Kinsmen Advocates Law Firm

Kinsmen Advocates Law Firm was established in 2014 by Managing Partner Mafany Victor Ngando, with the vision of creating a leading full-service law firm in Cameroon’s South-West Region​. With headquarters in Buea and a branch in the port city of Douala, Kinsmen is strategically positioned to handle maritime matters in a nation where the shipping industry is vital to the economy​. The firm’s maritime practice covers both advisory and contentious work. On the advisory side, Kinsmen drafts and negotiates shipping and logistics contracts for clients – these include charterparty agreements, bills of lading, ship brokering contracts, and terminal services agreements​.

The firm also provides counsel on ship financing and registration in Cameroon, leveraging knowledge of OHADA law (the commercial law framework in Francophone Africa) as it relates to maritime assets. Kinsmen’s lawyers assist international and local clients in navigating Cameroon’s maritime regulations, including compliance with CEMAC maritime codes and obtaining necessary licenses for shipping operations. In contentious matters, Kinsmen Advocates represents parties in marine insurance claims, cargo loss and damage disputes, and maritime casualty investigations. The firm is experienced in ship arrest and release procedures in Cameroon’s ports​– a critical service given Douala Port’s status as a gateway to Central Africa. Kinsmen’s litigators have handled cases involving enforcement of foreign admiralty judgments, collisions on the high seas involving Cameroonian interests, and claims against carriers under the Hague-Visby Rules (which Cameroon applies). The firm’s industry reach is broad: its clients include shipowners, charterers, clearing and forwarding agents, crew members, and port authorities​.

A notable aspect of Kinsmen’s practice is its engagement with Cameroon’s new port developments – for instance, the deep-sea port of Kribi. The firm has advised on legal issues related to port concessions and environmental compliance for maritime projects, reflecting its growing role in shaping maritime infrastructure legally. Besides maritime, Kinsmen offers services in banking, corporate, and family law, but it is the maritime slogan “One Call, That’s All” (prominently featured in its branding) that captures its commitment to readily solve shipping-related legal problems. Kinsmen’s emergence has also been marked by thought leadership: the firm regularly publishes articles, such as the “2023 Approved Guidelines” for maritime law in Cameroon​, educating businesses on local admiralty procedures. Being headquartered in Buea, an anglophone region, and operating in Douala (majority francophone), Kinsmen navigates Cameroon’s bilingual legal system with ease – offering services in English and French. In summary, though relatively young, Kinsmen Advocates has rapidly established itself as a go-to firm for maritime and admiralty law in Central Africa, bridging local expertise with international standards and helping to bolster Cameroon’s reputation as a safe and efficient place for maritime commerce​.