Interview with: Michael Gaveh, Managing Partner

1. What do you see as the main points that differentiate Senet from your competitors?

Answer: Senet stands out from competitors in several ways. Firstly

1. The firm offers an innovative approach to providing legal services and structuring fee arrangements that are tailored to the needs of our clients. This significantly empowers our clients in terms of financial flexibility and gives us an edge over our competitors.
2. Senet is commercially pragmatic and is willing to adopt pragmatic measures to achieve the objectives of our clients without compromising on sound legal principles.
3. Senet Corporate Solicitors has a dedicated team of competent and smart individuals committed to delivering excellent legal services at any time as they relate to Ghanaian law.  Our team members are ever ready and willing to attend to the needs of our clients.
4. The firm has in depth knowledge and expertise in several practice areas, including Energy, Banking and Project Finance, General Corporate and Commercial, Mergers and Acquisitions, Investments and Joint Ventures, Mining, Oil & Gas, Construction, Regulatory and legal compliance matters, Employment, Real Estate, and Commercial Dispute Resolution.

 

2. Which practices do you see growing in the next 12 months? What are the drivers behind that?

Answer: Senet expects to see growth in several practice areas in the next twelve months. The Energy, Mining, Oil & Gas, Construction, and Commercial Dispute Resolution practices are expected to grow. The main drivers behind this growth are Ghana’s economic growth and development, which are creating more business opportunities in these sectors. The government’s focus on infrastructure development, particularly in the energy and construction sectors, is also driving growth in these areas. Although the Ghanaian economy has experienced some difficulties early part of this year (2023) we are optimistic that the second half of the year would see resumption of moderate economic growth and activity that will impact both foreign and local investor confidence in doing business in Ghana.

 

3. What’s the main change you’ve made in the firm that will benefit clients?

Answer: The main change that Senet has made in the firm that will benefit clients is our innovative approach in providing legal services and structuring fee arrangements. The firm is able to offer financial flexibility in structuring fee arrangements that are tailored to the needs of clients. This gives the firm an edge over our competitors and allows us to provide high-quality legal services at competitive prices.

We also continue to develop our capacity through internal and external training programmes on relevant areas of the legal landscape. We believe our enhanced capacity in our traditional and new areas of practice go directly to impact the efficient running of the business of our clients.

 

4. Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them?

Answer: Yes, technology is changing the way Senet interacts with our clients and the services we can provide them. The firm uses technology to improve communication, document management, and legal research. For example, the firm uses virtual meeting platforms to hold remote meetings with clients, making it easier for clients to access legal services regardless of their location. The firm also uses legal research tools and software to provide more efficient and effective legal services to clients.

 

5. Can you give us a practical example of how you have helped a client to add value to their business?

Answer: A practical example of how Senet helped a client to add value to their business was by foregoing some of our accrued legal fees that had accumulated over a significant period of time. The client is at the development stage of a project and is not yet generating income to enable it pay for our legal services in full. Our decision to forego part of the accrued legal fees has helped the development of the project to continue in the midst of the current economic challenges.

 

6. Are clients looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms – where do you see the firm in three years’ time?

Answer: Yes, clients are looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms. In three years’ time, Senet sees itself as one of the leading law firms in Ghana, with a reputation for providing high-quality legal services and tailored solutions to our clients’ needs. The firm also aims to expand our practice areas and deepen our expertise in existing and new areas of practice to better serve our clients. Senet is committed to providing stability and strategic direction to our clients and is continuously looking for ways to add value to their businesses.

We also intend to increase our human capital by hunting for highly skilled and talented relatively youthful lawyers who believe in our vision and who will grow with the firm. We intend to tap into the innovative minds of the youth in the fast pace technological world to bring quality and efficient legal service delivery to the doorsteps of our clients.