Law Firms

MMA Advocates LLP: The Premier Boutique Law Firm Striving for Purpose Beyond Law

Published

2 years ago

September 14, 2021

Admin

MMA Advocates LLP is the go-to law firm in Nairobi City for those seeking all-round proven legal expertise that combines entrepreneurial innovation, court room prowess, specialist and legal intellectual authority. The law firm is home to many discerning private and corporate clients who have come to appreciate its bespoke legal services at par with what the big law firms but coupled with personalized attention to detail only a boutique law firm like MMA Advocates can provide its clients.

MMA Advocates stands out as one of the few boutique law firms whose lawyers have successfully represented many of their clients against the best lawyers from even the biggest law firms in Kenya and international law firms and won. The secret of the firm is being the one Law Firm in Kenya where you find young, dynamic and energetic lawyers who are both recognized leaders in their area of practice and celebrated legal intellectuals who have reached the pinnacle of legal education.

MMA’s team is comprised of young lawyers with different skills, specialties and strengths in various areas of law. The firm’s lawyers are acknowledged for their deep understanding of law as well as the prevailing political, social and economic circumstances which enables them to provide perspective-based advice on a wide array of legal, regulatory, reputational, political and public policy issues. Indeed, it is true to say that MMA Advocates provides clients more than just legal expertise.

In addition to having the best of Kenyan lawyers, MMA Advocates in the quest to consistently deliver on its commitment to provide quality services to its clients has forged partnerships with Senior Counsel (SC) in Kenya as well as major law firms in the region. This has enabled the firm to avail the best possible legal representation and seamless cross-border transactional services to our clients across the region.

Purpose Beyond Law

According to firm’s Founder and Managing Partner DBM Mosota, what makes MMA Advocates different is agility, efficiency and accessibility. He explains:

“We are geared for agility, efficiency and accessibility through our geographic footprint, the range of legal services we offer, and the way we structure them and how we interact with our clients.”

MMA Advocates clients appreciate the firm for its “out of the box” approach to the practice of law which is professional business-centric as opposed to the traditional legal-centric. This MMA approach places emphasis in using the law to confer clients competitive advantage through application of perfectly legal way and business savvy strategies. Indeed, it is this approach that informed the adoption of the MMA Advocates guiding maxim; “Purpose Beyond Law.”

The firm is organized in the following practice groups to serve its clients better: Dispute Resolution Group, Real Estate Practice Group, Media, IT and Intellectual Property Law Group, Government Practice Group, Corporate and Commercial Law Group. Recently, the firm was in the news for acting for Shaffie Weru, the Homeboyz Radio Head of Programmes who was suddenly terminated by Radio Africa Group for unclear reasons. The firm’s top lawyers include DBM Mosota (the Founding and Managing Partner), Dr. Nabil M. Orina, PhD, Faith Odhiambo, Moses Owuor, David Ohenga, Rebecca Mogire and Mirriam Ng’ang’a.

MMA Advocates Top Partners

DBM Mosota is a commercial and public litigation rising star in Kenya with proven courtroom experience in successfully represented clients in high-stake, contentious and complex cases. He has more than ten years’ legal practice experience specializing in Commercial and Public Law Litigation, Real Estate, Public-Private Partnership, and Direct Foreign Investment. He is a DBM Mosota is an avid negotiator who is recognized as a deal maker in the Industry having successfully negotiated several high-value business deals and graduated of the Oxford University (Said Business School) Negotiation Program.

In addition to legal practice, DBM Mosota has served as an Elected Council Member of Law Society of Kenya, the premier association of lawyers in Kenya; as an Associate Editor of the Nairobi Law Monthly, a premium publication of Law, Politics and Business and is a member of the Education Board of the County Government of Mombasa where he plays a key role in the development of curricula on prevention and countering violent extremism as part of giving back to the community. Currently, DBM Mosota is undertaking a Masters of Public Policy and Management at the Strathmore Business School.

Dr. Nabil M. Orina is a leading legal practitioner, academic and arbitrator with focus on constitutional law, international criminal law, criminal litigation and arbitration. He has represented clients before international criminal tribunals and courts including the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague. He has also presided over complex domestic and international commercial disputes as a litigator, arbitrator and mediator. He was part of the Judiciary Technical Committee that produced the Bench-book on Criminal Proceedings. He holds a Ph.D. in law and is a law lecturer at the Moi University School of Law.

