“Do not focus on taking shortcuts to grow professionally.” – Bereket Alemayehu Hagos
Bereket Alemayehu Hagos works on international economic law and policy, focusing on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and broader regional integration in Africa. Until very recently, he was a Trade Policy Expert (consultant) at the African Trade Policy Center of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, where he supported AfCFTA implementation through research, training and advocacy.
For over six years, he has also been a Part-time Lecturer of Law at Addis Ababa University, where he teaches undergraduate courses on international and national economic laws and supervises students in writing their senior theses. He does this because, aside from his passion for teaching and researching, he wants to help bridge the often observed gap between legal education and law-making, policymaking, and legal practice.
He was previously a Market Access and Trade Policy Officer at the UK Department for Business and Trade (British Embassy) in Ethiopia, where he supported the UK-Ethiopia economic diplomacy. Moreover, as an Associate (initially as a Junior Associate) at Mehrteab Leul & Associates Law Office (renamed as “Mehrteab & Getu Advocates LLP”) (a member of DLA Piper Africa), he extensively advised multinational and national companies on various legal issues, including investment, trade and environmental laws.
Bereket has a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia), a Master of Laws (LL.M) in International Business Law from Central European University (Hungary) and a second LL.M. in Comparative Law, Economics and Finance from the University of Turin and the International University College of Turin (Italy).
Bereket’s articles have featured in peer-reviewed journals, newspapers and magazines, as well as blogs, including Africa at LSE and Afronomicslaw. He also shares his professional views through interviews in the media, including Deutsche Welle Amharic, Xinhua News Agency, fDi Intelligence and Addis Fortune.
1. The Driving Force for Choosing the Legal Profession.
Bereket joined the law school mainly because of his firm belief in “justice” and commitment to do his part to serve it. His perception of “justice” was, however, very limited and based on his everyday experiences at that time, mainly denoting to getting wrongdoers punished.
2. Qualities of an Exceptional Lawyer and How Young Professionals Can Cultivate Such Attributes.
Bereket believes that there are many attributes of an exceptional lawyer, which young professionals must cultivate. Of course, the main one is always adhering to ethical codes of conduct, such as honesty and avoiding conflicts of interest. Apart from that, it is crucial for any good lawyer to regularly deepen his/her knowledge and sharpen his/her skills (through reading, taking courses etc.), grow his/her networks, properly understand his/her client’s needs and interests and provide services accordingly as well as respect and collaborate with his/her colleagues (including juniors).
3. Significant Ongoing Project or Initiatives and Possible Impacts.
Since April 2023, Bereket has been supporting the implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement, which is a flagship project of the African Union under the Agenda 2063. He truly believes that the AfCFTA, if it is fully utilised, can help African countries grow their economies, address their developmental challenges, such as poverty, unemployment and commodity dependence, boost the continent’s competitiveness, and enhance its voice in international policymaking. This is why he wants to continue supporting this mammoth continental project through research, training, and advocacy.
4. Role Models and Impactful Books
He has many role models, who have influenced his education, career path, behaviour, and personal life. One of them is the late Nelson Mandela, the first President of South Africa. Mandela’s strong belief in truth and reconciliation as foundations of nation-building, his perseverance, and commitment to freedom are particularly inspirational. For the same reasons, one of Bereket’s favourite books is Mandela’s autobiography, the “Long Walk to Freedom”.
5. Advice or Guiding Principles for Young Legal Professionals and Advocates Trying to Find their Place and Purpose in the Legal Terrain.
A couple of advice for current or future young legal professionals. Do not focus on taking shortcuts to grow professionally and (even personally), as you learn in the long process of doing things. Remember that opportunities to grow are abundant in this age of information, thanks to the advancement in ICT. Make most of these opportunities, such as reading books as much as possible, taking courses (online or in-person), networking with others, etc. Your own knowledge and skills will always be indispensable, even with the increasing adoption of sophisticated Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools. But, never forget that there are many distractions in this digitalised world, such as excessive use of social media. Avoid these distractions and focus on doing things that will help build your career and personal 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
