Uganda

Firm overview

SM&Co Advocates was registered as Shonubi, Musoke & Company Advocates in 1987. The firm was started at a time when new attitudes and opportunities were emerging in Uganda, and has steadily grown into one of the largest firms in the country. In a jurisdiction where few firms have managed to specialise, we have succeeded in building a specialised practice with core capabilities in, all fields of corporate and commercial law, banking and finance, energy and infrastructure, litigation and dispute resolution practice ranging from non-contentious transactional work to highly contentious complex litigation.

Our expertise and business knowledge have consolidated our position as market leaders, exemplified by our lengthy and ever-increasing portfolio of impressive international and local clients. Our portfolio of clients includes both international and domestic institutions such as large corporate, airlines, banks, academic institutions, electricity generators and distributors, property developers, NGO’s, telecommunication companies, insurance companies, petroleum companies as well as government agencies and statutory bodies.

The firm has continuously been rated as a leading law firm in Uganda by IFLR 1000, Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500 directory of leading financial and energy law firms. The 31st Edition of IFLR1000 rankings accorded it the highest possible Tier 1 classification in the Financial and Corporate and Energy and Infrastructure categories; whilst Chambers and Partners has classified it as a Band 1 General Business Law Firm in their 2023 ranking and a Tier 1 Law firm by the Legal 500 and a leading Intellectual Property Law firm by WTR

The individual partners within the firm have also been recognised as leading lawyers in Uganda within their respective areas of expertise by IFLR 1000 and Chambers Global, these include:

a) Dr. Alan Shonubi, Corporate and Commercial law, Banking and Project Finance
b) Mr. Noah Mwesigwa, Corporate and Commercial law sector
c) Mr. Andrew Kibaya, Banking and Project Finance sectors
d) Mr. Innocent Kihika, Energy and Infrastructure and Project Development sectors.
e) Ms. Brigitte Kusiima, Corporate and Commercial law sector
f) Ms. Hellen Nakiryowa, Banking and Project Finance sectors

With thirty-one (31) professional staff members comprising of nine (9) partners, nineteen (19) associates, one (1) of counsel and two (2) consultants, the firm is among the largest law firms in the country.

Details of our competence with integrated descriptions of our experience can also be found on our website: www.shonubimusoke.co.ug.

Firm overview

Ortus Advocates is a full-service corporate and commercial law firm in Uganda. The firm is part of the Ortus Africa brand, a professional services firm bringing together resources with a wealth of experience and knowledge in law, tax and business advisory services. 

Our key practice areas include corporate, mergers & acquisitions, banking and finance, capital markets, project finance, project development, oil & gas, tax, and business rescue, restructuring & insolvency. Our lawyers have a unique understanding of Uganda’s political, economic, regulatory, and legal environment.  With a team of over 20 lawyers we confidently guide both local and international clients across a range of industry sectors in execution of complex and innovative transactions and disputes.

The firm also boasts of a dedicated China practice bolstered by our alliance with the Yingke Law which focuses largely on matters born of the commercial expansion of those countries’ interests in Africa.

We are very active in the fintech and innovative ecosystem of Uganda. Through our partnership with the Innovation Village, Ortus Advocates is at the forefront of the innovation and acceleration industry in Uganda.

Firm overview

ABMAK Associates is a general business law firm with specialised practice in oil and gas, mining and metals, power and electricity, corporate law, tax and revenue, dispute resolution, corporate and project finance, employment and ESG matters.

ABMAK is led by a team of uniquely qualified partners who are the leading practitioners with specialised legal training and knowledge, diverse experience and business acumen in their fields of expertise.

ABMAK predominantly represents multinational corporations, foreign investors, project sponsors, lenders, contractors and sub-contractors on the regulatory and transactional aspects including legal due diligence, establishment, corporate structuring, negotiation of project/transaction documents, permitting, environmental compliance, land acquisition, financing and project implementation and other related matters

ABMAK has established its reputation in project development within its areas of expertise earning international recognition from legal directories. IFLR1000 has ranked ABMAK as a No. 1 top-tier firm for six consecutive years. Chambers and Partners has for over eight years ranked ABMAK in Band two as a general business law firm and described the firm as a dynamic and well-respected law firm with significant skills advising on projects in the mining and natural resources industries, especially the oil and gas and renewable energy sectors.

Firm overview

A leading full-service corporate- commercial law firm in Uganda and the region and consistently ranked Tier 1 by IFLR1000 . The firm holds stellar credentials in: Banking & Finance; Dispute Resolution; Governance, Compliance & Investigations; Technology, Media &Telecoms; Mergers & Acquisitions; Real Estate; Intellectual Property and Infrastructure and Oil & Gas.

We are a market leader in the banking and finance space. - - We service Development Finance Institutions and advise them on transactions not only in Uganda but also in Rwanda and Zimbabwe. We are currently acting for the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Eastern and Southern Africa Trade Development Bank (TDB) and Islamic Corporation for the Development of Private Sector (ICD). We have also previously acted for African Export and Import Bank (Afriexim). We are empanelled by and act for about half of the commercial banks in the market. We have also acted for the regulator of the Banking industry, Bank of Uganda, the Credit Reference Bureau and the Uganda Bankers’ Association, an umbrella body bringing together all commercial banks in Uganda. We have represented the Uganda Bankers’ Association in matters regarding licensing, the duty of confidentiality and stamp duty.

•  We pride ourselves in being the ‘go to’ firm in technology matters in the market. Regularly advising on matters of data protection, privacy, cyber security, payments, financial technology and regulatory compliance. We are members of and counsel to FITSPA (Fintech Service Providers Association), an independent, non-profit, membership-based association representing Uganda’s local and global fintech community. We have developed several tool kits to assist these companies, mostly start-ups, in licensing, tax compliance, consumer protection, privacy and data protection. We act for leading technology and social media companies. We have also participated in legislative lobbying for some of these entities and regularly interface with the regulators in the technology space.
• Restructurings & Insolvency practice: We continue to act on some of the largest restructuring transactions in East Africa which have increased due to the pandemic advising our leading financial institution clients on syndicated financing and restructuring and have run webinars on the same.
• Private equity: In the last year, we have acted for several international and regional Private equity firms in mergers and acquisitions as well as banking and finance space.
• Corporate Governance: We are retained as company secretary to market leaders as well as conduct trainings on corporate guidance and other areas to leading companies in Uganda.