S&L Advocates (formerly Sebalu & Lule Advocates)

Partners: Barnabas Tumusingize, James Mukasa Sebugenyi, Joseph Luswata, Nicholas Ecimu, Moses Segawa, Andrew Munanura Kamuteera, Michael Mafabi, Paul Mbuga, Allan Waniala and Winnie Awino.

FIRM OVERVIEW:

S&L Advocates is a leading business law firm in Uganda. It is a full-service commercial law firm. S&L Advocates is a member of the DLA Piper Africa Group. The DLA Piper Africa Group is an alliance of leading independent law firms working together across Africa.

MAIN AREAS OF PRACTICE:

Finance and banking matters have included acting for:

• Standard Bank and Stanbic Bank for a US$ 18 million structured warehousing facility to a mobile financial services platform.
• A multilateral lender for a loan facility to an agricultural non-profit social enterprise.
• A structured debt vehicle providing eco-tourism finance for a debt facility to eco-tourism lodge operators.
• A leading commercial bank for the borrower's US$ 44 million corporate debt restructuring.
• A regional development bank for a US$ 42 million structured forfaiting facility.

Contact: Barnabas Tumusingize

Email: [email protected]

Contact: Winnie Awino

Email: [email protected]

Corporate, commercial and capital markets matters have included acting for:

• MTN Group and MTN Uganda for the follow-on secondary market sale of 7.05% shareholding in MTN Uganda, resulting into an oversubscription.
• A leading financial services group and its majority shareholder for a US$ 21 million part-exit by a strategic investor.
• A multinational private equity fund for its proposed acquisition of a minority stake in a commercial bank.
• Access Bank Nigeria on all aspects of its 80% equity acquisition of Finance Trust Bank.
• A multinational banking group for a first-of-its-kind "green" property development.

Contact: Paul Mbuga

Email: [email protected]

Contact: Winnie Awino

Email: [email protected]

Projects and Infrastructure matters have included acting for:

• Hima Cement, the target company, in relation to the US$ 84 million strategic exit by its controlling shareholder
• AMEA Power on the establishment of the 20 MW Madi-Okollo solar power plant, including acting as sponsor's counsel for US$ 18 million project financing by the Emerging Africa and Asia Infrastructure Fund.
• The project sponsors and equity financiers in relation to the proposed development of a cross-border road and electricity transmission project.
• CrossBoundary on the implementation of an off-grid, single commercial-industrial captive solar power supply project - the first to be licensed under Uganda's generator-to-consumer bulk supply electricity regulations.
• A carbon-streaming investment vehicle company on a carbon stream swap transaction with the seller involving a portfolio of community-based, energy efficient carbon projects in Uganda.
• Sinohydro Corporation on completion aspects (regulatory, contractual and adjudicative) related to the construction of the US$ 2.2 billion 600MW Karuma hydropower dam.

Contact: Nicholas Ecimu

Email: [email protected]

Contact: Paul Mbuga

Email: [email protected]

Employment and employee benefits matters have included acting for:

• A telecommunications-sector regulated entity on an employee restructuring.
• A reproductive health organization on the corporate reorganisation of its operational entities in Uganda.

Contact: Moses Segawa

Email: [email protected]

Insolvency, recoveries and restructuring matters have included acting for:

• An international insurance group on the operational closure and solvent liquidation of its Uganda business
• A leading commercial bank in significant recovery proceedings against a leading logistics entity.
• A leading commercial bank in significant recovery proceedings against a hypermarket store.

Contact: Andrew Munanura Kamuteera

Email: [email protected]

Tax litigation matters have included acting for:

• A telecommunications entity in challenging a significant tax assessment.
• A downstream petroleum entity in challenging a US$ 16 million indirect capital gains tax assessment.
• UAP Old Mutual in an industry significant challenge of stamp duty assessments on beneficiaries and endorsements [removing or adding beneficiaries] under group insurance policies.
• A downstream petroleum entity in challenging a US$ 16.5 million assessment arising from various domestic taxes.
• A downstream petroleum entity in challenging income tax and value added tax assessments arising from the importation of fuel.
• A leading commercial bank in challenging a stamp duty assessment on financial instruments.
• A coffee and fast-foods restaurant in challenging value added tax assessment.
• A construction company on the settlement of a significant import duty and value added tax assessment.
• Vivo Energy in an industry significant US$ 40 million tax dispute that determined the deductibility of lease rent and lease premium as revenue expenditure.

Contact: Joseph Luswata

Email: [email protected]

Dispute resolution matters have included acting for:

• National Social Security Fund in successfully defending historical contract and tort claims related to the construction of Workers House.
• Vivo Energy in a novel fraud and asset-tracing claim.
• dfcu Bank in appellate proceedings to challenge a US$ 12 million award arising out of a loan facility.
• Great Lakes Energy in landmark enforcement proceedings for a US$ 24 million London Court of International Arbitration arbitral award.
• Centenary Bank in a landmark decision on allocation of liability and risk of loss (as between banker and customer) for fraudulent online banking transactions
• The Central Bank and the acquiring bank in connection with an ex-employees’ class action.

Contact: James Mukasa Sebugenyi

Email: [email protected]

Contact: Michael Mafabi

Email: [email protected]

Contact: Allan Waniala

Email: [email protected]