SERVICES

Intellectual Property Law is a branch of law that protects creations of the human mind. It is divided into two main categories: industrial property (patents, trademarks, designs and models, trade names, etc.) and literary and artistic property (copyright and related rights). This field aims to encourage innovation, ensure fair remuneration for creators, and combat infringements of their rights, such as counterfeiting and unfair competition.

The OAPI (African Intellectual Property Organization) is an intergovernmental organization comprising 17 primarily French-speaking African states with the goal of ensuring the common protection of intellectual property rights. Based in Yaoundé, Cameroon, it operates under a unitary system, allowing rights holders to obtain protection in all 17 member states through a single application.

The OAPI member states are: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Central African Republic, Senegal, Chad, and Togo.

Our firm plays a key role in the protection and defense of intellectual property rights, intervening at several levels:

1. Advisory and registration services: Assisting with the registration of trademarks, patents, and designs with the OAPI.

2. Monitoring and enforcement: Detecting infringements and initiating legal actions in cases of counterfeiting or unfair competition.

3. Litigation and negotiation: Representing rights holders in court, negotiating licenses, and drafting coexistence agreements.

4. Anti-counterfeiting measures: Organizing counterfeit seizures and collaborating with authorities to halt infringements.

Our law firm has extensive expertise in intellectual property litigation and includes an OAPI-certified industrial property counsel, ensuring tailored legal support for our clients.

Corporate Law is a branch of business law that governs the formation, operation, and dissolution of commercial and civil companies. It establishes the rules applicable to relationships between partners, management bodies, accounting obligations, and procedures for business transformation or transfer. This field also regulates the liability of executives, shareholders' rights, and corporate governance and control mechanisms.

Our law firm can assist businesses and entrepreneurs with:

1. Company formation: advising on legal structures, drafting articles of association, and handling registration formalities.

2. Ongoing corporate management: drafting meeting minutes, monitoring legal and statutory obligations.

3. Restructuring operations: mergers, acquisitions, transformations, and fundraising.

4. Drafting and negotiating contracts: shareholders' agreements, share transfer agreements, intra-group agreements.

5. Litigation: representation in disputes between partners, liability actions against executives.

6. Tax and social optimization: advising on corporate and shareholder taxation, implementing wealth management strategies.

Thus, a law firm serves as a key partner in ensuring legal compliance, anticipating risks, and securing strategic business decisions.

Debt Recovery encompasses all procedures that enable a creditor to obtain payment of a sum of money owed by a debtor. It can be amicable (negotiation, reminders, formal notices) or judicial (legal action, asset seizures, enforcement of securities). This process is crucial for preserving business cash flow and ensuring the enforcement of contractual obligations.

In matters of debt recovery, a law firm can assist at various levels:

1. Amicable recovery: Issuing formal notices and negotiating payment deadlines.

2. Judicial procedures: Filing payment injunctions and initiating legal actions to obtain enforceable judgments.

3. Enforcement of court decisions: Implementing asset seizures and securities to guarantee payment.

4. Preventive legal advice: Securing contracts with guarantee clauses and selecting appropriate securities.

A lawyer's intervention maximizes the chances of successful debt recovery by ensuring compliance with legal procedures and mitigating legal risks.

Commercial Law is a branch of private law that governs relationships between merchants, businesses, and other economic actors. It regulates commercial contracts, competition, professional obligations, and business transactions. Its objective is to ensure the legal security of trade and the protection of economic actors.

Our law firm assists businesses with:

• Legal compliance: Drafting contracts and providing regulatory advice.

• Audits and verifications: Assessing commercial partners and reviewing contracts.

• Negotiation and drafting of commercial leases: Assisting both tenants and landlords.

• Securing business transfers: Conducting due diligence, drafting agreements, and negotiating guarantees.

• International trade: Drafting contracts in compliance with international standards.

• Commercial litigation: Representing clients in disputes (breach of contract, unfair competition, non-payment).

