Samiul Huq, Managing Partner at Credence LP, a multi-partnered law firm, offers insights into the firm’s strategic vision, shedding light on how the firm navigates the intricate legal landscape of Bangladesh while steadfastly adhering to the principles of excellence, innovation and client satisfaction.
What inspired you to pursue a career in law?
Growing up amidst three successive generations of legal practitioners, I was imbued with a certain appreciation for the law from a very early age and understandably my inclination towards a career in law was quite deeply rooted. I have always been drawn to the intellectual challenges and philosophical debates that come with a career in law, and that was one of the key factors that fueled my passion for the law. There is a certain satisfaction in finding a nuance in the legal language or a scarcely reported case precedent that swings the case from a losing one to a winning one. So, from pretty early on, I knew and I was determined that I would be carrying on my family’s tradition, stepping into their shoes, and carrying forward the legacy they have built to greater heights.
What is the organisational framework of Credence LP, the firm where you are a Managing Partner?
Credence LP operates under a legal partnership model that is globally recognised but seldom, if ever, seen within Bangladesh’s legal landscape. With six seasoned partners, each boasting over a decade of legal expertise, our firm embodies a wealth of experience and proficiency. Each partner maintains an independent style of practice within our collaborative framework, fostering a dynamic and diverse legal environment. Our partners are supported by a team of senior associates; distinguished professionals predominantly enrolled in the High Court Division. Our partners are further assisted by our team of associates, who represent the pinnacle of emerging legal talent, carefully selected through a rigorous vetting process. We prioritise recruiting top graduates entering the legal field and ensure that each associate hired possesses the potential to ascend to partnership status. Our unwavering commitment to nurturing and empowering our team underscores our dedication to excellence and enduring long-term success.
What is the scope and focus of your firm’s practice areas?
Our firm is dedicated to delivering comprehensive legal representation and being a one-stop solution for our clients. Our practice areas cover corporate work to litigatory work in the apex courts of the country. We aim to ensure the highest calibre of expertise across all services. As such, our partners, each possessing specialised knowledge in particular fields, attend to the specific needs of individual clients accordingly. We consistently collaborate with esteemed senior legal professionals, leveraging their insights to craft optimal solutions for our clients, especially in complex legal matters. Our commitment to continuous learning drives us to adeptly navigate evolving legal landscapes, ensuring our ability to effectively address new challenges as they arise.
What are the benefits and challenges of being a part of a multi-partner law firm, especially considering it is not a common practice in the context of Bangladesh?
In the context of Bangladesh, the advantages of being part of a multi-partner law firm include access to diverse expertise which means you can offer comprehensive solutions to clients. There is certainly a better utilisation of resources, as overhead and operational costs are shared, thereby making this a much more cost-effective structure. Our pool of associates is utilised much more effectively as the workflow is never a steady stream but goes through phases where there are numerous deadlines, and the partners accordingly are assisted by the associates in a manner that our workforce is fully utilised at all times. Tapping into the network of the other Partners is another excellent benefit.
There are only a few challenges that lie in this structure – one being that it would still require a bit of time to refine the structuring model of the firm for maximum efficiency of the associates, and the other being addressing the unique requirements of individual partners. However, being one of the first to implement such a law firm mode, such challenges were expected and it is simply a matter of time before we smooth out the edges and overcome these challenges.
The significance of networking and acquiring referrals in your field is frequently emphasised. How accurate is this assertion, and what mechanisms are involved in its operation?
Bangladesh is featured in two particularly well-known rankings for law firms, namely the Legal 500, and Chambers & Partners. However, the rankings do not properly reflect the full breadth of the legal industry, nor are those rankings properly marketed in the Bangladeshi economy for potential clients to base firm strength on. Therefore, the assertion is indeed correct, particularly with regard to the legal industry in Bangladesh where word-of-mouth recommendations still reign supreme. Building long-standing relationships with colleagues, clients and third-party professionals assists us in ensuring there are multiple avenues for introduction to potential clients and generating opportunities for the firm. A lot of client care is involved in developing these relationships and are much more reliable as a source of future opportunities than simply a website or a review online. Digital media, such as Facebook, however, is still a new avenue, and one for the future, and we are endeavouring to maximise its utility to connect more seamlessly with future clientele.
Our pool of associates is utilised much more effectively as the workflow is never a steady stream but goes through phases where there are numerous deadlines, and the partners accordingly are assisted by the associates in a manner that our workforce is fully utilised at all times.
What are your aspirations for Credence LP and the next phase of your career?
Legal professionals, by nature and as a result of the adversarial structure of the court system in Bangladesh, are competitive. Competitive individuals have no intention to rest on their laurels and we are no exception. The partnership certainly would not be limited to just the partners we currently have. Our next objective is to expand, firstly with branches across the city for easier access to our services by our clients who live in different parts of the city, thereafter expanding to the other major cities in the country. We would be remiss not to dream of expanding beyond borders and becoming one of the first Bangladeshi law firms to go international with our operation including adding partners internationally in multiple countries in a similar approach to how many international firms expand. There is something inherently patriotic about the world finally recognising the potential, the capabilities and the brilliance that we have in Bangladesh, and to be the firm that allows our lawyers that opportunity to have an impact on the global stage would be the ultimate satisfaction.
Photograph by: Najmul Haque Sagor
