Dr Gifty Edila was born in 1955 in the Gold Coast (Ghana) and came to the UK aged 11.  She was educated in a private school in Ghana until she migrated and then attended Hampstead School, London to age 15.  She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B Hons) degree from the University of London, and a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science.  She is a barrister and member of Inner Temple, and a Solicitor Advocate.  She is also a barrister at the Nigerian Bar.

Dr Edila has worked at North Kensington and Camden law centres, Newham and Hackney Councils and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

She has led award-winning teams in all three councils and is the only local authority Legal Director to achieve the triple awards from The Lawyer magazine, the Local Government Chronicle and the Municipal Journal

Dr Edila has personally won awards from the Black Solicitors Network and Excel Ghana Professionals Awards. She earned a reputation as one of the most formidable directors of law in local government, which earned her an honorary Doctor of the University degree from Loughborough University.