Katende, Ssempebwa & Co

Managing Partner: John W Katende
Senior Partner: Professor Frederick Ssempebwa
Number of partners: 9
Number of lawyers: 22
Number of Dual qualified Lawyers: 5
Languages: English, Luganda, Swahili

Firm Overview:
Katende, Ssempebwa & Co. was established in 1969 and is the largest and leading law firm in Uganda boasting of some of the most highly trained and experienced lawyers in the region, several of whom are licensed to practice in Uganda, New York and the United Kingdom. This firm has maintained a significant and pioneering presence in all areas of general and specialised transactional and litigation practice. Most of the more challenging legal problems and assignments in Uganda have been handled by the firm and many of the firm’s lawyers have behind them, a wealth of experience and backgrounds that have collectively enabled the firm to pool its resources and consistently give comprehensive advice, even in the most unusual circumstances. The firm has also been a leading advisor on many ground breaking cases that raise new and complex questions of law that have not been addressed at all in this jurisdiction. The firm’s lawyers have received their legal training from the leading universities in the world and therefore have the unique capability to handle matters in a manner that incorporates and balances legal considerations of various jurisdictions.

Main Areas of Practice:

Energy, Oil & Gas:
It advises emerging and established oil companies on a wide spectrum of legal matters ranging from business establishment and licensing to regulatory compliance.
■ Advised The Government of Uganda on selection of a PPP partner for the construction of the Oil refinery
■ Legal Advisor to Total E & P Uganda Limited

Banking & Finance:
It has one of the largest Banking practices representing the country’s central bank and several international, regional and local banks.
■ Advising Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development (PTA) Bank in respect of a US$ 47.3 million facility to Kampala Cementers Limited for the development of a cement factory in Mukono, Uganda.
■ Advising Industrial Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) on a US$ 231 million dollar loan facility to finance a mining project in Uganda.
■ Legal Advisor to Afrimax (Vodafone Uganda) on their loan from Nedbank
■ Routinely advise and draft loan documentation for The Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (PTA Bank), Equity Bank and NC Bank .
■ Advised Goldman Sachs International, BNP Paribas, Barclays Bank PLC, Credit Suisse International, Standard Chartered Bank PLC and Accenture on derivative business in Uganda.
■ Currently advising an international consortium of financial institutions on potential acquisition of a leading bank in Uganda.

Telecommunications:
It advises various international telecommunications companies on multi-billion dollar acquisitions, due diligences, business structuring, licence transfers and regulatory compliance.
■ Advised Warid Telecom Limited on its merger with Airtel Uganda Limited.
■ The firm advises American Towers on its routine telecommunications tower business.
■ Routinely advise internet based companies including Afsat Communications (Uganda) Limited, Africa online (Uganda) Limited, One Solutions Limited, Afrimax Limited and Mapswitch Uganda Limited on wide ranging matters.

Employment & Labour Law:
It advises international and corporate clients on employment contracts, redundancies and restructurings, remuneration and incentive systems, pension funds and social security audits.
■ Routinely advise its clients on all their employment matters Corporate & Commercial: Its practice encompasses the full range of legal services required by corporations.
■ Advised the Government of Uganda on setting up a Metropolitan Area Transport Authority
■ Routinely advise our Clients including Google Uganda, American Towers Limited, Airtel Uganda Limited and many others on their day to day corporate matters

M&A, Corporate Restructurings & Privatisations:
It carries out due diligence processes and provide legal assistance in the purchase or disposal of African corporations and parastatals.
■ Advised Warid Telecom Limited on its merger with Airtel Uganda Limited
■ Advising Getbucks and Mybucks on their proposed acquisition of Opportunity Bank in Uganda
■ Advised Stanlib Africa Direct Property Development Fund on a US$ 70 million dollar property development project in Uganda
■ Advised RCL Foods Limited on a USD 4.6 million share subscription into Hudani Manj Holdings
■ Advised a Kenyan Company on a potential acquisition of one of Uganda’s largest Diary corporations
■ Advised The Coca Cola Company on acquisition of water sources from a Ugandan Company.
■ Providing transactional legal services support to one of Africa’s leading asset managing consortiums in respect of implementation of its pilot African property development fund valued at over USD 50 million Securities: It has acted as legal and transaction advisors to companies in their IPOs and cross listings on the Uganda Securities Exchange.
■ Advising Britam Asset Management Company Limited on its licencing
■ Advised East Africa Community on demutualising of the Securities exchange. Litigation & Arbitration: It has built an impeccable track record in litigation and have been involved in several ground breaking, law making and landmark litigation cases that have shaped the law of Uganda.
■ Represent all our major clientele in all their litigation matters

Intellectual Property, Trademarks, Patents & Product Liability:
It registers, negotiates, renews, protects and enforces property rights agreements, trademarks, patents, designs, copyrights, licenses and layout designs.
■ It routinely advises its clients and manage their trademark portfolio

Real Estate & Conveyance:
The firm executes a tremendous amount of conveyance work specialising in all kinds of land transactions.
■ Currently advising Airtel on the obtainment of land titles for the land which has their telecommunications towers
■ Advising Mcleod Russel Uganda Limited on its acquisition of almost a square miles of land for their tea plantations

Tax:
The firm provides specialised advice for clients on the tax implications of investment in Uganda, tax planning for directors and shareholders, mergers and reorganizations. One of the firm’s senior partners, Prof. Frederick Ssempebwa is widely acknowledged as Uganda’s leading Revenue and Tax law specialist and is principal legal advisor.
■ Advised Warid Telecom on the tax implications of their merger with Airtel Advise all our Clientele on any major tax matters

Aviation:
The firm represents numerous international and domestic airlines and Uganda’s aviation authority in aircraft purchases, sales, leasing and financing, certification and registration and cargo and baggage claims. Advise our airline Clients on matters of corporate and commercial law It also handle the litigation matters for our airline clients

Criminal:
The firm has represented the government and clients in numerous high profile criminal proceedings. We are assisting the Government of Uganda prosecute various cases within the Court Marshal Insurance, Debt Recovery, Receiverships,

Bankruptcy & Liquidation:
It handles substantial insurance work for international and local insurers and also routinely handle bankruptcy, liquidation, debt collection. We have represented. The firm routinelys handle insurance matters for its major clients like Britam Insurance, Eagen and Rio Insurance