DEPARTMENT PROFILE

S&L Advocates (formerly Sebalu & Lule Advocates)

General Business Law

6 ranked lawyers

Band 1

Uganda

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department information

Ranked Lawyers

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What the team is known for

S&L Advocates is a premier Ugandan law firm with a strong bench of sought-after lawyers. The Kampala-based team is engaged on a formidable range of mandates including project finance, lending facilities, PPP, domestic and regional M&A, and corporate restructuring. It has a strong following of clients in the banking sector, as well as standout names in telecoms, oil and gas, private equity and power. The team also has noteworthy experience representing clients involved in commercial disputes. S&L is supported through its membership of renowned legal alliance DLA Piper Africa.

Strengths

One client commended the firm's "strong local team" and "good client service," adding: "S&L Advocates are also well connected."

Work highlights

Led by Gertrude Karugaba, S&L Advocates advised MTN Uganda on its IPO listing on the Ugandan Stock Exchange.

Notable practitioners

Managing partner Barnabas Tumusingize is held in high regard in Uganda, with a distinguished reputation for his banking and finance practice. Based in Kampala, he handles contentious and non-contentious matters for his clients.

Kampala-based Gertrude Karugaba regularly assists clients in the the TMT and banking sectors with corporate structuring and financing. She also has notable experience in capital markets. "Gertrude Karugaba is really good at dealing with complex matters and approaches them with an open mind." "She's really brilliant. I think its amazing how she gets things done."

James Mukasa Sebugenyi is a well-regarded commercial litigator and arbitration counsel. His wide-ranging disputes practice covers real estate and product liability, as well as intellectual property and constitutional law.

Moses Segawa is valued by clients for his employment, labour relations and employee benefits expertise. Based in Kampala, he has notable experience advising on issues surrounding restructuring and liquidation.

Nicholas Ecimu is a highly regarded Kampala-based lawyer with a practice focus on projects and construction. His expertise covers the full range of power and infrastructure projects, with a particularly strong grasp of project finance.

Department Information

This content is provided by S&L Advocates (formerly Sebalu & Lule Advocates).

Overview

S&L Advocates is a full-service law practice with expertise in corporate and commercial law, capital markets, energy, projects and infrastructure, finance and banking, employment and pensions, commercial dispute resolution, real estate, insolvency and restructuring, tax and non-profit organisations.

Uniquely positioned as a pioneering commercial legal practice, S&L has had a varied and prestigious client base from the very beginning and continues to maintain its position as one of the leading firms in Uganda.

Recent key work highlights has included advising:

MTN Uganda for its US$ 150 million initial public offer and listing;
International Finance Corporation and African Development Bank, as mandated lead arrangers, for the US$ 403 million project refinancing of the 250 MW Bujagali dam;
Stanbic Holdings / Stanbic Bank and Centenary Group / Centenary Bank on corporate re-organisations that saw the formation of holding company structures;
NC Bank Uganda for its horizontal merger with Commercial Bank of Africa;
Vivo Energy in a significant US$ 40 million dispute that determined the deductibility of lease rent and premium as deductible revenue expenditure;
TotalEnergies E&P in a public law claim that challenges the company’s procurement and local content processes for the development of the US$ 5 billion Tilenga oil-field;
Sinohydro Corporation on its procurement and construction of the US$ 2 billion 600MW Karuma dam; and
dfcu Bank for its acquisition of the assets of Crane Bank.