This Month we bring you Top 10 Legal practitioners in Uganda. A number of people have been questioning on where the best law firms could be.
Statistics from the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs as of 20th September 2017 indicate the country had up to 774 certified law firms.
01 .Kampala Associated Advocates (KAA)
This firm was founded in 2001 currently with 26 lawyers, it is managed by Joseph Matsiko. They are affiliated to HHM, Dentons, Simmons & Simmons, Baker & McKenzie.
KAA is a merger between Elly Karuhanga’s, Karuhanga and Co. Advocates, Sam Mayanja & Co. Advocates and Oscar Kambona’s Uganda Tax Bureau.
Now with a total of 26 lawyers and two senior consultants, and with affiliations to international law networks such as Hamilton Harrison & Mathews (HHM), Dentons, Simmons & Simmons, and Baker & McKenzie.
The firm specialises in a range of practices such as Restructuring, insolvency and bankruptcy,Energy, mining, environment and natural resources, mergers and acquisitions, governance, capital markets and securities as well as litigation and dispute resolution, among others.
02. Ligomarc Advocates
Ligomarc Advocates started in 2003, they have handled many corporate assignments over the years. With a number of 19 lawyers, they are involved in a broad range of legal matters in the finance and business sectors.
Mr. Kabiito Karamagi, currently the managing partner of the firm, is an advocate of 17 years’ standing, and specialises in corporate insolvency and restructures. As one of Uganda’s leading insolvency practitioners, Mr. Kabiito has been at the centre of major corporate debt restructures and has handled many insolvency cases including the receivership of WBS TV.
The firm has another partner, among others, in the name of Ruth Sebatindira. Ms. Sebatindira has nearly 20 years’ experience in commercial litigation, commercial loan transactions, tax and corporate advisory. She has represented banks in enforcement actions, insolvency disputes, defective securities claims and asset finance and leasing matters. Ruth also served as President of the Uganda Law Society from March 2013 to April 2016.
The firm has successfully acted as receivers and liquidators for several companies in different sectors of Uganda’s economy including Hospitality, agro-processing, education, manufacturing and information technology.
03. Birungyi, Barata & Associates
Founded in 2003, this Legal entity is led by Cephas Birungyi and assisted by Enoch Barata, the firm represents individuals, multi-national corporations, international organisations and government agencies in areas of tax advisory, tax planning, consultancies, tax refunds, negotiations and litigations.
As a distinguished lawyer, Mr. Cephas Birungyi is a tax expert both in Uganda, and internationally. And Mr. Enoch Barata is the head of the firm’s Banking, Corporate and Commercial Litigation Departments.
They are also involved in the negotiations and drafting of various tax and tax-related legislation and cross-border agreements. Their clients include the EAC Secretariat, Uganda Revenue Authority, ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (Uganda), TradeMark East Africa and various private companies. They have also done work for the ministry of Finance (Liberia), Bauchi State in Nigeria, Zambia Revenue Authority and many others.
Other than tax, they also have expertise in the areas of Oil and Gas, real estate and conveyancing, corporate and commercial advisory services, banking, insurance, intellectual property, insolvency and corporate law, employment, telecommunications, alternative dispute resolution.
04. ENSafrica
ENSafrica started legal operations in Uganda, 2014, following a merger between Synergy Solicitors and Advocates (Uganda) and Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs (ENSafrica) from South Africa.
The firm currently operates with 13 lawyers in the country headed by Phillip Karugaba whose core practice is in capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, private equity, energy, project development, infrastructure, construction and real estate law.
05. Tumusiime, Kabega & Co Advocates
Tumusiime, Kabega & Co Advocates has a team of lawyers who have expertise in various areas of law, the firm majorly handles corporate commercial law, banking, finance, construction law, immigration law, tax law, real property law, among others. This legal entity was founded in 1990.
It has built a clientele comprised of multinational corporations, foreign companies, foreign investors, local corporations, foreign governments, banks, among others.
A well-known senior member of the legal fraternity in Uganda and East Africa, Mr. Enos Tumusiime is a duly enrolled senior advocate, a member of the Uganda Law Society and the East African Law Society. He has vast experience in litigation spanning over 30 years.
One of the founding partners of the firm, Mr. Macdusman W Kabega is another senior partner with the firm. He has over 30 years’ legal experience, especially handling cases of high-level criminals in the country.
06. Sebalu & Lule Advocates
This law firm was founded in 1980 by late Paulo Sebalu (RIP) and Godfrey Lule, both distinguished legal practitioners, its one of the oldest and biggest law entities in Uganda. They are majorly centred in banking & finance, projects and infrastructure, power (energy, oil, gas and mining), corporate and commercial law, mergers and acquisitions, telecommunications, employment and employee benefits, tax, real estate and conveyancing, non-profit organisations and commercial dispute resolution.
