Name: Kouotou Ngapout Soulemane                                             

Position: Legal Director                                            

Company: MCA-Niger                                   

Sector/Industry: Rural Development Organization

Worked in current position for:  Five years (05)

Total years as an in-house lawyer:  Twenty Years (20)                                

A day in the life:

MCA-Niger is an organization, created to implement the Compact Niger programme. This program is funded by a USA grant from the Millennium Challenge Corporation program of 437 million USD for two Projects: Irrigation and Market Access Project/ Climate Resilient Community.  My function of transversal support of the program, lead me to make a daily legal survey of activities processes. As Legal Director, my main role is to make sure that all actions handled in the implementation process is compliant with the legal guideline of the funder.

To reach this target, I am managing a team of two collaborators, and an external lawyer firm. My daily intervention revolves around:

• The management of board secretary (Prepare the agenda of the board, organize the board meeting, draft the minute, follow up resolutions etc.);
• Support to procurement team in terms of process compliance, bid challenge from bidder, contracts negotiations and legal review of contracts;
• Support the technical team in term of contract management, production of legal opinion, manage litigation issue with contractors etc.
• Support the administration in- term of decision making

The best thing about my current job is: video response

The most challenging thing about my current job is: 

The “Compact Niger” program, funded by the United States of America through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), is for a period of five years. Beyond this period, incomplete activities will be covered by the government from its budget. Thus, the challenge for MCA-Niger is to complete the work before the end of the Program period. My challenge, as Legal Director, is to support MCA-Niger to go as quickly as possible in implementation of the program, while remaining in compliance with the program guidelines. Then, my main challenge is to move quickly in the review of legal documents, the production of legal opinions, the management of disputes, etc. while ensuring that the legal basis of the program is respected. It is therefore sometimes difficult to reconcile legal rigor and speed in the implementation of the program.

Most pivotal career decision:

My most crucial career decision was the one I made when I decided to join MCA-Niger. This decision was really crucial for my career since it involved carrying out legal activities in a sector of activity that I did not know a priori, but where I had always dreamed of exercising. Indeed, I used to work in the logistics and transportation industry. I have been in this industry for over 14 years. Joining MCA-Niger meant stepping out of my comfort zone for a new challenge; especially in a sector unknown to me, Rural Development. It was a big challenge for me to adapt my skills to my new career direction. This situation had been a fulfilling opportunity for me.

One of the biggest challenges I’ve had to face in my in-house career journey is:

One of the biggest challenges I have had to face in my professional career is the seizure of a ship of perishable products intended for food aid. Indeed, this is the time during which I was Legal Director of a Group of Logistics and Transport Companies. The shipowner who transported the products in question owed us a lot of money. It was the only opportunity for me to recover this debt insofar as this ship only occasionally came to the port where we were based. The seizure of a ship itself is a fairly complex procedure in maritime law because it is the subject of high-interest issues. Moreover, it was about a humanitarian and perishable product which called for a certain conscience. As a lawyer, I had to strike a balance between the interests of my organization and the very sensitive nature of the goods (humanitarian and perishable). This position was a challenge for me because I took off my lawyer’s hat to play this time the role of mediator with the best result for everyone concerned.

What advice would I give my younger self?

My advice to young lawyers is to be patient in learning to practice law. When you finish university, you have the enthusiasm to apply what you have learned, but sometimes the theory is very different from the practice. I would also advise them to explore new legal professions such as those of in-house lawyers who are making their way and becoming more and more structured over time.

Key influencers that have shaped my journey:

The key influencers who have shaped my journey fall into the category of great lawyers and law professors. I was lucky to have had, within the framework of my law courses, brilliant professors who trained us with abnegation. Later in practice, I was delighted to have had an experienced and skillful lawyer as my godfather, who unreservedly taught me the inner workings of the profession.

One cool thing I’ve observed in the legal industry recently?

I noticed that in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa, more and more responsibilities are entrusted to women lawyers. As for in-house lawyers, today I meet several women who hold this position in organizations; this is very good for the profession.

Favourite pro bono/ volunteer or charitable activity: 

Work for free for orphanages and idle children. I am convinced that the future of African society depends on the education that we will give to our children and therefore orphans and idle children must be taken into account in this future.

If I were not practising law, I would probably be:  

If I were not practising law, I probably would have been a journalist. I find that it is the job that best suits my posture. Indeed, I like to convince, explain complex situations and argue.

What (singular) achievement are you most proud of?

Obtaining my Master’s in Business Administration, Human Resources Management specialization. About ten years ago, I took parallel courses to obtain an MBA in Human Resources Management, in order to complete my executive profile. It was difficult to balance work and studies, but I finally graduated.

Something you love doing but you’re not that great at?

I love practicing agro-pastoral activities. It’s just awesome. But I’m not very effective in this area. I think that in addition to my motivation, I need technical support.

Something you dislike doing that you’re pretty good at?

I hate doing small technical housework, such as small plumbing, electrical and carpentry work, etc. But when I get down to it, I do great things. I think I’m pretty good at it.

In 5 years-time I’d love to be:

In 5 years or more, I would like to have realized my project of creating an International Legal Consulting firm to support  formulation and implementation of rural development projects in Africa. I remain convinced that the development of our continent will come from the rural world.