Jacqueline Musiitwa is the founder and managing partner of the Hoja Law Group, a firm started in 2008 that advises on commercial, political and intellectual property law for companies doing business in Africa. The firm has offices in New York and Kigali and primarily focuses on markets in eastern and southern Africa.
In addition to assisting companies with doing business in Africa, the Hoja Law Group has experience in advising African governments, and Musiitwa has served as an advisor to the Rwandan Minister of Justice concerning investment, trade and infrastructure. She is also a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and a 2014 New Voices fellow at the Aspen Institute, among various other accolades.
How we made it in Africa asked Musiitwa to share her professional advice to companies wanting to grow their African footprint.
1. Find a good lawyer
According to Musiitwa, it’s important for companies to find good local counsel that has extensive experience. She says companies should make use of the global Chambers & Partners list that ranks the best law firms in different jurisdictions.
“So whenever I am doing work in a different country, I definitely go to the Chambers Global list and see who they have ranked as first and second in the jurisdiction, depending on what I need. I also inquire locally about who has a good reputation. I inquire from other foreign lawyers who have done business in the country and, when possible, clients who have been represented by a said local counsel.”
The International Financial Law Review (IFLR) ranking is another list that can be used to select counsel.
While these lists are reputable, Musiitwa says there is no substitute for finding local experts through speaking to people in the market and conducting one’s own research. “There definitely are great local experts and sometimes they get overshadowed by large international firms,” she notes.
2. Subscribe to African-focused research firms
Adequate market research is not easily available in many African countries, and Musiitwa’s clients often approach her with queries on how to gain access to information. However…