Co-Founder and Senior Attorney

Kow Essuman is the former Legal Counsel to the former President of the Republic of Ghana, and also served as Acting Secretary to the former President in the final months of the administration. He is admitted to practise in Ghana, England & Wales, and New York State, and was sworn in as a Notary Public of the Supreme Court of Ghana in 2022. A certified Insolvency Practitioner, he currently serves as Vice President of the Association of European Attorneys and as an Arbitrator on the ICSID Panel of Arbitrators (having previously served as an ICSID Conciliator, 2017–2023).

Before entering public service, Kow was a Senior Associate in litigation and dispute resolution at Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah, representing corporate clients across mining, telecommunications, and real estate, as well as a New York-based hedge fund in a case against Argentina. He holds an LL.M. with Honors from Cornell University, degrees from the University of Westminster and BPP Law School, and executive education certificates from Oxford's Blavatnik School of Government and Harvard Law School/Harvard Kennedy School. His honors include recognition as a World Economic Forum Global Shaper (2013) and Young Global Leader (2023), and Ghana's National Honour, the Grand Medal of Ghana (2024).

Expertise

Kow is a seasoned corporate, commercial, and public law practitioner with specialist expertise in:

  • Corporate and commercial advisory services
  • Corporate restructuring and insolvency
  • Litigation and dispute resolution
  • Public sector governance and state interests management
  • International investment law and arbitration
  • Regulatory and compliance advisory

He is a Notary Public of the Supreme Court of Ghana, a certified Insolvency Practitioner, and a Harvard-certified Negotiator, combining deep technical knowledge with strategic leadership and global exposure.

Professional Experience

Kow is the Chairman and Senior Consultant of VINT & Aletheia PRUC.

Prior to entering public service, he practised at Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa & Ankomah, Ghana’s leading law firm, where he rose to Senior Associate within four years in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice Group. During this period, he represented major corporate clients in the mining, telecommunications, and real estate sectors, as well as a billion-dollar hedge fund in New York in international litigation against the Republic of Argentina.

Public Service and Governance Roles

  • Former Legal Counsel to the President of the Republic of Ghana
  • Former Acting Secretary to the President of Ghana
  • Founding Board Member, State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA)
  • Founding Board Member, Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF)
  • Former Conciliator, International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), World Bank (2017–2023)
  • Current Arbitrator, ICSID Panel of Arbitrators
  • Vice President, Association of European Attorneys (AEA)

Professional Memberships and Affiliations

  • Ghana Bar Association (GBA)
  • International Bar Association (IBA)
  • Association of European Attorneys (AEA)
  • Ghana Association of Restructuring and Insolvency Advisors (GARIA)
  • Former Associate Member, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), England

Legal Education and Academic Engagement

Kow has made significant contributions to legal education and professional development. He has:

  • Worked with Web Legal Education and The New York Bar Company to prepare candidates for the New York Bar Examination
  • Lectured in Trusts Law under the University of London LL.B. programme at Zenith University College
  • Served as a Part-time Lecturer at the Ghana School of Law, teaching Advocacy and Professional Ethics

Education and Certifications

  • Cornell University, USA – LL.M. (Honours) in International Mergers & Acquisitions and Financial Institutions
  • University of Westminster, UK – Legal Education
  • BPP Law School, UK – Legal Training
  • University of Oxford (Blavatnik School of Government) – Executive Education in Oil, Gas & Mining Governance
  • University of Oxford – Rising Public Leaders Programme
  • Harvard Law School – Executive Education in Negotiation and Leadership
  • Harvard Kennedy School – Executive Education in Global Leadership and Public Policy for the 21st Century

Honours and Recognitions

Kow has received numerous local and international recognitions, including:

  • Grand Medal of Ghana (2024) – National Honour awarded by the President of Ghana
  • Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum (2023)
  • Most Influential Young Ghanaian (2017)
  • 100 Most Influential Young Persons of African Descent, Class of 2018 (United Nations auspices)
  • Outstanding Achievement Award, University of Westminster (2020)
  • Global Shaper, World Economic Forum (2013)
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