JLD & MB Legal Consultancy

HEAD OF CHAMBERS: Merene Benyah ([email protected])

PARTNERS: Merene Benyah; Lily Acquaye; ([email protected]); Zoe Phillips Takyi-Appiah ([email protected]); Akosua Apea Osafo ([email protected])

LANGUAGE: English

FIRM OVERVIEW 

JLD & MB Legal Consultancy (“JLD & MB” or the “Firm”) is a market-leading Ghanaian law firm rendering sterling legal services across several practice areas including Corporate and Commercial; Mergers and Acquisitions; Financial Services; Energy and Natural Resources; Minerals and Mining; Infrastructure, Construction & Real Estate and Dispute Resolution.

This expertise is evident from the transactions undertaken by the Firm and testimonials from the Firm’s clients. JLD & MB was adjudged Ghana Law Firm of the Year at the Chambers Africa Awards 2022 and at the IFLR Africa Awards 2021.

The Firm is lauded for its successful promotion of diversity and inclusion over the years and is currently led by a dynamic team of female partners.

MAIN PRACTICE AREAS 

Energy and Natural Resources  

The Firm has a particularly strong Energy and Natural Resources practice with significant experience in minerals and mining, oil and gas (both upstream and downstream) and renewable energy. Notable transactions include:

• Legal Counsel to Atlantic Lithium in securing a 15-year mining lease in Ghana for the development of Ghana’s first-ever lithium project: the Ewoyaa project, which also represents a significant milestone in the net zero energy transition;
• Assisting a Ghanaian company in respect of the acquisition of an interest in respect of the South Deepwater Tano Oil Block;
• Counsel to BP Oil International Limited in connection with BP Ghana’s licensing as a special international oil trading company in the downstream petroleum sector;
• Lead counsel to KOKA Energy in its petroleum agreement negotiations with the Government of Ghana and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation for petroleum exploration and production rights;
• Structuring and regulatory advice in respect of the establishment of a PV Solar Power Plant.

Banking and Financial Services  

In the Banking and Finance sector, the Firm is renowned for its work on both structured and secured financings, project financings, intercreditor issues and bond issuances.

Recent work includes:

• Legal counsel to Zeepay Ghana Limited in its multi-million-dollar fund raise involving a consortium of investors.
• Legal counsel to a development bank in connection with the credit financing of Prime Meridian Docks’ construction of a modern floating dock ship repair facility in Takoradi.

Mergers and Acquisitions  

• Provided advisory services in respect of Amalgamated Management Limited’s acquisition of the entire shareholding of a non-life insurance company.
• Provided legal advice on the acquisition of an Australian company and its mining subsidiaries in Ghana.

Capital Markets  

• Advising Asante Gold Corporation, a Canadian and Frankfurt-listed company, on its secondary listing on the Ghana Stock Exchange
• Local counsel to Pareto Securities Pty Ltd in connection with its proposed issue of Nordic bonds for a Ghanaian company;
• Conducted regulatory and compliance review of a local subsidiary for the purposes of prospectus disclosures required by the Securities Commission Malaysia with respect to a multibillion RM secondary equity capital raise by its Malaysian holding company.

KEY/ NOTABLE CLIENTS 

Atlantic Lithium Resources

Asante Gold Corporation

Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB Group)

Yinson Production West Africa Limited

BP Oil International Limited

Tullow Oil Ghana

Vantage Drilling

Fidelity Bank Limited

Citi N.A, Ghana Rep Office

Access Bank (Ghana) plc

GCB Bank

Heritage Oil

Lukoil Overseas Ghana Tano Limited

Zeepay Ghana Limited

Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund

GEOGRAPHICAL STRENGTHS & ALLIANCES 

The Firm maintains both a national and international client base in Ghana, and has clients and business partners across several regions.

The Firm collaborates with major international law firms such as Dentons, Baker & McKenzie, Slaughter and May and Clifford Chance, and is a member of the Nextlaw Referral Network, which helps to ensure that the Firm is at the forefront of international legal developments and international best practice.

The Firm also maintains a strong network of business partners and associations in-country, ensuring a seamless comprehensive service-delivery.

CONTACT 

Address: 23 Nortei Ababio Street

Airport Residential Area, Accra

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: +233 (0)302 784298 / (0)302 782711)