MINING.

Our mining and metals lawyers offer you first class specialist expertise in the Mining Industry, delivered through personalised services tailored to your business needs. We take the time to understand your structure, objectives, goals and approach to deals, so that we always provide you with advice that meets your unique needs, focuses on solving your problems and represents real value.

We assist clients across all aspects of the industry from extraction to processing and we can advice on: Financing (including project finance), Privatisation, Project Development, Mergers & Acquisitions, Joint Ventures, Mining and Other Licenses, Metals Trading, Production Sharing Agreements, Concentration Supply, Mining and Off take Contracts, Environmental issues.

We are also regularly instructed on disputes in the Mining and Metals Sector. We advise all parties involved in Mining and Metals Deals – Financial Institutions, Companies, Development Banks, International Financial Organisations, Export Credit Agencies, Suppliers, Purchasers, Contractors and Governments – on some of the key deals to feature in the Mining and Metals Sector.

PRODUCT LIABILITY.

When consumers buy a product, they rightly expect it to perform safely and efficiently. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. We adequately represent clients who have suffered in one way or another following consumption of a defective product.

COMMERCIAL LITIGATION.

The Nico Halle & Co. Law Firm is well known for representing businesses and individuals in a wide variety of Commercial litigation matters.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.

Thousands of hours in the court room and the Registry of the African Intellectual Property Organisation (OAPI) have provided the Nico Halle & Co. Law Firm with the skills that business clients need when defending or prosecuting their Patents, Trademarks, Industrial Designs and other intellectual property rights.

The Nico Halle & Co. Law Firm is amongst the few Licensed Intellectual Property Firms at the African Intellectual Property Organisation (OAPI). The Firm is also a member of the Association of Accredited Attorneys at OAPI, better known by its French Acronym - AMOAPI.

For more on the different Intellectual Property services offered by the Nico Halle & Co. Law Firm, read >>>

You can also visit the website of our IP Department - Worldwide Intellectual Property Network at www.wipnetglobal.com

MARITIME LAW.

The Nico Halle & Co. Law Firm represents a broad range of clients in a variety of Maritime-related disputes.

MEDICAL MALPRACTICE.

When patients seek medical care, they deserve treatment that meets or exceeds the standard of care for the medical profession. Unfortunately, in many cases it is just the opposite. Our Law Firm regularly represents patients who have suffered from medical negligence or malpractices, for adequate compensation.

TIMBER EXPLOITATION.

Our presence within the Congo Basin gives us the ability to meet up with what is expected of us.

LABOUR DISPUTES.

Though the rights of employees should be protected, they should not take their employers for granted.

We negotiate and draft Labour Contracts and other related Agreements; Resolve individual and collective Labour Disputes and also advise on all Labour-related matters.

TELECOMMUNICATION/INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LAW.

With the advent and rapid growth within the information communication super highway, we are at the service of those who are ready or intend to venture in the following: Telecommunication (mobile/fix), internet world (cyber crimes, hacking and the protection of valuable information in the digital world).

ENVIRONMENTAL LAW.

Cameroon and other CEMAC States have abundant forest reserves. This has provided us with a lot of assignments in Forestry Exploitation Law in Cameroon and CEMAC member countries. We obtain Permits for Petroleum and Mineral exploitation, as well as other Authorisations, Consents, Licences, Approvals and Registrations related thereto. Environmental protection, degradation and Industrial Environmental protection in all CEMAC States also preoccupy us. We obtain Forest Exploitation Licenses for companies and registrations thereto.

>>> Read: LE DROIT APPLICABLE AU CAMEROUN EN MATIERE FORESTIER.

LAW OF SUCCESSION.

The Nico Halle & Co. Law Firm also boasts of experts who are specialised in the drafting of Wills, Equity and Trust, Estate Planning, Wills counselling, Completion of Wills Forms, Codicils, Wills provisions, Testamentary Trust. We are Executors to renowned personalities, carryout guardian and future interest counselling, and charitable dispositions.

EMPLOYMENT LAW.

The Nico Halle & Co. Law Firm acts as a link between employers and job-seekers. Based on the confidence bestowed on us over the years, we serve as Recruitment Agent especially for many foreign Companies coming to establish in Cameroon for the very first time.

We also assist Companies in the procurement of Work Permits and Residence Permits for their expatriate workers

>>> Read: HOW TO OBTAIN A WORK PERMIT IN CAMEROON.

INSURANCE LAW

Despite the general acceptance of insurance as a vital tool for economic survival of any modern society and its importance as a vehicle for the economic protection of the individual and State, insurance still remains one of the most maligned and misunderstood businesses in the World.

Insurance Law in Cameroon is governed by the CIMA Code known in French as “Code des Assurances des Etats Membre de la CIMA”. CIMA is the Central Insurance supervisory authority in Sub-Saharan French speaking African countries. Presently, it groups: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo-Brazzaville, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo, Equatorial Guinea and the Comoros Islands.

This Law has as advantages:

To rationalize a common Insurance Law applicable throughout its member States.
To reinforce the protection of the insured, beneficiaries and increase the victims’ quantum of damages.
This Law has the added advantage of having a comprehensive policy of control in insurance companies and operations throughout the member States. All member States have a common curriculum to train Insurance Experts and to meet up with new areas of insurance in African States.

