Mary Sharon Obara is a rising force in Africa’s dispute resolution landscape, she brings together legal precision, strategic vision, and a forward-looking approach to international arbitration. Her practice spans commercial, construction, ESG, investment, and sports arbitration, with a particular focus on dispute avoidance, third-party funding, and procedural innovation. Actively engaged with leading arbitral institutions—including the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), and Nkafu Arbitration Services—she contributes meaningfully to the development of arbitration across jurisdictions.

Instrumental in shaping arbitration dialogue from East to West Africa, she has led and supported initiatives that position the continent at the heart of global arbitral reform. Her experience includes curating legal forums, moderating high-level conversations, and managing cross-border programs that connect institutions, practitioners, and policymakers. Her approach integrates legal design with operational strategy and stakeholder engagement, particularly within emerging markets.

Her background is equally grounded in digital communications, project management, and brand development—skills she applies to amplify the visibility and relevance of justice-sector initiatives. Beyond her legal and institutional work, she has actively contributed to youth empowerment through her involvement in a USAID-supported project, advancing education, leadership, and civic participation among young people across the continent.

Guided by a humanitarian ethos and a belief in law as both a safeguard and a catalyst, she continues to shape platforms where dispute resolution is not only effective and enforceable but inclusive, empowering, and transformative.