Welcome to the thirty-fourth blog post for TheLawyerFiles.
Thank you, as always, for subscribing and following the journeys of legal changemakers. Each edition brings you honest reflections, practical insights and powerful stories from individuals shaping the future of law with purpose, curiosity and global perspective.
✨ In this edition, we feature Jess Akuffo — an LLM Public International Law candidate at the London School of Economics and Political Science, Legal Intern at Ofcom, and First Class English and Australian Law graduate whose journey spans continents, disciplines and deep intellectual exploration.
From studying Indigenous law under leading scholars in Melbourne to researching international investment and development at King’s and LSE, Jess has built a unique academic and professional profile defined by both compassion and analytical depth. Her work with Ohene Cocoa in Ghana added a powerful on-the-ground understanding of how global policy intersects with local realities, especially in conversations around sustainability and ethical sourcing.
In this conversation, Jess shares why she chose to specialise in public international law, how her dissertation challenged the legitimacy of the international investment regime and why the tension between development and commerce matters now more than ever. She reflects on her time at Ofcom supporting both the Legal and Enforcement Teams and how those experiences helped her understand leadership, collaboration and the value of finding your own professional style.
She also discusses the importance of programmes like Aspiring Solicitors, Hogan Lovells’ Lift Off Scheme and GROW Mentoring, and how each one helped her build confidence, clarity and momentum in her legal journey.
If you are exploring international law, passionate about global development or curious about how academic experience connects with real-world policy and practice, Jess’s story offers both insight and inspiration.
Let’s dive in 💡
- You’ve had an incredible academic journey spanning King’s College London, Monash University, and now the LSE. What inspired your decision to pursue an LLM in Public International Law, and how do you see it shaping your career path?
Thank you so much! I’ve been blessed to attend such incredible academic institutions with outstanding staff and dynamic student bodies.
My desire to pursue an LLM in Public International Law began as an interest in International Human Rights Law, which really took root during my time at Monash University in Melbourne. Studying Australian Indigenous law, under some of the most pre-eminent Indigenous Law scholars, gave me an invaluable perspective on how international law can function as a mechanism for human rights protection. After that experience, I chose as many international law electives as I could in my final year at King’s. As with most undergraduate degrees, I was limited in how deeply I could explore those topics, so I found myself delving into extra readings instead. That’s how I discovered my niche interest: the intersection between international law and development. This area drew me in because it addressed a concern I’d long had, namely that human rights law, while powerful in principle, can often feel abstract and unenforceable. By exploring international law and development, and particularly development through investment, I found a way to bridge that gap.
Through the lens of international investment and development, I became fascinated by the apparent friction between the power of international business to mobilise development, but also hinder sustainable and equitable development. A strong and nuanced understanding of this interplay between commerce, law, and development is what I hope to carry into my career. My aspiration is to qualify as a solicitor and support projects that deliver sustainable development, structuring them in compliance with the international frameworks designed to protect the globally vulnerable. Ultimately, my LLM is equipping me to align the commercial realities of international development with the values of public international law, so that my future work as a solicitor can contribute to growth that is both sustainable and just.
- Your dissertation explores the relationship between the international investment law regime and host State development. Could you share what drew you to this topic and why it feels particularly relevant today?
My dissertation argued that the international investment regime, as it currently stands, is illegitimate. My thinking began with a simple question: the investment regime justifies itself on the basis that it facilitates development in host States… but does it really? When we see water supplies contaminated by industrial waste, or local communities displaced for commercial projects, can we truly say that the regime is serving development? Or is there, perhaps, a fundamental incompatibility between the modern international investment regime and a host State’s ability to pursue meaningful, equitable growth?
Its relevance today lies in the tension between the investment regime’s ability to promote development while simultaneously posing real risks of marginalisation, environmental harm, and inequality. This tension is particularly urgent now because of the growing awareness of greenwashing across the commercial sector. It’s easy for companies or investors to brand a project in a developing region as “sustainable” or “impactful,” but the evidence often tells a more troubling story: minimal benefits for local communities, or even lasting damage. Addressing this would take serious justice-minded structural reform, perhaps even at the expense of commercial profit. That, to me, is what makes this topic so relevant – its potential solution holds a mirror to modern international business, and asks it to prioritise the kind of development that genuinely improves lives.
- Your work with Ohene Cocoa shows a strong interest in African development and sustainability. How has this experience influenced your understanding of international business and policy?
Working with Ohene Cocoa has really deepened my understanding of how interconnected local conditions and international business and policy truly are. Cocoa is a global commodity, but its story begins on Ghanaian farms. What happens there – from weather conditions to harvest quality – directly influences international markets and even the final taste of the chocolate produced in Europe. It’s a striking example of how local realities make up part of global commercial strategy.
