FAQ
The questions people ask before they instruct anybody
Answered here rather than on a call, because a client who has to ring a firm to find out how it charges has already learnt something about that firm.
Ask us something elseWorking with us
How the firm actually works
What happens at the first meeting?
Forty-five minutes with the advocate who would run your matter, at no charge. You describe what happened; we tell you whether there is a claim or a defence, what the realistic outcomes are, and roughly what each route would cost. Nothing is opened and nothing is billed until you say so.
What should I bring?
Everything you have, even if it looks unhelpful — contracts, letters, WhatsApp threads, police documents, indentures, payslips. It is far quicker for us to discard what does not matter than to discover halfway through that a document existed.
How long will my matter take?
Fixed-fee work is usually two to six weeks. A contested High Court matter in Accra runs between eighteen months and three years depending on the list, and we will tell you honestly at the outset which end of that range you are looking at.
Will I deal with the same person throughout?
Yes. The advocate at your first meeting is the advocate who files, negotiates and appears. Where a matter needs a second practice — a corporate deal touching land, say — you are introduced to that colleague rather than handed to them.
Fees
Money, plainly stated
How do you charge?
Three ways: a fixed fee for work whose shape is known, a monthly retainer for businesses that need counsel on call, and an hourly rate for contested litigation. Whichever applies, the figure is agreed in writing before any work begins.
What if the matter grows beyond the quote?
We tell you before the work is done, not after the invoice is raised. You then decide whether to authorise it. A fee that changes without a conversation is a fee we do not charge.
Are filing and commission fees included?
No, and they are never buried in a quote. Registrar-General fees, stamp duty, Lands Commission charges and court filing fees are passed through at cost and itemised separately with receipts.
How can I pay?
Bank transfer or mobile money. Fixed-fee work is half on instruction and half on delivery; retainers are billed monthly in advance. We do not accept cash, for reasons the Anti-Money Laundering Act makes plain.
Do you ever act for free?
Each advocate carries one pro bono matter at a time, usually a criminal defence or a maintenance claim. If you cannot pay and the matter is serious, say so at the first meeting — it is not held against you.
Get in touch
Tell us what happened. We will tell you where you stand.
The first meeting exists to work out whether we are the right firm for the matter in front of you. If we are not, we will say so and point you to somebody who is.
Clause