An Interview with Johanna Monthe of Epena Law: A Private Equity Law Firm at the Center of the African Legal Scene

Interview with Johanna Monthe, Partner at Epena Law

What makes Epena Law stand out, and how are you different from other law firms?

In Africa, very few firms specialize in investment funds such as private equity and venture capital, so most fund managers have to go abroad. They spend time in France, Mauritius or the UK to get the skills they need to set up their investment funds. One thing that sets us apart from other law firms is that we can attract both African and European clients because we have the same skillsets. We also work across the African continent. Even our brand name, Epena, is the name of the city at the very center of Africa. We have been very intentional about it. We are based in Cameroon, Nigeria and elsewhere, so what we are doing in practice is covering the whole continent. And this is what investment funds do in any event. I am licensed to practice in the UK, the US, France and Cameroon, which gives me a better understanding of the issues that investors in Africa may face based on their regulatory constraints. That is an important feature of our offering.

What kinds of issues do the majority of your clients have and what can you do for them?

There are many issues that we have to solve, but one thing that comes up over and over again is our ability to cover the whole continent. If you are a business and you want to expand to Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, or Kenya, you don’t want to have to talk to different people in different countries because you don’t want to focus on the legal aspects of things, you just want to do your business and make sure it happens. This is why they come to us because we are a one-stop shop. We will handle everything in a seamless fashion, and they will get results.

Can you describe how long you have been in business and your success stories.

We have been in business for a little more than two years and it has been an interesting journey. Every single day there is something different that brings joy. The success is the happiness of our clients.

In my case, I want to make sure that I deliver the product ahead of time and that I give advice that goes above and beyond. Delivering only what is expected from your client is not enough, you have to go beyond. You have to make sure that they are surprised and happy. That is how to get recurring clients, and so far, we have a lot of recurring clients.

What are the fundamentals a young law firm such as Epena needs for success?

One thing that sets us apart from other law firms is that we can attract both African and European clients because we have the same skillsets. We also work across the African continent.

My experience is that the younger the team members are, the more adaptable they are to the European frameworks that we learned abroad. I have found that it is much easier to train a 21-year-old just out of PhD school in whatever field, be it technology or legal thinking, than it is to take someone who is six years qualified and has learned things a certain way. You then have to deconstruct everything before they can learn the way of doing things. The youth in Africa is probably one of the biggest assets that we have as it compensates for the lack of training.

Africa is new and kind of fast, especially in the technology field, and there are a lot of new people coming onto the legal scene, so you want to make sure that your firm is noticed.

Coming from Europe, we need to adjust as well. I don’t think I am better than people who are locally trained because I come from Europe. For me, it was about observing the market. Getting a sense of what is expected from this market and then adjusting our practice to meet its needs. When you understand the rules of the game, you can then create something of value.

An element that is indispensable for practicing law in Africa is technology. An example of that is COVID-19. If a firm did not have tech-enabled systems in place it would have to shut down. As it is not easy to travel to see clients in Africa or overseas, if a firm does not have technology, it cannot operate successfully.

What are some of the hurdles businesses must overcome when they want to expand into different countries in Africa?

When considering investing in Africa, some businesses tend to see Africa as one, but it is not. The differences in doing business in Nigeria compared to Cameroon, or Francophone Africa in general, are immense. Fast forward two years and we now work with a number of Anglophone clients who want to expand to Francophone markets and vice versa and we have all learned that there is a need to have knowledge of every single country. There are hurdles with taxes and business registration and so on and they are just part of the game.

In terms of the development of your firm, what would you like to achieve within the next three years?

This company is about enabling the people who work for us. In two or three years’ time, I would want my team to be in full control. In countries where we have teams, they are all local and I want them to take ownership. At the end of the day, Epena is the name of the city at the center of Africa, so let this be our people, our teams.

ABOUT EPENA LAW: Like the city of Epena, Epena Law is at the center of the legal scene in Africa. Through its extensive understanding of both civil and common laws, Epena is able to seamlessly navigate through the various legal systems in the continent, having deep roots and knowledge of markets, regulations and key players. The legal practice serves the needs of corporates, investment funds, growth companies and financial institutions, by providing advisory services on a wide range of corporate and commercial transactions. With over 50 years of cumulative experience acquired by its founders in the most prestigious international law firms, Epena Law can provide clients with best in class services. The private equity law firm is based in the UK and Cameroon, with a representation in Nigeria.

For more information, please visit: www.epena-law.com.

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