With a rapidly expanding investment portfolio that attracted 26.2% of all Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Projects for Africa in 2015 primarily in infrastructure development, oil and gas, telecommunications, financial services and consumer products, the potential risks and uncertainties inherent in doing business in fast growing economies such as East Africa cannot be overstated. Legal advisory services then become a vital component of any investment or business undertaking, because they temper market uncertainty; unknot complex domestic regulatory regimes, mitigate the impact of trade disputes, and ultimately increase profitability of the business enterprise.
M/s. Shonubi. Musoke and Co. Advocates is one of the largest law firms in Uganda; and has since its founding in 1987 built a specialized practice with core capabilities in all fields of corporate and commercial law ranging from non-contentious transactional work to highly contentious complex litigation.
We have established an impressive East African practice across our offices in Uganda and Burundi, maintaining market dominance in 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.
Service and reputation in these practice areas have earned the firm a diverse portfolio of clients, including: local and international financial institutions, international development agencies, Multi-National Corporations, Government parastatals, local and regional insurance companies, international airlines, as well as energy and oil companies, among others.
'They are efficient, effective, diligent, professional and meticulous. The quality of the advice is
first rate. They build and nurture their relationships with clients'. Chambers Global 2017.
Our response to the globalization of business opportunity and legal risk has been the establishment of a trans-boundary firm through alliances with some of the world’s leading global law firms. These alliances, enriched by transaction specific partnerships with law firms in countries as diverse as China, Singapore, United Kingdom, Germany and the United States of America, have fettled the firm’s expertise in tailoring global legal solutions to local issues, continuously earning it recognition as a Top Tier Law Firm by both IFLR1000 and Chambers & Partners.
At Shonubi Musoke & Co. Advocates, we are driven by the desire to provide industry best practices, in the relentless pursuit of professional and business excellence for the benefit of our clients.
We offer our clients:
Demonstrated Legal Excellence in all our Practice areas
With a multi-disciplinary legal team consisting of 25 Partners, Associates and Consultants; and access to the global resources of our alliance law firms, the diversity and depth of legal expertise that the firm has on offer is quite impressive.
A full service legal firm
As one of the largest law firms in Uganda, we are able to provide our clients with end-to-end legal services, right from setting up of businesses, to ensuring regulatory compliance throughout the life of the business, and providing specialist advice on commercial transactions across the broad range of our practice areas.
Through SM Registrars Limited, which is the firm’s corporate advisory and company secretarial practice, we deliver a variety of tailor made products to our corporate clientele, including Trustee services and in-house corporate governance training.
An intricate understanding of the Ugandan legal regime
With 30 years of service, the firm’s knowledge of the Ugandan legal landscape is unparalleled; and continuously re-defined through inventive litigation, innovative commercial practice, thought leadership, and pioneering novel legal parameters.
Practical instruction by some of the firm’s Partners at the country’s Post Graduate legal vocational institute has ensured that this knowledge is passed on to the country’s upcoming legal minds.
An innovative and business oriented culture
We recognize that our clients require innovative products and services to enhance profitability and business advantage; and draw on our regional and global alliances to proffer out-of-the-box legal solutions that have earned the firm international recognition and acclaim.
Founded in 1987
50 people in their team
SM Registrars Limited is the firm’s business corporate advisory and company secretarial practice.
We handle our clients' corporate and secretarial records ensuring:
We also attend our clients' board and shareholders meetings, acting as secretaries and providing advice in line with international best practices.
Headed by the firm's Senior Partner, this is our largest department covering the full range of corporate and commercial law services, including:
Power
We have developed an impressive energy law practice having advised on virtually all the major energy transactions in Uganda; for example, we were the local legal adviser to the developer of a US$500 Million Hydro Electric Power (HEP) dam. In addition, we also advise the holder of Uganda’s electricity distribution concession on an on-going basis. We have been instructed in various aspects of energy transactions and continue to grow in this area and maintain good working relationships with government on behalf of our clients.
Oil and gas
Uganda has recently discovered large oil deposits in the country. This has increased the appetite for large multinational oil companies to make significant investments in Uganda. In the initial stages, we advised a client on one of the two PSA’s issued in Uganda. More recently however, we have seen our clientele grow following the oil discovery and we now represent exploration companies, production companies and transport companies. We have participated in drafting and advising in respect of government concessions, farm in/ farm out and exploration agreements.
Mining
We have solid and proven capability in handling mining law matters. For example, we have acted for the lenders to one of the largest mining companies in the country. We have advised an Australian multinational mining corporation and are currently acting for a number of multinational mining companies as retained counsel. We have also acted as counsel in a domestic commercial arbitration in this sector. We continue to represent the largest cement producer in Uganda.
Projects
We have increasingly advised on large complex project finance transactions ranging from the ongoing pioneer PPP project for the government for the construction of police barracks, railway projects, and the Kalangala Infrastructure Services Project, which covers transportation, renewable energy and access to water.
We are a member of ISFIN (Islamic Finance Network) and are thier exclusive legal practice of choice for Uganda. ISFIN covers over 60 Countries worldwide and brings together a unique network of professionals dealing in and providing Islamic Finance and the halaal product concept. The firm has benefitted immensely from this membership with increased business from the Arabian Gulf Countries. We have also been approached by the Government to provide input into the amendments to the financial institutions legislations to bring Islamic banking into practice.
We advise on all aspects of employment and industrial relations law. In the ever-changing employment law landscape, we have advised both individuals, and companies, whether it be from the point of view of legally and fairly terminating employment relationships, to asserting the employment rights of individuals.
We have tailored our practice to provide a full range of services in the labour sector and have put in place measures to cope with the changing labour laws. We frequently advise our clients on various aspects of labour law, including advising on employment contracts and obligations, employer-employee disputes, industrial disputes, pension funds, redundancies & restructuring, trade unions and workmen’s compensation.
We also advise on the employment aspects of mergers and acquisitions: secondments; management services agreements; directors' remunerations; civil service employment contracts; pension schemes; National Social Security Fund contributions; income tax; and various other ancillary employment related aspects of commercial transactions.
Our lawyers come with a wealth of experience in progressive employment litigation, contract negotiation and corporate structuring. We have also championed select cases of public interest litigation in this area.
We regularly advise clients on Ugandan immigration law, process entry permits (work permits) and handle immigration appeals where required.
Most of our clients who employ non-Ugandan members of staff rely on us to regularise their immigration status. Importantly, our wealth of experience allows us to provide a wide of range of immigration services.
We navigate the complex ‘red tape’ associated with immigrations services and provide our clients with quick practical solutions.
The firm’s litigation department, overseen by litigation partner, Mr. Nicholas Mwasame, handles a broad range of litigation matters. We routinely represent our clients in general corporate & commercial litigation. We also act for our clients in specialised litigation in land disputes, construction litigation, environmental litigation and tax disputes.
We represent our clients in alternative dispute resolution including arbitration, mediation and negotiations. In many cases we advise and counsel clients before a litigation process starts.
The department routinely advises clients on property law issues, including purchase, disposals, co-ownership, landlord - tenant relationships, leases and licenses, mortgages and registerable interests. We also provide property management services.
We are also well-equipped to handle the complex litigation matters that may arise from intricate to simple conveyancing transactions.
Free Consultation: 15 mins
Free Consultation: 15 mins