I’ve also had the chance to see how differently issues are framed at the local level, compared to on the global stage. On the ground, challenges like fluctuating yields or low farmer pay are deeply human problems. But in the global business and policy arenas, they’re often translated into the language of risk and profit. That disconnect has helped me appreciate both the value and the limitations of international frameworks.
Relatedly, I’ve become much more attuned to how narratives around sustainability and ethics, like ‘slave-free’ or ‘sustainably sourced’ cocoa, can sometimes obscure the harsh realities faced by farmers. It’s made me think critically about greenwashing, and about the need for business and policy conversations that genuinely reflect on-the-ground experiences rather than just marketable ideals.
- You’ve taken part in multiple initiatives like Aspiring Solicitors, Hogan Lovells’ Lift Off Scheme, and GROW Mentoring. How have these experiences contributed to your professional growth and preparation for a legal career?
Aspiring Solicitors opened the door to incredibly insightful conversations I wouldn’t otherwise have had. For someone who didn’t grow up around lawyers, it was invaluable to meet people in the profession, hear how they think and speak about their work, and realise that they’re just passionate people who’ve built their expertise over time. Preparing for and attending the Virtual Diversity Law Fair helped me refine how I engage with firms. I learned to ask better questions, express my interests clearly, and connect more meaningfully.
At Hogan Lovells’ Lift Off Scheme, I gained a clearer sense of how global law firms function as businesses. It showed me how various practice areas feed into the firm’s wider strategy, and how firm economics shape the work lawyers do. These insights helped me grasp the role trainees play in supporting value creation for clients and sustaining the firm’s competitive edge. It made commercial law feel more tangible, and like a space where I could see myself contributing and adding value.
Through GROW Mentoring, I was paired with a brilliant mentor, a future trainee, who helped me conceptually bridge the gap between where I was and where I want to be. The personal development I underwent through that one-to-one guidance reminded me that the skills needed to be an excellent legal professional aren’t necessarily fixed traits; rather, they’re built through continuously gathering insight, reflecting and consistently applying what you’ve learned.
Together, these experiences shaped my understanding of the profession, as well as my confidence in being able to find my own place within it.
- You’ve balanced both academic excellence and practical experience, including your recent internship at Ofcom. What was one key takeaway from your time supporting Ofcom’s Legal and Enforcement Teams?
I learned so much during my time at Ofcom – it’s hard to pick just one takeaway! As a workaround, I’ll share one from the Legal Team and another from Enforcement.
Working with the Legal Team taught me the importance of good interpersonal relationships in law. A mentor of mine once said that when you’re in-house, you quite literally work side-by-side with your client. That insight stuck with me. When colleagues feel comfortable enough to seek your input early, before a project is finalised, you become a true partner in shaping outcomes rather than someone who steps in at the end with a ‘big red pen’. That shift in dynamic, I realised, is invaluable, and applicable in any collaborative role.
I also had a fantastic mentor in the Enforcement Team, who helped me see the importance of finding your own style in any professional setting. I’m naturally introverted, and so sometimes the world of commercial law and its emphasis on leadership can feel intimidating. She helped me to see that leadership looks different on everyone. Rather than feeling less capable than someone who leads in a certain way, find your style of leadership! That lesson was completely transformative.
Jess Akuffo – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessakuffo/
PIL LLM Candidate @ LSE (Dean’s List 2024–25) | ex-Legal Intern @ Ofcom | First Class LLB English & Australian Law Graduate @ KCL/Monash
I hope Jess’s journey has inspired you, especially if you are exploring international law, seeking purpose in your studies, or learning how to connect academic insight with real world impact.
Her story is a reminder that legal careers can be shaped by curiosity, global awareness and a willingness to question the systems we work within. Whether it is studying across different jurisdictions, researching the tension between development and commerce, or gaining hands-on experience through work in Ghana and at Ofcom, Jess shows that depth of thought and openness to learning can create a powerful foundation for your future.
From examining Indigenous law in Melbourne to analysing the legitimacy of the international investment regime and supporting regulatory teams at Ofcom, she reminds us that growth often comes from stepping into unfamiliar spaces and allowing new perspectives to shape your understanding of the world. For anyone doubting their ability to navigate complex areas of law, her journey shows that passion and persistence can lead you exactly where you are meant to be.
🎧 Stay tuned, our podcast episode with Jess will be available soon on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and Audible. We explore her academic path across King’s, Monash and LSE, her insights on international investment and development, and the lessons she learned from her work in Ghana and at Ofcom.
We also discuss the value of mentorship, the importance of confidence when entering competitive spaces and how she continues to build a career grounded in purpose, empathy and global awareness.
Make sure you are subscribed so you do not miss future episodes.
Until next time — stay curious, stay open minded and keep pursuing the work that inspires you 💡🎙️
Denice Obeng 🙂
