Q&A with Neneng Yannick
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Q&A
Q&A with Neneng Yannick
Neneng Yannick is the founder and managing partner of the Neneng Law Office in Douala, Cameroon, the largest city in the Central African country. A graduate of Nigerian Law School, Yanick has been an attorney for the past four years and focuses his practice on business and corporate law.
Q: Before becoming an attorney, what was your first job?
A: An office clerk.
Q: What motivated you to pursue a legal career?
A: Growing up, my intentions had always been to either pursue a career in music or to play basketball. But where I come from, at that moment my aspirations couldn’t be met. The environment where I grew up wasn’t flexible enough to give me such opportunities to pursue what I honestly wanted to do. Attending university, I obtained a law degree which enabled me to obtain my first job, becoming an office clerk for a bailiff firm for a couple of years. Subsequently, I joined a law firm as a paralegal. My first job as an office clerk with a law background gave me the perspective and motivation to pursue a legal career. My job description at the firm had to do with typing of documents; preparing court processes; preparing processes for execution of court judgments; handling phone calls; filing records; and a couple of other obligations.
Working as an office clerk also gave me the opportunity to meet and network with legal practitioners who often came by the firm for our services. With time, having an understanding of the legal career while working for a bailiff firm, I decided to pursue a legal career. I started off as a paralegal and subsequently attended law school where I graduated and became sworn in as an attorney-at-law
Q: Who was your chief mentor and how did he or she influence your career?
A: My chief mentor has always been my eldest cousin, who at the time had been enrolled and a practicing attorney of the Cameroon Bar Association. His influence and encouragement as a lawyer gave me the drive and motivation for applying and attending law school, which I think has been my proudest career move when I look back at my journey.
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
A: Go to law school and pursue a legal career.
Q: What is one thing you would like to learn to do?
A: Harness my leadership skills.
Q: What is your proudest career achievement?
A: Becoming a lawyer.
Q: What other career path might you have chosen?
A: A career in music.
Q: What do you do to give back to your community?
A: Offering pro bono legal services is how I give back to my community. I am engaged in community development, where I am a part of a legal professionals’ network. The network membership is made up of lawyers, court judges, and court clerks. This holds for an African proverb which says, ‘The load is lighter when two people carry it.” Hence, we act collectively giving back to our community through pro bono legal advice, protecting and defending the interests of our community.
Once a year through partnerships and collective action, we are able to orient the youths of my community on their civil rights, the rule of law, and by providing legal career orientation to law students.
Q: Can you share a positive referral experience within Primerus™?
A: Mr. Nick Kacher, Senior Vice President and Corporate Counsel of Primerus, is the reason I am a member of Primerus today. He is a good man who gave me every reason why Primerus is going to work for me. Although I haven’t received any referrals as to clientele yet, his positive remarks about the network were amazing and I am having a good experience at the moment while trying to source out the best from our firm’s membership.
Neneng Yannick
Q: What is your most treasured material possession?
A: My Licensed Certificate as an Attorney-at-Law. This meant a lot to me considering where I come from.
Q: What is your happiest childhood memory?
A: Singing at the family gathering during the Christmas holiday.
Q: What is your favorite movie and book?
A: Movie: “Marshall,” directed by Reginald Hudlin.
Book: “Son of the Native Soil” by Shadrach A. Ambanasom.
Q: What is the most awe-inspiring place you have visited?
A: A visit to the Supreme Court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Q: What are your favorite leisure time pursuits?
A: Art, music, reading, writing, travel, and sports.
Q: What is your favorite famous or inspirational quote?
A: “Difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations.”
Q: Who is on your guest list for the ideal dinner party?
A: Jovi, also known as Le Monstre, a Cameroonian rapper.
Q: What are the top three items on your bucket list?
A: Spirituality, connecting with God. Career development. Marriage.