07. MMAKS Advocates
MMAKS Advocates law firm was founded in 2005. They have upto 23 lawyers managed by Timothy Kanyerezi Masembe. This firm is affiliated to ALN
MMAKS Advocates majorly works in the fields of corporate and commercial law with particular expertise in banking and finance, real estate, mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, employment and intellectual property.
They have been consistently ranked as a leading commercial law practice in Uganda and Africa by Chambers Global Guide.
Some of the notable cases handled by the firm include: Advising on the initial public offering by Umeme Limited, a utility retail and Distribution Company; and advising four banks on the financing of a $115 million project for power generation and the expansion of a sugar processing plant. The banks were: Citibank Uganda Limited, Standard Chartered Bank Uganda Limited, Stanbic Bank Uganda Limited and East African Development Bank.
08. Shonubi, Musoke and Co. Advocates
This firm was founded in 1987, it has 25 professional lawyers managed by Noah Edwin Mwesigwa. The firm is affiliated to Norton Rose Fulbright.
Since inception, the firm has established practice in Uganda and Burundi, advising on Public Private Partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, telecommunications and real estate, intellectual property, labour relations, banking and project finance including Islamic Banking as well as energy, mining and infrastructure development.
Their clients include local and international financial institutions, international development agencies, multi-national corporations, local and regional insurance companies, international airlines, as well as energy and oil companies, among others.
They have partnerships with law firms in countries such as China, Singapore, United Kingdom, Germany and the United States of America. They have been continuously recognised as a Top Tier Law Firm by both IFLR1000 and Chambers & Partners.
The partners include: Mr. Noah E. Mwesigwa, Mr. Innocent Kihika, Dr Alan S. Shonubi, Mr. Peters K. Musoke, and Mr. Andrew Kibaya.
09. AF Mpanga Advocates
AF Mpanga Advocates was started in October 2003 in Uganda, AF Mpanga Advocates takes a high position on this list. The firm is active in corporate and commercial transactional advice, banking and project finance, mergers and acquisitions, civil and criminal litigation, real estate and intellectual property.
AF Mpanga serves local and international financial institutions, private equity funds, leading manufacturers and industrialists, oil companies, international investors, media houses, international and local non-governmental organisations as well as individuals.
The firm is a member of the Bowman Gilfillan Africa Group, a group with about 400 lawyers. AF Mpanga is also a representative of Lex Mundi, a global association, with more than 160 independent law firms in all the major centres across the globe.
The firm is ranked in Band 1 by Chambers Global and in Tier 1 of the IFLR1000. Their clients include: Local and international financial institutions, private equity funds, manufacturers, oil companies, investors, print and electronic media houses, non-governmental organisations, and high net worth individuals. Mpanga represented the Bank of Uganda in the Crane Bank case.
The firm has won numerous awards, including, Chambers Africa Awards, 2018-South African Law Firm of the Year, African Global Funds Service Providers Awards, 2017- Best Legal Service – Private Equity and many more.
10. Angualia Busiku & Co. Advocates
Angualia Busiku & Co. Advocates is a Ugandan law firm comprising lawyers with previous experience in government service, corporate institutions and law firms. The firm focuses practicing law in a few areas but with vast years of experience.
The firm’s highly specialized nature of legal practice has enabled clients succeed in their businesses and on personal legal matters.
Areas of speciality are; Foreign Investment, Trademarks law, Company law, Technology Media and Telecommunications law, Business law, Due diligence investigations, Land law/ Real estate transactions, Employment and labour law, Family law, Immigration law, Infrastructure and construction law, and Non-Governmental Organizations law.
Notable mentions
Origo Advocates
Origo Advocates is a corporate and commercial law firm that was born out of a merger between Kitaka & Associates Advocates, a commercial litigation law firm and Ushuru Advisors, a boutique consultancy firm specialising in Tax advisory, International Trade and Foreign Direct Investment. The firm is a premier full-service law practice comprised of a blend of both Ugandan and foreign trained lawyers. It is popular for its specialised services to Clients in the fields of International Trade and Foreign Direct Investment, thus making it one of the few Lawfirms in Uganda having specialised service offerings in International Trade and Foreign Direct Investment.
The firm is also popular among expatriates (“expats”) for its Global mobility and Immigration department that has great expertise and understanding in handling legal issues of expats living and working in Uganda who require the services of a pragmatic, available and hands on legal professional.
The firm currently has 11 lawyers servicing its clients in the firm’s major fields. The firm has since inception been able to attract fast rising and regionally recognised professionals in International Trade, Foreign Direct Investment, Global mobility and Immigration.
Firm contact details:
The firm is situated in the upscale neighbourhood of Kololo, known for its diplomatic corps community like the Embassies of China, Germany, Russia etc with the firm’s office at Plot 26, Wampewo Avenue, 2nd Floor Bakwanye House.
Email: info@origolaw.ug
Website: www.origolaw.ug
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