Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr’s (CDH) strategy for growth is the focus in this edition of the Business Day Spotlight. Host Mudiwa Gavaza is joined by Phetheni Nkuna, recently appointed COO at the law firm. Nkuna says law firms must move past relying solely on individual legal brilliance and focus on institutional capability. This means optimising financial management, risk or conflict mitigation, human resources, compliance and knowledge management to meet rigorous client service expectations.Join the discussion: The traditional apprenticeship model of law is shifting as technology can today easily handle tasks historically given to candidate attorneys. Nkuna notes law firms must stay ahead of the curve by transforming their internal operations and ensuring the responsible and accountable use of AI and licensed technology.Modern lawyers must balance practicing law with understanding the business of law. This involves embedding a culture of continuous learning to maintain a competitive advantage.The legal expert highlights operating a large legal firm across different African jurisdictions comes with specific logistical and commercial hurdles. These include:regulatory diversity;economic disparities; building cross-border trust;evolving client demands; and alternative competitionThe discussion highlights the strategic shift toward the professionalisation and corporatisation of modern legal operations, Nkuna outlining CDH’s footprint while emphasising the firm’s strategic focus on innovation, and the complex cross-border pressures of operating in Africa. When asked where the most critical geographic growth pockets are on the continent, Peteni emphasises that it is entirely dependent on the industry sector. For instance, extractives and mining are big business in South Africa and Botswana, while financial services and fintech have developed well in West Africa, alongside South Africa’s highly developed infrastructure. Producer: Demi BuzoBusiness Day Spotlight is an Arena Podcasts Production.