Not every legal question needs a court case. A great deal of our work consists of answering a specific question clearly, in writing, so that a client can make a decision with confidence — before signing, before committing funds, or before a disagreement hardens into a dispute.
What a consultation covers
Clients come to us for advice at three broadly different moments, and each calls for something different.
Before you commit
You are about to sign a lease, buy a property, enter a joint venture, accept an employment contract or lend money to a business associate. The question is whether the document does what you think it does, what it obliges you to do, and what happens if the other side does not perform. This is the cheapest legal advice you will ever buy, and by a wide margin the most valuable.
When something has gone wrong but no claim has been filed
A supplier has not delivered, a tenant has not paid, an employee has been dismissed, a family member is refusing to account for estate property. The question is what your position is, what you can realistically recover, what it will cost, and whether a formal demand or a negotiation is the better first move. We give you an honest assessment, including when a claim is not worth bringing.
When you need a documented legal position
A bank, a board, an investor, a regulator or a counterparty needs a written legal opinion on a specific question — the validity of a transaction, the enforceability of a clause, the regulatory position of an activity, or the status of title to property. We prepare reasoned written opinions setting out the applicable law, the analysis and the conclusion, with the qualifications stated plainly.
Services
- Contract review and drafting — before signature, with specific recommended amendments rather than general commentary.
- Written legal opinions on a defined question of Ethiopian law.
- Due diligence — on a company, a property, or a proposed counterparty, including verification of registration, licensing and title where records permit.
- Document review — wills, powers of attorney, memoranda and articles of association, loan and security documents.
- Regulatory and compliance guidance — licensing requirements, employment obligations, and sector-specific rules.
- Strategic guidance on how to approach a dispute, including whether to litigate, arbitrate, negotiate or wait.
- Second opinions on advice you have received elsewhere.
How it works
- Tell us the question. Send a short description of the matter and any relevant documents by email, or bring them to the office.
- Scope and fee. We confirm what we will deliver, in what form, by when, and what it will cost. For most consultation work we can quote a fixed fee, so you are not exposed to an open-ended bill.
- The work. We research the applicable law and examine the documents.
- Delivery. You receive a written note or opinion in plain language, with the reasoning set out and a clear recommendation, followed by a meeting or call to discuss it.
Remote consultations. We advise clients based outside Addis Ababa and outside Ethiopia. Documents can be sent by email and the consultation held by telephone or video call. Where a matter requires action here in Ethiopia, it can generally proceed under a properly executed and authenticated power of attorney without you needing to travel.
Confidentiality
Everything disclosed in a consultation is confidential, whether or not you subsequently instruct us. That is a professional obligation, not a courtesy, and it applies from the first conversation.