Being Actively Engaged in the Future

Technology law is a very important practice area for emerging markets such as Ghana and West Africa, say Selasie Atuwo and Kwabena Oppong-Kyekyeku of OAKS Legal, a future-focused Ghanaian firm with regional and international reach.

“The technology law space in Ghana is still at an infant state,” says Selasie, Managing Partner at the firm, and a dual-qualified lawyer who holds an LLM in Information Technology Law, among several postgraduate legal qualifications. 

“We are very happy to be involved in shaping that space, not only with respect to the engagement and support that we have given startups and other technology players, but also with our thought leadership,” continues Selasie. “The Data Protection Commission specifically identified OAKS Legal as a contributor - I think one of a few law firms - for the ongoing Data Protection Bill review. So it shows we are doing some good work.”

Headquartered in Accra, OAKS Legal was established in April 2024 by Atuwo, Oppong-Kyekyeku, and Frank Atese Kwabena Amuh, all of whom were mentored by the late Cynthia Quarcoo, a leading corporate and finance lawyer. The trio are determined to continue Cynthia’s legacy of empowering young Africans. The words “forward-thinking” and “futuristic” are key parts of their vision and mission statement. 

Along with the three founding partners, there are 10 staff, and the firm also in late November welcomed “five exceptional pupil-lawyers”, as part of their 2025-2026 six-month Pupillage Programme. OAKS Legal is committed to nurturing talent, advancing excellence, and shaping the future through mentorship and practice. 

The firm aims to have a staff of lawyers who are very actively engaged and focused on the future, says Selasie. To that end, personal development is a core tenet of the firm’s culture and operations, from the Partners through to the Pupil-lawyers. 

“Just to give you an idea, Kwabena returned from the UK a couple of months ago, where he did an international diploma course in arbitration,” shares Selasie, who himself is a former parachute jumping instructor and Major in Ghana’s armed forces, and has four LLM degrees. “All of us are constantly developing ourselves with respect to the areas of law that we are engaged in. Apart from enhancing our competence as core value of the firm, OAKS legal upholds the values of client client centeredness, building relationships and trust.” 

That forward-thinking and empowering talent also applies to clients. Selasie and Kwabena share that over the past year OAKS Legal has worked with several startup technology companies, on a pro bono basis, to help them protect their innovations and understand the implications of their products (software, robotics, other technologies), where any liabilities may lie, and how they can comply with the law. 

Alongside traditional areas including corporate commercial, banking and finance, energy and infrastructure, dispute resolution, intellectual property, and real estate, OAKS Legal also has specific practice areas in “Start Ups, Innovation, and Venture Capital”, and “Technology, Cyberspace, Privacy and Artificial Intelligence Law”. 
 
“We want to be a forward-thinking law firm, so we are looking into the future, and we believe that technology is the future,” says Kwabena.

However, he notes, the core values that have guided the profession - trust, client service, confidentiality, integrity, etc - shouldn’t be discarded for new ways of doing things. Instead, fast-evolving technologies should be harnessed to improve legal practice. “For me, it’s about merging the old and the new to get a better output.”

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Further reading:

OAKS Legal Joins Alliott Global Alliance in Ghana

About OAKS Legal:

As Alliott Global Alliance’s exclusive legal representative in Accra, Ghana, OAKS Legal is an independent law firm known for its strong technical expertise and deep understanding of the evolving African and global business landscape.

The firm is committed to building long-term client relationships, combining legal excellence with a personalised, results-driven approach. Anchored in its core values of competence, client-centredness and trust, OAKS Legal, goes beyond traditional legal advisory - they are trusted allies in navigating complex legal and regulatory environments. Read more.

About Alliott Global Alliance:

Founded in 1979, and with 240 member firms operating out of 340 offices in over 100 countries Alliott Global Alliance is an international alliance of independent, law, accounting, and advisory firms, working across the world Together as One.

Each of our members share a common goal: to learn and share knowledge, resources, and opportunities to make the world smaller and their businesses stronger. We work with a spirit of generosity and openness — so that together, we can continue to fulfil our ambitions, gain greater experience, and drive mutual success.

Alliott Global Alliance is expanding fast, and the alliance has its sights set firmly on growing its legal and accounting membership to over 110 countries. Opportunities are still available in specific countries. For information about affiliation, email membership@alliottglobal.com.