A lawyer ensures the protection of the company’s or merchant’s interests and secures business transactions.

Family Law is a branch of civil law that governs legal relationships between members of the same family. It regulates matters such as marriage, divorce, filiation, parental authority, and inheritance. Its primary objective is to ensure the protection of individuals and to resolve family disputes in accordance with legal provisions and the interests at stake.

Our law firm offers assistance in the following areas:

1. Drafting prenuptial agreements and advising on matrimonial property regimes.

2. Legal support in divorce proceedings: negotiation of consequences and representation before the court.

3. Disputes related to child custody and child support.

4. Legal actions for the recognition or contestation of paternity.

5. Estate administration and resolution of inheritance disputes.

6. Optimization of gifts and bequests: donations, wills, and tax planning.

By relying on our firm, clients can secure their legal procedures and protect their interests in often sensitive and complex situations.

Land Law is the branch of law that governs the ownership and use of land, whether urban or rural. It regulates methods of acquisition, transfer, management, and protection of property rights. This field is crucial for securing real estate transactions and preventing disputes related to land ownership or exploitation.

Our law firm can assist with:

1. Securing land acquisitions: verification of property titles and drafting of sale agreements.

2. Managing land disputes: property claims, encroachments, and neighbor conflicts.

3. Assisting with real estate transactions: advice on mortgages and financing.

4. Supporting land registration procedures: title regularization and cadastral registration.

5. Negotiating and drafting leases: protecting the interests of both landlords and tenants.

6. Representing clients in litigation cases: expropriations, foreclosures, and land claims.

By working with our firm, clients can ensure the legal security of real estate transactions and mitigate the risks of disputes related to property ownership and land use.

Criminal Law is the branch of law that defines offenses, determines applicable penalties, and regulates procedures for sanctioning unlawful conduct. It distinguishes between infractions, misdemeanors, and felonies, depending on the severity of the act. The purpose of criminal law is to protect society, uphold victims' rights, and ensure a fair defense for the accused.

In criminal matters, our law firm provides assistance with:

• Filing complaints and representing victims by initiating civil party proceedings.

• Assisting individuals in police custody and verifying the legality of procedures.

• Defending defendants in court and ensuring their legal representation.

• Requesting provisional release and proposing alternatives to detention.

• Challenging court decisions by filing appeals.

The intervention of a lawyer in criminal proceedings is essential to protect the rights of the accused and prevent miscarriages of justice.

Labor Law is a branch of social law that governs the relationship between employers and employees. It regulates the formation, execution, and termination of employment contracts, as well as working conditions, employee protection, and compliance with legal and contractual standards. Its objective is to balance the interests of employers and the rights of workers.

Our law firm can assist with:

• Contract negotiations: Drafting and reviewing employment contracts.

• Employee defense in wrongful termination cases: Challenging dismissals before labor courts.

• Employer assistance in termination procedures: Ensuring compliance with legal requirements.

• Representation of workplace accident victims: Securing compensation and proving employer liability.

• Ensuring corporate compliance with labor law: Conducting audits and providing HR legal advice.

• Handling labor disputes: Cases of harassment, discrimination, and collective conflicts.

The intervention of a lawyer ensures the protection of employees’ rights and helps employers avoid legal sanctions for non-compliance.

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) encompasses methods for resolving conflicts outside of court, helping to avoid lengthy and costly litigation. These procedures facilitate agreements between parties through the intervention of a neutral third party (arbitrator, mediator, or conciliator) or direct negotiation. They are often faster, more confidential, and more flexible than traditional judicial processes.

Our law firm plays a key role in:

1. Arbitration: Drafting arbitration clauses and representing clients before arbitral tribunals.

2. Mediation: Assisting parties in reaching an amicable settlement.

3. Conciliation: Providing legal guidance and ensuring the validity of negotiated agreements.

4. Negotiation: Developing defense strategies and drafting settlement agreements.

The objective is to resolve disputes quickly and efficiently while minimizing costs and the negative impacts of litigation.