We are a law firm engaged in legal practice and consultancy. We serve as counsel to many local and international businesses and organisations, as well as families and individuals. Our goal is to provide the best legal services for our clientele.
Areas of practice
Our areas of practice include: corporate/company law, commercial law, land transactions (conveyance), tort, trademarks and civil litigation, as well as constitutional law and alternative dispute resolution.
Our firm renders legal services to four major banks and a licensed microfinance deposit taking institution, a leading media company, international organisations, various manufacturing ventures and projects, various NGOs and foundations and clearing companies. We also act for some senior executives in public and private business and some multinational Companies to mention but a few.
As advocates for financial institutions, we advise on viability of securities, carry out thorough searches on them using experienced staff in our firm and external surveyors, draw security documents and perfect them with registration.
We offered consultancy services to the Bank of Uganda and Uganda Commercial Bank Ltd. on the sale of shares in Uganda Commercial Bank Ltd. to Standard Investment Bank of South Africa, sale of majority shares in Monitor Publications Ltd. to Nation Media Group, and have participated in transactions that have led to the formation of joint ventures and mergers. We have advised several international organisations and entities on acquisition of land in Uganda.
The firm was established in 1994, and has since thrived. Today, the firm has two partners, namely James Nangwala and Alex Rezida, and three associates: Christine Nabirye, Assumpta Kemigisha-Ssebunya and Lillian Helen Kuteesa.
The firm has fifteen support staff. We also outsource providers necessary for the due performance of legal services.
In order to achieve our goal we work as a team. Every one of us is gifted uniquely. It is that unique gift that each of us utilises to enable useful contribution to every given task. With that, the solution we deliver to the client is always satisfactory and relevant to meet the client’s needs. We boast of having contributed to the development of the law in Uganda.
Our core values include hard and smart work, excellence and belief in justice and the delivery of results. The value of hard work is reflected in the fact that when we have a task to do, we ensure the professional delivery of results in the shortest time possible. This necessitates us to place the needs and demands of the firm before our individual needs. More so, irrespective of the fact that we aim at helping our clients obtain solutions that are practical, we do not ignore our cardinal duty to be ethical. We are also responsive to the legal needs of marginalised groups.
We continuously attend training, workshops and symposia of Bar associations. In that vein we are always abreast with changing circumstances that affect members of the Bar.
Partners
James Nangwala
James is a senior member of the Uganda Bar and an Advocate of the Courts of Judicature of Uganda of 21 years standing. He has vast experience in civil litigation, conveyance, corporate/company law, commercial law, banking practice, media law, tort and constitutional law. James has vast experience in negotiating and drawing credit agreements for financial institutions, preparing security documentation and advising financial institutions on the legal aspects of their businesses.
He has been involved in negotiations involving divesture of public enterprises in partnership with law firms from other jurisdictions towards a common goal. He has also been involved in the formation of joint ventures, drawing of shareholders agreements and negotiations involving the purchase of shares in entities. James has had occasion to participate in training in areas of mediation and legal and regulatory matters of power and energy, human rights, arbitration and procurements as well as the legal and policy framework in regional integration at the International Law Institute, Kampala, and other symposia. He has also been exposed to proceedings in The Court of Justice for the Common Market for the Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA Court).
In addition, James has been a resource person in several workshops on land reform and the law governing land dealings, including media organised conferences and workshops.
Until August, 2009, James served at the Law Development Center as head of the department of postgraduate legal studies for over ten years. While at the said institution, he also served as a Senior Principal lecturer, particularly as the Head of Land Transactions Course Unit. In that capacity James used to sit on several boards and committees which take decisions and steer post graduate training in the institution. He opted for early retirement therefrom.
Alex Rezida
Alex is an advocate of the Courts of Judicature of Uganda of 20 years standing, and a Commissioner for Oaths. He has been in consistent active practice for the last 20 years with particular emphasis on commercial law, corporate/company law, trademarks and patents, tort, conveyance and related litigation (civil). Over the years, Alex has had occasion to participate in the areas of private financing of infrastructure, negotiating local and international joint ventures, international commercial arbitration, alternative dispute resolution, international trade agreements, human rights, and drawing security documentation and credit agreements for financial institutions and inter-creditor arrangements.
Because of his vast experience in all the aforementioned areas of practice, Alex has also facilitated several trainings at both national and international level in those areas. In 2008 he was appointed on the first ever Government Audit Committees under the Public Finance and Accountability Act.
Associates
Christine Nabirye
Christine is an Advocate of the Courts of Judicature of Uganda of nine years standing. She is a qualified chartered secretary with vast knowledge and experience in handling company secretarial matters. She also handles commercial law matters, civil litigation, tort, defamation, land matters and alternative dispute resolution.
Assumpta Kemigisha Ssebunya
Assumpta is an advocate of the Courts of Judicature of Uganda and is of seven years standing. She is a commissioner for oaths and has served on the Board of Uganda Law Society. She handles company matters, commercial law, civil litigation, tort, defamation, and land matters, trademarks, patents and alternative dispute resolution. She has been with the firm since she completed her legal training and has taken advantage of the experience of the partners. Assumpta is a member of two women rights activist groups.
Lillian Helen Kuteesa
Lillian is an advocate of the Courts of Judicature of Uganda. She has been with the firm for three years and has acquired ample practical skills and experience in drafting security documents for our client financial institutions, advising corporate clients on labour laws, handling regulatory and tax issues of corporate clients, acting as secretary at board meetings and recording proceedings arising from such meetings and generally acting as the firm relationship manager with our corporate client.
