CNC- The Hub Of Legal Talent
Correspondent | Monday September 19, 2016 15:07
Once upon a time, (before my birth) in the year 1977, the firm Kirby, Helfer and Khama the precursor of what is known today as Collins Newman and Company (CNC), was founded.
Ian Kirby (as he then was) went on to pursue what is an illustrious career in private practice, the civil service and the judiciary: first as Deputy- Attorney General and later to become a Judge of the High Court, and today, the incumbent Judge President of the Court of Appeal.
Helfer and Khama, respectively, left the firm to establish their own legal practices in the 1980s. In the same decade, the firm took on the designation CNC headed by two gentlemen: Peter Collins and David Newman.
Collins departed the firm in 1998, and the other half of their dynamite duo, Newman departed the firm in 2005, to take up an appointment as a High Court Judge.
It is plain to see that the persons who have stood at the helm of our firm, has changed into the palms of several competent hands over the course of its 40 years…..and even in the absence of our named partners: still we stand! Because CNC is more than just a building, more than just a brand, more than just a law firm…. It is an institution that supersedes one person or personality; it is a hive of activity, the embodiment of the legal tradition and a hub for legal talent.
So, instinctively I knew that I wanted work here.The beginning of my professional journey with Collins Newman began in 2011, as a Legal Intern.
Whilst I am endowed with next to zero athletic ability whatsoever, the euphoria I felt at the time I secured my internship was akin to winning an OLYMPIC GOLD!
I remember getting a call from Tafa whilst I was seated in the law section of UB library, and being advised as to when to report for duty. And like an Olympic champion, I proceeded to perform a victory lap around the table I was seated at, to the amusement of my friends. Shortly thereafter, security enquired as to what all the commotion was about. Quick to exonerate myself, straight-faced I said, “there I was a bee chasing me”.
The opportunity to join the ranks of a high performance team, feted for years of experience, with a cemented status as a leader in transactional activities and high stakes litigation, had presented itself.
If I were to describe my experience in legal practice at CNC, I would say the same were like a fine dining three course meal.
My tutelage at CNC began with a STARTER of “OURS”. OURS is a firm where there is a repeated collective emphasis on TEAM WORK, and a strict adherence to cultivating an environment of transparency, rigourous debate and thought. OURS is a firm devoted to excellence; a commitment to finesse, distinction and operational efficiency.
OURS is a firm built on PASSION! It is a feeling that permeates the building, and electrifies the air, because the work that finds its way onto our desks is UNIQUE, SUBSTANTIVELY COMPLEX, & IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS JURISDICTION- GROUND BREAKING.
After completing my LLB at the University of Botswana in 2014, I walked the corridors of CNC cognisant of the fact that my learning of the law, hadn’t even begun. In line with the firm’s strategy of developing young professionals and leaders in many disciplines, our scholarship of the law continues. And I have had the privilege, to be exposed to some of the best legal minds in the country!
However, coordinated growth and replicating a pattern of prosperity cannot occur without generous sharing of information.
I would be remiss not to recognise that it is through the ongoing mentorship and support, and wealth of resources, geared towards embedding technical competences and proficiency, the benefit of tapping into the pool of vast experience of my colleagues, that enures to the development of one’s own professional fulfilment and success.
As the MAIN COURSE, in a profession where our very role is premised on serving the client: CNC is serious –I DON’T BELIEVE YOU HEARD ME THE FIRST TIME. I said CNC is “SEE- RI- US” on delivering on our service promise.
At the core of my meal at CNC, I was fed the “CLIENT- CENTRIC” ethos that informs the manner in which we work. Prior to meetings and telecons with clients, it was impressed upon me to do my due diligence regarding the client. Our partners repeatedly impressed upon us the need to take the time to understand YOUR business.
The need to offer advice beyond the scope of our engagement; the need to assist YOU to anticipate issues or identify new opportunities and be responsive to YOUR needs. Without a doubt, inextricably linked to the 40 years of success of this firm, has been our clientele, through whom, in conjunction with, along side of whom, we have been able to do challenging and rewarding work.
And for the FINALE, DESSERT: where we feasted on the fruits of our labour and drank on our success. And boy, has it been delicious!
Our clients have allowed us to establish legal precedents, to participate in ambitious financing, development and transactional projects, and rank consistently as a band one legal firm by notable international publications. The best part about the history of CNC, is the HERE AND NOW….the story is still being written. My colleagues and I are the beneficiaries of a legacy, made of determined and driven persons, some of whom have become members of the judiciary, one of whom is an Ambassador (David Newman) and another who started as an employee and is now the employer!
Amongst the great qualities that CNC’s boasts, it is that it is a catalyst for connections and relationships. Not only do we boast an incredible clientele, but we additionally bring our clientele together in order to advance the common interests of all parties.
The common fabric of our success, is the people. The people we are, the people we mould and grow, the people we bring together. I, as a character in what I assure you, is the never ending story of Collins Newman, couldn’t be happier with the history that YOU and I, and WE as the Collins Newman team are yet to co-author.
*Boikaego (Kagi) Mogae is an attorney at Collins Newman & Company