Paa Kwesi Hagan

Globetrotters Legal

Accra www.gtlegalafrica.com

paakwesi@gtlegalafrica.com Tel: +233 267 719 169

Biography

Paa Kwesi Hagan is a solicitor, immigration expert and head of Globetrotters Legal, a firm specialised in providing immigration solutions for global corporations operating in Ghana. Paa Kwesi has a wealth of experience in advising clients on Ghanaian immigration and compliance matters and liaising with regulatory bodies in Ghana. He has advised several high-net-worth companies and multinationals on immigration and compliance issues in Ghana.

What do you enjoy most about working in immigration law?

The ability to help clients and to create solutions for them when faced with complex challenges and the satisfaction of having been instrumental in solving their immigration needs. Because the landscape is always changing, I must be up to date on changes in immigration law and policy, this is stimulating and helps me grow professionally. I find it interesting to learn about different immigration systems in other parts of the world and how they differ or are similar to the Ghanaian immigration system. I have also been privileged to make friends and work with some of the best professionals across jurisdictions and this has been one of the best parts of being an immigration lawyer.

What do clients look for in an effective immigration lawyer?

Clients look for an immigration lawyer who is knowledgeable and can give them clear and up-to-date advice and help them solve their needs. They also look for a lawyer who is experienced, confident and proactive enough to be able to engage effectively with immigration authorities and regulatory bodies to solve complex immigration problems especially on areas where the law may not be so clear.

How has your practice evolved since the beginning of your career?

We have evolved from having a one-man practice to currently having over 15 members of staff in Ghana and having an immigration consultancy in Senegal. I feel that as a practice we have also grown in experience and in confidence from years of helping clients to navigate the immigration landscape and have evolved professionally as well.

What are the main issues on the horizon for corporate immigration practitioners and their clients?

While it has always been important for immigration lawyers to stay abreast with changes in law and policy, with the coronavirus pandemic, the challenge to stay current with and be responsive to policy developments has become even more crucial. Specifically, rules on business travel have become more critical due to frequent changes to business visitor rules in various countries due to covid-19.

Another is the issue of local content that is now being rigorously enforced in many countries especially in the petroleum sector, it means that companies must comply with local content obligations set in the jurisdictions that they operate in.

What impacts do you see covid19 having on your practice and corporate immigration more broadly?

Covid-19 led to people not being able to travel to undertake international assignments due to travel restrictions. Significantly, the economic impact and the global recession resulting from the pandemic has had an impact on many companies some of whom have had to downside. With this backdrop, some companies are unable/reluctant to expand their operations to other countries due to uncertainty.

Covid-19 affected the number of clients accessing services and impacted lots of practices negatively and financially.

Covid-19 also impacted the nature of work, with lots of companies employing virtual working as the norm with no fixed workplaces, so this may mean that in some cases employees may not need to be sent to other jurisdictions to be able to work.

Immigration’s systems will become more digitalised as the use of manual processes were a problem during the pandemic, this will make for ease of processing, which should lead to faster processing times of permits.

How does Globetrotters Legal distinguish itself from competition in the market?

I think for us the number one thing is prioritising the needs of our clients and always going the extra mile, we also pride ourselves on having a good relationship with our working partners across jurisdictions to ensure that we work together to always meet the needs of our clients.

Immigration is an unpredictable area of law, with policies changing frequently. At Globetrotters Legal, we pride ourselves on always being up to date with changes to ensure that we meet clients’ needs.

As managing partner, what are your main priorities for the firm’s development over the next five years?

(1) Continuing to build a knowledgeable workforce capable of solving the most complex immigration needs and strengthening our ICT systems in keeping with modern trends. (2) Continuing to engage with regulatory bodies to ensure that our clients are always compliant. (3) Expanding to cover other jurisdictions in Africa.

What is the best piece of career advice you have received?

To empathise and always prioritise the needs of the clients.

Peers and clients say: “Paa has an incredibly impressive immigration practice” “He is an excellent corporate immigration lawyer”