Connecting with clients: client acquisition and retention

Emma-Jean Markin is a highly experienced lawyer, Human Rights Activist and entrepreneur based in Ghana, with a distinguished career spanning multiple sectors. Currently, she serves as the Managing Partner of Markin & Associates, Secretary of the African Regional Forum of the International Bar Association (IBA), Board Member of the Rental Housing Association of Ghana and Founder of the Widows Might Foundation. Her legal expertise encompasses a broad range of areas, including immigration law, real estate law, corporate and commercial law, litigation, oil and gas law, and procurement law. Prior to her current roles, she gained valuable experience in the banking sector and provided company secretarial services to both local and multinational institutions in Ghana. Additionally, she holds a certification as a Green Real Estate Professional. Emma-Jean has received her academic training from reputable institutions in both the United Kingdom and Ghana. Her ultimate goal is to drive significant reforms and improvements in the legal profession in Ghana.

Modupeola Olusoga is a highly experienced professional in Operations and Human Resources. Her career spans over 15 years in various sectors, including finance, advisory, consulting and legal. Throughout her career, she has consistently demonstrated her ability to drive productivity, improve operations, manage people effectively, optimise costs and deliver efficient services in organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Modupeola's expertise lies in providing exceptional leadership, achieving corporate goals, driving profitability and growth, managing stakeholders and ensuring operational excellence. Modupeola is currently the Chief Operating Officer at a prestigious commercial law firm. She implements and continuously reviews the firm's business operations strategies in this role. She also provides insightful reports on business performance to the partners and other stakeholders, assisting in making informed business decisions. Additionally, Modupeola has successfully executed crucial people-oriented initiatives, such as training programmes, career planning and succession planning, resulting in a remarkable increase in employee productivity and business development. Modupeola's leadership extends beyond her current role. She also serves as a key member of the Executive Committee of the Association of Law Firm Administrators, Nigeria, where she chairs the Learning and Development Committee. In this capacity, she is responsible for executing the Talent Management Strategy for the association's members, who are business support professionals within the legal industry. Modupeola holds a BSc in Economics and an MSc in Industrial and Labor Relations. She has further enhanced her expertise through certifications from renowned institutions such as Harvard Business School (HBS) and George Washington University. Her Senior Professional in Human Resources International (SPHRi) certification from the Human Resource Institute in the USA further underscores her exceptional ability to handle the complexities of her role.

Caliis Badoo is a Lawyer, a Chartered Banker and a Notary Public admitted to practice in Ghana. He has over twenty (20) years’ experience in teaching and practicing Corporate & Business Law with over 13 years in Securities Regulation and Enforcement experience with the Securities & Exchange Commission of Ghana. His key strengths include fine research and analytical skills, excellent communication and human relations, a great team worker with a bent for academia. He has very valuable experience in cross border and trade related issues having served and still serving as a member of the Technical Committee of the West Africa Securities Regulatory Association (WASRA) which seeks to provide oversight on cross border capital issues for the development of the subregion. WASRA has applied to become an appendage of ECOWAS under Article 53 of the ECOWAS Revised Treaty. He is also currently a Lecturer/Facilitator for the Legal & Regulatory Framework module of the Ghana Securities and Investment Institute (GISI) course designed for capital market professionals. He combines effective corporate and business law practice with teaching same. He has excellent drafting skills with a bias for commercial agreements. Currently, he is a Director and heads the Legal & Enforcement Department of the Securities & Exchange Commission, Ghana as Chief Manager having previously worked as Board Secretary, Secretary to the Approvals and Licensing Committee and Deputy Chief Manager, Senior Manager in the same Department. Prior to that he worked as an Attorney in two law firms in Ghana representing clients in court and providing them with professional legal advice on corporate and commercial matters. At all times during he career, he has remained a part-time lecturer. He has attended a number of training programmes with Harvard Law School, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (US SEC), the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) amongst others. He is a member of the IBA Capital Markets Forum, Securities Law Committee and the Immigration and Nationality Committee. He is also a member of IOSCO AMERC Working Group on Market Development. He has held the positions of Conference Coordinator (Jan. 2015 - Dec. 2016), Officer (Jan. 2017 - Dec. 2018), Conference Coordinator (Jan. 2019 - Dec. 2020) Secretary-Treasurer (Jan. 2020 - Dec. 2020), Vice Chair (Jan. 2021 - Dec. 2022) and now Chair of the African Regional Forum (ARF). He is currently an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) Faculty of Law teaching the Master of Laws (LLM) course in the Regulation of Financial Markets. Caliis holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) Hons, B.L, MBA (Finance), ACIB, LLM (Financial Markets & Regulation). He is a Notary Public admitted to practice in Ghana.

Andrew is the founder and CEO of Polymetis Professional Solutions (polymetis.co.uk), a consultancy which advises businesses in a range of sectors including law by bringing experienced and connected networks together and delivering solutions effectively and in collaboration. Andrew is a commercial lawyer of more than 35 years standing having been on the global Management Committee and the head of corporate globally for Hogan Lovells and subsequently Head of their Africa Practice. Andrew is on various boards in the business and cultural space with a focus on Africa, including recently as Co-chair of the UK Government's Africa Investors Group, as vice chair of the Royal Africa Society, being on the Board of the SA Chamber of Commerce and the legal group of the UK Nigeria EDF. Andrew is also committed to the arts, is on the advisory board to 1-54 and was vice chair of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art in USA. Andrew received the MBE in the Platinum Jubilee hours list for services to UK trade especially in Africa.

Feizin is a seasoned rainmaker with over 10 years of experience in building relationships in the legal industry. She has particular expertise in developing and maintaining partner relationships with magic circle firms and global corporate clients. She was instrumental in taking her prior firm from tier 4 to band/ tier 1 in Chambers and IFLR and strategically developing the brand and status of the firm as 'counsel of choice' in Tanzania. Feizin is the co founder and CEO of Excellent Consulting. The firm specializes in coaching, consulting and leadership development. Their clients include Magic Circle law firms, investment banks, Diplomatic offices, global FMCG firms, global logistics leaders and QSF brands. She is an ACC Accredited Member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and coaches at the highest levels of leadership across the globe using her own unique methodology of Excellence Coaching. Within the legal industry, Feizin consults with law firms on client acquisition, development and retention, branding, rankings, magic circle relationships, leadership, corporate governance and high level networking. Previously, she was a Director with FB Attorneys in Tanzania, Program Director with McKinsey & Co’s Touch Foundation and Country Director for Children in Crisis in Afghanistan. Feizin has lived in Africa, across the Middle East and Central and Southern Asia and worked with a vastly diverse spectrum of cultures, ethnicities, societies and networks often in uniquely challenging situations. Feizin was born and educated in the UK. She holds a degree in Economics and a Masters in Education & International Development