Eight new partners have been admitted at Kampala Associated Advocates (KAA), the law firm announced on April 7. The development fits into the current trend of law firms merging to offer a wide range of services.
According to the firm’s statement issued Friday afternoon, the new admissions are meant to inject “renewed energy” into the 17-year-old establishment.
Interviewed at the weekend, Joseph Matsiko, a senior partner at KAA, said the new partners will help consolidate the firm’s position “as a market leader in the region.”
“We believe that we are now going to continue providing efficient services locally as well as internationally,” Matsiko said, adding, “With these young people and their skills, we are also looking at the long term…”
Among the eight new partners, the biggest acquisitions are Elison Karuhanga and Zulaika Mirembe Kasajja who have been partners at Karuhanga, Kasajja & Company Advocates.
The youthful Elison now joins his father, Elly Karuhanga, at KAA. Elison first stepped into the national spotlight during last year’s former prime minister Amama Mbabazi’s presidential election petition at the Supreme court, which challenged President Museveni’s election. During the hearing, Elison injected energy, innovation and quick thinking into the Electoral Commissions’ legal team.
During the cross examination of EC Boss Badru Kiggundu by Mbabazi’s lawyers, Karuhanga shielded him from tripping over tricky questions. One skill Elison brings to the table at KAA is his expertise in oil and gas, plus mining. He obtained a Chevening scholarship from the British High Commission and studied oil and gas law at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland.
Karuhanga also worked at Ashurst LLP, a leading international law firm with considerable experience in the energy sector. He also represents the rich Madhvani family.
BUCKING A TREND
The absorption of Karuhanga and Kasajja Company Advocates into KAA is a strategic move, according to legal minds that we interviewed for this story. The merger boosts the firms’ breadth and/or depth of capability – in terms of legal expertise or broaden the client base and enhance each firm’s market standing and reputation.
Mergers are also often considered if management believes there is potential to create a stronger platform to meet the growing global needs of clients and use their enhanced capabilities to attract new clients.
Indeed, in announcing the new admissions to the firm, managing partner David Mpanga [No relation to David Mpanga of AF Mpanga and Co. Advocates], said the eight partners were taking up stewardship at a firm that aspires to provide leadership in the East African region.
“Welcoming these partners… is testimony that we are on course to sustain our vision of being leaders in the legal services market and a world-class law firm of choice in the East African region. We trust that they will bolster the firm through their hard work and diligence,” Mpanga said.
According to the statement, others promoted to partnership from within KAA are Jet John Tumwebaze, Augustine Obilil Idoot, and Bruce Musinguzi; as well as associate partners Isaac Newton Kyagaba, Dennis Otatiina and Pearl Nyakabwa.
Peter Kabatsi, a senior partner at KAA, said the firm was pleased to announce the infusion of “renewed energy.”
“The KAA promise is to provide our clients with high-quality legal solutions delivered by our top-notch people while consistently creating value for the firm and for our society. Today, once again, we are presenting clear evidence that we are suitably equipped to deliver on this promise,” he said.
Kabatsi, a former solicitor general and director of public prosecutions, said promotions are “evidence that hard work within professional law firms pays off career development.”
Elly Karuhanga, another senior partner, welcomed the partners and expressed optimism that they will bring “fresh energy into the firm.”
“We have always been deliberate when we take on lawyers at any level at KAA,” Karuhanga, a former MP, said. “These eight professional firebrands are a gifted and talented lot that will excite not only other talents that will be joining us in the future but will serve our current and future clients with the depth and attention that is required of a lawyer by a client. This will positively and profoundly change the character of our firm, KAA.”
According to records, KAA was established in 2001 following a merger of four major legal firms. The founding partners were Bart Katureebe, a former attorney general who is now chief justice; Sam Mayanja, who served as secretary of the Uganda Development Bank for over a decade; Oscar Kambona, who headed and managed the Uganda Tax Bureau; and Elly Karuhanga, who is also honorary consul general of the Republic of Seychelles to Uganda.
The firm’s other partners include Kabatsi, Dr Charles Kallu Kalumiya, former in-house general counsel for non-refugee legal matters of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and honorary consul of the Republic of Malawi to Uganda; David Mpanga, former Legal Services manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers and Matsiko, former director of Civil Litigation in the attorney general’s chambers.
Over the years, KAA has positioned itself as an NRM-leaning law firm, having defended the election of President Museveni in the Supreme court in 2001, 2006 and 2016. The firm also defended Museveni in a suit filed by the exiled Ugandan journalist, Dr Jesse Mashate, who accused the president in his individual capacity of causing him loss of business.
Zulaika Mirembe Kasajja – Partner
Kasajja joins KAA from M/S Karuhanga, Kasajja and Company Advocates where she was managing partner. She holds an LLB from Makerere University having graduated with honours as a dean’s list student.
She was called to the bar in 2006 and is a chartered secretary under the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (UK). Kasajja previously worked as an in-house counsel at Dfcu Bank Limited, Warid Telecom and Smile Communications, and brings on board nearly 10 years’ experience as in-house counsel.
She has extensive knowledge of the telecommunications industry in Uganda and has advised on complex issues ranging from interconnection of telecom networks, interference between LTE and CDMA operators, efficient utilization of the spectrum, anti-competitive legislation, regulations on infrastructure sharing, regularization of roaming charges and subscriber registration, among others.
She led a team that successfully secured the renewal of a leading telecommunications company’s public service provider licence and was an integral part of a team that completed over 500 land transactions for the construction of base transmission sites across the country in a record six months.
