WELCOME TO IKPE AMA & Co. LAW FIRM ONLINE! PRACTICE AREAS The Ikpe Ama & Co. Law Firm with over 22 years experience offers a full range of legal services including, but not limited to: - Intellectual and Industrial Property Protection. |
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The African Intellectual Property Organisation (Organisation Africaine de la Proprété Intellectuelle O.A.P.I.) is the organisation that assumes responsibility for all intellectual property related matters. Having a membership of sixteen African States, its headquarters is found in Yaounde, Capital of Burkina Faso. Applications lodged in Cameroon are covered for all the 16 OAPI member states. Our Senior Managing Partner, Barrister Ikpe Ama is also a Member of the Scientific Committee of the Denis Ekani Intellectual Property Training Centre at the African Intellectual Property Organisation (OAPI). The Ikpe Ama and Co. Law Firm also represents clients for Intellectual Property Protection in ARIPO States and is a member of: - The International Trademark Association (INTA); - Brandstock Leading Associates. Our Firm is amongst the top few licensed (Mandataire Agréé) Law Firms at OAPI and provides the following services: A RUN DOWN OF I.P. SERVICES RENDERED. (I) PATENT.
(III) COPYRIGHT. (IV) LITIGATION. For Specific Inquiries on Intellectual Property Matters, contact our IP Department - Worldwide Intellectual Property Network (WIPNET Global) at www.wipnetglobal.com or email: wipnet@hallelaw.com. In our continuous effort to curb crime and provide honest services to our clients, the Smith Wilson 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 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 7 member states of the economic community of central African states. Our detective intelligence report is assured of absolute confidentiality and reliability. Insurance Law in Burkina Faso is governed by the CIMA Code known in French as “Code des Assurances des Etats Membres de la CIMA.” This Law is applicable throughout the member states that ratify the Code to wit: The Republic of Benin, Burkina Faso, the Republic of Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Cote D’Ivoire, Gabon, Mali, Senegal, Chad, Togo, Equatorial Guinea and the Islamic Federal Republic of the Comores. This Law has as its advantages to rationalise 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 of Insurance Companies and insurance operation 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. 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 CIMA Code and its application. That is why we are proud of expeditious services in obtaining insurances licences, better compensation to victims, drafting of Re-insurance contracts, drafting of standard form insurance policies of various insurance companies, we counsel people on various options of insurance policies and remuneration, etc. In the globalised world where borders are open, and where in Burkina Faso 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 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 Burkina Faso. We draw up memoranda and articles of association of companies, provide share security information and act as share brokers, lobby for the buying and selling of shares, if assigned. The very first operational Stock Exchange Market in the Central African Sub Region was commissioned in Burkina Faso 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 Law Firm advises prospective investors in this domain and act as brokers in some cases. The history of Banking in Burkina Faso is very recent. Before now, the applicable law has been the pre-colonial French and English banking laws. Banks in Burkina Faso are mostly commercial banks, handling traditional banking functions, by giving short-term loans and specialised in self-liquidated trade finance. The following organisations regulate banking in Burkina Faso: - The most authoritative text regulating Banking in Burkina Faso and all the other 5 member states is the COBAC text dated January 17, 1992, which harmonised banking regulations in the six member states. This text provides for regular controls of banks, reporting procedures and sanctions to be meted against those contravening banking regulations, it lays out certain prudential guidelines for the operation of banks. To meet up with the modern applicable text of COBAC and the application of two legal systems of the French Civil Code and the English Common Law, we have lawyers who are well schooled in the banking law and the two legal systems. The choice of setting up this Law Firm in Douala is because Douala is the economic capital of Burkina Faso. One of the main lucrative areas of practice of this Law Firm is in commercial matters. This Law Firm has a monthly average of 10 commercial contracts to negotiate for both its national and foreign clients. We draft supply contracts mostly to foreign companies that have local representatives or in any member states of CIMA. We have the added advantage that Douala is the main entrance seaport to land-locked countries like Chad and the Central African Republic. We negotiate and draft sales agreements. We negotiate and arbitrate on choice of jurisdiction in international commercial contracts. Burkina Faso and other CEMAC states have abundant forest reserves. This has provided us with a lot of assignments in forestry exploitation law in Burkina Faso and CEMAC 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 licences for companies and registrations thereto. 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. ASSOCIATIONS AND LIBERTY LAWS. The Law Firm registers religious organisations, Non Governmental Organisations (NGO’s), non-profit making organisations, registers by-laws and articles of foreign organisations. Pre-counselling for all contractual relations, drafts, hardware, software and website development agreements; hardware, software and website maintenance and support agreement, specific service legal agreements, unspecified and specified labour agreements, design of error alert procedures, error classification, licence agreement, escrow agreements, deeds, assessment, exchanges, security transactions, leases, oil and gas lease agreements, agricultural contracts, equipment leases, storage and shipment contracts, advertising contracts, export-import contracts, creditors agreements, entertainment contract, independent contractor contracts, assignments, discharge, surety-ship agreements, service contract, construction contracts, warranty contracts and conditional contracts. Drafting of Wills, equity and trust, estate planning, wills counselling, complete wills forms, codicils, wills provisions, testamentary trust, executors to renowned personalities, guardian and future interest counselling, and charitable dispositions.
- Negotiate and draft labour contracts and other related agreements.
The Burkina Faso 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 Burkina Faso. 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 Firm. Detail information on the corporations to be privatised and their economic viability will be provided upon request. | ||