
Giving back is central to her ethos. Bakhita as a young lawyer offered pro bono services not for recognition, but for growth. “I learned many things by doing it for free,” she reflects. “Eventually, the rewards followed.”
Her advice on mentorship is equally grounded: look within before looking outward. “Know what drives you,” she says. “Then find people whose lives inspire you to reach deeper.” She recalls entering law school in 2010, warned of its difficulty. But a senior mentor reminded her she had everything she needed to succeed. In 2012, she graduated with distinction and was named best student in ADR, which is now her professional focus.
For Bakhita, success is not a race. It’s a journey. One built on dignity, discipline, and the courage to keep moving, one step at a time.
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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