She played a pivotal role in the license review process of utility companies in Uganda and Tanzania and has a deep understanding of the regulatory nuances involved in the management of companies.
Zulaika has advised on a wide range of company issues spanning formation, board matters, corporate governance, compliance, mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, trademarks, and labour laws.
Elison Karuhanga – Partner
Karuhanga joins KAA from M/S Karuhanga, Kasajja and Company Advocates. He holds an LLM (Oil and Gas Law) from the University of Aberdeen where he was a Chevening scholar.
He holds an LLB from the University of Kent (UK) and earned a diploma in legal practice from the Law Development Centre. Karuhanga previously worked in Dfcu bank as a legal officer and as a state attorney at the ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.
He was distinguished as a young lawyer and seconded to work at Ashurst LLP, a leading law firm in the energy, transport and infrastructure department.
He has an excellent appreciation of public and regulatory law. Karuhanga is an adept litigator and is effective, efficient and expeditious in court; so much so that he was selected as one of the lawyers who argued the recently concluded presidential election petition on behalf of the Electoral Commission.
He is noted to have been one of the youngest lawyers to address the Supreme court extensively on the merits of the petition.
He has contributed to two books published by Globe Law and Business; the first is titled, Upstream Law and Regulation; A Global Guide and the second is African Upstream Oil and Gas; A Practical Guide to the Law and Regulation’. He has also contributed to articles for the Oxford Energy Journal.
Isaac Newton Kyagaba – Associate Partner
Kyagaba holds an LLB (Hons) from University of Dar-es-Salaam and a Master of International Business Administration (MIBA) from Paris ESLSCA Business School.
He is a member of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA); the Young International Arbitrators Group (YIAG); and of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA). Over the years, Kyagaba has advised an impressive range of clients in the energy and infrastructure sectors, and represented clients in the financial services, education and the hospitality sectors.
Kyagaba works with banks, tertiary institutions, telecommunication companies, oil & gas sector entities and statutory bodies.
He advises the firm’s clients on the full range of employment law issues, including advising on the strategic issues associated with reorganizations and restructuring, employee relations challenges and trade union negotiations. The firm is happy to draw on his extensive experience in national and international arbitration at the level of associate partner.
Dennis Otatiina – Associate Partner
Otatiina holds an LLB (Hons) from Makerere University and graduated in the top three per cent of his class at the Law Development Centre. He joined KAA in June 2010 as a legal intern and has risen steadily through the ranks to associate partner.
Dennis has recently advised on a complex multi-jurisdictional transaction involving the setting up of a multibillion agri-business fund. Otatiina remains a pivotal partner in the corporate and finance advisory team at KAA.
His experience spans across international finance, international cross-border finance, trade and commodity finance, project finance, infrastructure finance and asset finance.
He regularly advises financial institutions on a wide range of corporate and commercial issues. The firm is pleased to elevate him to the position of associate partner.
Augustine Idoot Obilil – Partner
Obilil has been an associate partner at KAA. He holds an LLM (Information Technology and Communications) from the University of Oslo in Norway, where he was sponsored by the government of Norway, and an LLB from Makerere University.
He earned a diploma in legal practice from the Law Development Centre, after which he began his association with KAA. He was awarded the Denton Wilde Sapte/ Kampala Associated Advocates prize for the best overall bar courses student.
Obilil was also awarded “the chief justice’s award for the best overall bar course student”. He has continued to excel in practice and his expertise in litigation and dispute resolution is astounding.
He leads the communications and information technology law practice at the firm, and has considerable experience in intellectual property law. Obilil has previously lectured at the Law Development Centre.
Jet Mwebaze – Partner
Mwebaze has been an associate partner at KAA, having joined as a young but highly effective advocate. He holds an LLB from Makerere University and earned a diploma in legal practice from the Law Development Centre.
Over the years, Mwebaze has demonstrated good leadership within the firm and the profession in Uganda and has a highly respected set of legal skills. He is an integral part of the team at KAA and has been an outstanding member of the litigation department.
As a law student at Makerere University, Mwebaze’s litigation acumen was evident at an early stage when he took on the establishment in a landmark litigation matter that has now been established as one of the leading precedents on judicial review in Uganda.
At KAA, he has established a good record in the litigation department. He has litigated a number of matters at the East African Court of Justice in Arusha where he continues to be a trailblazer.
Bruce Musinguzi – Partner
Musinguzi has been an associate partner at KAA and is an integral part of the tax team. He holds an LLM (International Tax) from Georgetown University, a top university in the United States of America, and an LLB from Makerere University.
Musinguzi earned a diploma in legal practice from the Law Development Centre, and previously worked at JP Morgan in the United States, doing mainly corporate advisory and company secretarial work.
He later joined the international tax department of PricewaterhouseCoopers USA where his sharp legal skills were notably recognized. His area of expertise is litigation with a preference for tax matters and he has represented numerous KAA clients in groundbreaking matters.
Pearl Nyakabwa – Associate Partner
Nyakabwa holds an LLB (Hons) from Makerere University, and an LLM (International Trade, Investment and Business Law) where she graduated “cum laude” (with distinction) from the University of Western Cape.
She earned a diploma in legal practice from the Law Development Centre and is a chartered secretary under the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (UK).
She was recognised as the “female young lawyer of the year 2016” by the Uganda Law Society in recognition of her excellent and outstanding abilities.
Nyakabwa has advised a number of utility companies on the legal and regulatory framework governing their respective industries, the application for and processing of licenses, cross-border finance, trade and commodity finance and project finance to mention but a few. KAA is pleased to announce her deserving promotion to the position of associate partner.
dkiyonga@observer.ug