The misunderstanding of the purpose and value of insurance is more pronounced in Cameroon and other developing countries where its technical basis has, on a whole, been imperfectly understood. With the coming into force of the CIMA Code, our Law Firm has sponsored Lawyers to attend various seminars to better acquaint themselves with the said Code and its application. That is why we are proud of expeditious services in obtaining insurance licenses, better compensation of victims (with the recent increase of the monthly guaranteed minimum wages), drafting of Re-insurance contracts, drafting of standard form insurance policies of various insurance companies, counseling people on various options of insurance policies and remuneration, etc.

PERSONAL INJURY.

Our decades of court room experience and state-of-the-art preparation puts our clients on a level playing field with the insurance companies we’re making claims against.

FAMILY LAW.

Conflicts resolution and reconciliation between spouses, adoption of infants, petitions for divorce, recognition, legitimisation, divorce compensations, alimonies pending divorce, ante nuptial and postnuptial agreements, marital settlements, etc.

>>> Read: THE MATRIMONIAL REGIME IN CAMEROON.

>>> Read: LE REGIME MATRIMONIAL APPLICABLE AU CAMEROUN.

 

CORPORATE DETECTIVE.

In its continuous effort to curb crime and provide honest services to its clients, the Nico Halle and Co. Law Firm has Lawyers specialised in detecting fraudulent absconders, fraudulent declarations to foreign corporations, fraudulent insurance policies, investigations to criminal corporate responsibilities, company in-house problems, adduce and pursue company transactional matters, search on transparency reports on banks, companies, insurance companies etc. We provide flexible and comprehensive investigative services for legal professionals, commerce, industries and the general public in all areas of civil, criminal and personal matters.

Princes, Presidents, Governments, Politicians, Celebrities and International Corporations have retained our services. The Law Firm also provides such information on all the 6 Member countries of the Economic Community of Central African States. Our detective intelligence report is assured of absolute confidentiality and reliability.

COMPANY MATTERS.

In the globalised world where borders are open, and in Cameroon where there is the need for Regional integration embracing many States so as to facilitate, with due regard for democratic principle, freedom of movement of people, the sharing of experiences and the harmonisation of rules and procedures; our Law Firm in its usual paramount goal to better secure the interest of its clients assigns Lawyers to attend all seminars and workshops organised to update members on the Business Law in Africa applicable in 16 member countries abbreviated in French as OHADA. Because of our celebrated quality services, we are specialised in the floating or promotion of companies and act as Consultants in the World Bank research marketing centres.

We do incorporation and re-incorporation of companies; carry on feasibility studies to set up companies; we provide foreign clientele with the Laws on investment environment and the Investment Code of Cameroon; we draw up Memoranda and Articles of Association of companies; provide share security information; act as share brokers and lobby for the buying and selling of shares, if so instructed.

The very first operational Stock Exchange Market in the Central African Sub Region (The Douala Stock Exchange) was commissioned in Cameroon on April 23, 2003 almost three years after its creation. This was created in response to certain economic exigencies in the CEMAC Sub Region in a move to diversify financial sources and encourage savings at the national level. This institution is already attracting the attention of foreigners and we advise our clients to take advantage of this novelty.

The Nico Halle & Co. Law Firm advises prospective investors in this domain and acts as brokers in some cases.

>>> Read: INVESTMENT INCENTIVES IN CAMEROON.

>>> Read: INVESTMENT INCENTIVES IN CAMEROON AS PER THE OHADA LAW.

BANKING.

To meet up with the modern applicable text of COBAC and the application of the two legal systems of the French Civil Law and the English Common Law, we have Lawyers who are well schooled in the Banking Law and the two Legal Systems.
Given that the COBAC Law is applicable in the 6 CEMAC member States, our Law Firm handles matters in all member States without any difficulties. As a result of our reputation in Banking Law, both national and international, we render the following banking services to our clientele: We obtain Banking Licenses for our clients, we do incorporation of Banks, Legal Audits of Loan Contracts and Mortgages, we do counselling on Banking Loan Securities and evaluate collaterals, we act as Banking Arbitrators, advise on risk sharing, liquidity ratios, we have assisted clients to buy over Banks by acquisitions. We counsel and draft Merger Contracts for Banks and Micro financial Institutions. We draft Memoranda and Articles of Association of Banks, draft Management Structure and propose branch networks to Banks.

>>> Read: BANKING IN CAMEROON.

PRIVATISATION.

The Cameroon Government indulged in privatising both public and Para-public enterprises when it became convinced that Privatisation was the one way to economic salvation. A Law was passed in 1990 to this effect. The World Bank and Briton Woods Institutions imposed this weapon as a pre-condition to their granting any loan facilities and/or other assistance to Cameroon.

The object of privatisation, which is to stimulate private initiative and to promote investment, is designed to attract foreign investments. A number of State-owned corporations and parastatals have been earmarked for privatisation and we advise foreign investors to lobby for their acquisition through our Law Firm. Detailed information on the corporations to be privatised and their economic viability will be provided upon request.

 

 

THE ABOVE ARE A SUMMARY AND MERELY DESCRIPTIVE OF SOME OF THE SERVICES OFFERED BY THE NICO HALLE & Co. LAW FIRM TO CLIENTS WORLDWIDE.

 

FOR DETAILED BRIEFING AND FULL LEGAL COUNSEL, PLEASE KINDLY CONTACT US BY EMAIL, TELEPHONE OR FAX AS PER OUR CONTACT DETAILS.