By Bright Philip Donkor
Senior Partner at Africa Legal Associates (ALA), Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, has called on legal practitioners across the African continent to embrace a new mindset that sees Africa not as 54 fragmented markets but as a unified economic space of 1.5 billion people.
He made the call during ALA’s 10th Anniversary Business Breakfast Meeting at the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra yesterday. The event was held under the theme “From Accra to Africa: Turning AfCFTA’s Promise into Commercial Growth for Ghanaian Companies – The Evolving Role of Law Firms in Africa.”
Mr. Otchere-Darko urged lawyers to play a central role in advancing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by deepening their knowledge of cross-border commercial realities, and helping businesses navigate the evolving legal landscape.
Continental outlook
He said that lawyers must develop what he described as a “continental outlook” if they hoped to serve their clients effectively in an era defined by regional integration. According to him, “we best serve our clients when we think beyond our borders—toward a continent of 1.5 billion people. We must understand the AfCFTA, understand the conflicts among national laws, and support our clients with accurate, strategic advice so they can access the wider African market.”
He stressed that the legal profession cannot afford to remain confined to traditional courtroom work or small local transactions when the continent was moving toward a single market.
He noted that one of the most pressing threats facing Africa was youth unemployment. He explained that many African economies were too small and insufficiently dynamic to accommodate the fast-growing youth population. He highlighted that by 2030, around 75 percent of all young people under the age of 35 would be African, a demographic shift that presents enormous opportunities but also significant risks if the continent fails to create jobs, enterprise, and avenues for creative and economic expression.
Caution
Mr. Otchere-Darko cautioned that without meaningful efforts to expand opportunities, Africa could face serious social and economic challenges.
He emphasised that the success of the AfCFTA offers a meaningful pathway to creating such opportunities, but only if implementation is treated with seriousness and urgency.
He argued that treaties and protocols alone were not enough, adding that the continent needed genuine political will, strong institutional structures, and sustained investment to ensure the free movement of people, goods, services and capital.
Advice to young lawyers
Turning his attention to young lawyers, he advised them not to chase money but focus on gaining knowledge, learning, and building competence. He explained that although many may admire senior colleagues for the successes they now enjoy, including the cars they drive or the lifestyle they had built, it took years of experience and hard work for them to reach that point. Building skill, he said, must come first.
Mr. Otchere-Darko further reaffirmed his belief that Africa’s legal profession had a critical role to play in shaping the continent’s future. He said that if African law firms began to think and operate at a continental level, they would help create the legal foundation necessary for businesses to thrive across borders. In his view, building a truly Pan-African legal framework is not only desirable but essential for Africa’s economic transformation.
The ALA journey
In her address, Nana Adjoa Hackman, co-founder and Managing Partner of ALA, highlighted the firm’s journey, acknowledging the clients, colleagues, and partners who had supported the firm since its inception.
She reflected on ALA’s growth from its early days in Labone to becoming a globally recognised law firm. “Somehow, we probably did something right. So we are here today, and we think we’ll continue to be here in the coming years,” she said.
Madam Hackman mentioned the firm’s realisation that legal practice is, at its core, a business. She recalled, “Two years into the life of ALA, I was seated at my desk trying to put together an end-of-year report, and it suddenly struck me, it’s a business like any other. Up until then, we had been very focused on delivering for our clients, but lawyers often get absorbed in the work and forget to look at the strategic growth of the firms they run.”
Initiatives undertaken
Madam Hackman highlighted initiatives, including webinars on dispute resolution under the AfCFTA, innovative financing, and joint ventures in land transactions. She mentioned that ALA associates had engaged with the public through radio appearances educating citizens on road traffic regulations and the rights of vehicle owners.
She also indicated that the firm had also explored emerging issues such as trust and risk in the era of artificial intelligence and plans to host a session on ESG before year-end.
Beyond thought leadership, Madam Hackman emphasised ALA’s commitment to mentoring young Africans. This year alone, the firm has visited 20 high schools, and conducted outreach programmes at two tertiary institutions, reinforcing its role in shaping the next generation of leaders. ALA has also been actively involved in organising the Africa Prosperity Dialogues through its partnership with the Africa Prosperity Network.
She paid special tribute to all the firm’s early supporters and first clients, citing companies whose trust and loyalty gave the firm the confidence to grow. “The names are manifold; they are always the most important, the ones who stay beside you when you venture into the unknown,” she said.
In a surprise gesture, Madam Hackman honoured long-serving staff members who had been with ALA for five years or more, acknowledging their dedication and contribution to the firm’s global recognition in corporate, commercial, and M&A practice areas.
She emphasised that the firm’s success was built on the people behind it. “We have a very great set of dynamic, brilliant members who have put their talent and energy behind this cause,” she further added.
About Africa Legal Associates (ALA)
Africa Legal Associates (ALA) is a corporate and commercial law firm headquartered in Accra, Ghana.
The firm specialises in investment law, energy, financial services, technology, infrastructure, mergers & acquisitions, dispute resolution, and international business.
ALA is a key member of the Africa Law Practice International (ALPi) Group, with a presence in 10 African countries and Guyana, the Caribbean.
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