The people behind the practice.

She is the Managing Partner of ZETA & Co. Legal Practitioners, where she brings together two disciplines that have defined her professional career—law and public procurement. This combination gives her a distinctive practical and legal perspective in advising clients on complex public-sector and commercial transactions, particularly matters involving procurement strategy, tendering and selection processes, contract negotiation, contract management, regulatory compliance and dispute resolution.

At ZETA & Co., Bernadette focuses on providing strategic, commercially grounded and legally sound advice to clients navigating complex procurement, contracting, governance and dispute-resolution matters. Her particular strength lies in bridging the gap between law, procurement practice and commercial implementation, enabling clients to make informed decisions throughout the lifecycle of a transaction or dispute.

Prior to establishing ZETA & Co., Bernadette held senior legal and procurement leadership positions within the Zambian public sector. Most recently, she served as Board Secretary and Director of Legal at the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA), where she provided strategic legal, governance and corporate advisory support while overseeing legal services, contract management, procurement compliance, litigation and Board Secretariat functions. During her tenure, she was involved in the negotiation and implementation of high-value procurement arrangements, Government-to-Government procurement, government special purpose vehicle arrangements and PPP-related concessions.

Her earlier public-sector career included senior positions as Head of Procurement and Supplies at the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Community Development and Social Services and Ministry of Home Affairs, as well as service as a State Advocate at the Ministry of Justice. Earlier in her career she gained experience in public procurement at the then Zambia National Tender Board, now Zambia Public Procurement Authority. These roles have provided her with extensive first-hand experience of both the legal and operational dimensions of public procurement and government contracting.

Bernadette's procurement expertise extends across the full procurement and contract lifecycle, including procurement strategy and planning, solicitation, bidding and evaluation, contract award, negotiation, contract administration, implementation and dispute resolution. Her experience encompasses World Bank-funded projects, Government-to-Government procurement, UN framework agreements, complex government contracts, e-procurement systems, procurement reforms and policy development.

She has also advised and represented public institutions in complex legal and commercial matters, including procurement disputes, contractual disputes, litigation and arbitration. Her combined legal and procurement background enables her to assess disputes not only from a legal perspective but also from an understanding of how procurement processes are designed, evaluated, awarded and implemented in practice.

As an advocate and dispute-resolution practitioner, Bernadette has experience in litigation and arbitration, with particular expertise in disputes arising from public procurement, government contracts and commercial transactions. She is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (MCIArb) and has undertaken arbitration work involving public procurement disputes.

Bernadette is also an experienced trainer, facilitator and conference speaker in public procurement law, government contracts and related areas. She has developed and delivered professional training programmes for the Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal Education (ZIALE), including programmes on government contracts and public procurement law, and has trained legal practitioners, procurement professionals, economists, accountants and other professionals. She has also spoken at regional and international professional forums on public procurement systems, processes and law.

Her academic and professional qualifications include an LLM in Public Procurement Policy and Regulation from Stellenbosch University, a Postgraduate Diploma in Legislative Drafting from the Zambia Institute of Advanced Legal Education, an LLB from the University of Zambia, MCIPS, FZIPS and MCIArb. She is a member of the Law Association of Zambia, the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, among other professional affiliations.