Faith Odhiambo is an expert in Media, IT and Intellectual Property Law Legal Practitioner who is very highly experienced in commercial law, competition law, telecommunications law, financial services law, securities law, consumer protection law and commercial arbitration. She has worked for Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) in developing a framework for spectrum management and was part of the team in the preparation of the Product Market Review report to analyze the competition concerns in the various sectors of the economy in Kenya. She teaches Securities Regulation, Labour Law, Insurance Law and Business Law at the University of Nairobi School of Law.

Moses Owuor is an Advocate of over 10 years’ standing who holds a Master of Laws and has extensive experience in constitutional, commercial, financial and regulatory law having advised multinational corporations and governmental institutions on legislative drafting, constitutional compliance, financial regulation, corporate governance, capital markets, international trade and economic law. Previously, Moses he has acted for the Kenyan Government advising on legislative development and KPMG in developing structures and schemes of service, including tax obligations of the IEBC.

MMA Advocates Top Associates

David Ohenga is an expert in Civil and Commercial Litigation, Employment Law, Private Equity, Reputation Management, Real Estate law and Legislative Drafting. He has advised governmental entities and private investors in Employment and Labour related matters, Real Estate development, and Joint Ventures and was involved in the drafting of the Mining Bill. Recently, he won an award of Ksh. 34 Million for a claimant in an employment claim against a Major Bank. He has also defended high stake employment claims against corporations such as Bamburi Cement and Kenol Kobil Limited.

Rebecca Mogire is a lawyer who has extensive experience in Competition Law, Mergers & Acquisitions, Commercial Transactions and Litigation and has served as a Member of the Competition Tribunal. She has advised multinational, governmental and non-governmental corporations in complex commercial transactions regulatory compliance. She is also an avid litigator and has appeared for clients before Superior Courts and Specialized Tribunals in Civil and Criminal matters.

Miriam Ng’ang’a is a specialist in conveyancing, Project Advisory, Telecommunications Law, Competition Law, Corporate Advisory, Financial Advisory, and Maritime & Admiralty Law. She has undertaken specialized courses from the renown Groupe Special Mobile (GSMA) in global telecommunications regulations and compliance. She has consulted with the Competition Authority and Centre for Competition Regulation and Economic Development (CCRED) in the review of Anti-Competitive practices and Cross-Mergers & Acquisition assessment and regulation within East Africa and COMESA.

Related Topics:DBM Mosota Dr. Nabil M. Orina Faith Odhiambo Featured MMA Advocates Top Lawyers in Africa Top Lawyers in Kenya

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Law Firms

CR Advocates LLP is the Kenyan Law Firm to Watch in 2023 after Epic 2022

Published

5 months ago

January 16, 2023

Admin

A section of the CR Advocates LLP team at hand to receive the SME Law Firm of the Year Award 2022 at the Nairobi Legal Awards

The year 2022 was a year of many firsts for CR Advocates LLP as the firm defied every theory of law firm growth to emerge as a top mid-size firm in Kenya. In the wake of its rise to the top, CR Advocates LLP scooped two top legal awards and earned its place in the law listings in the country among the Top 20 Law Firms in Kenya.

First, CR Advocates LLP as a firm came of age by emerging as the top recommended law firm in Kenya by highly-rated The Lawyers Global. CR Advocates LLP was the Winner of the Legal Award of The Lawyers Global ranking in Kenya based on reviews by clients and independent analysis by the directory. It beat top tier firms including Gikera & Vadgama Advocates and Walker Kontos Advocates to scoop the coveted award.

Second, CR Advocates LLP made a debut into THE LAWYER AFRICA Top 100 Law Firms in Kenya List which is based on headcount and reputation for excellence. The firm emerged among the TOP 20 LAW FIRMS IN KENYA by headcount having two dozen fee earners within its ranks. In this category, CR Advocates LLP stands shoulder to shoulder with many seasoned law firms including Mohamed Muigai LLP, Robson Harris LLP and Mboya Wangong’u and Waiyaki Advocates.

Third, CR Advocates LLP was shortlisted for the Nairobi SME Law Firm of the Year Award at Nairobi Legal Awards. The award recognizes the top mid-size law firms in the country. As if that was not too much already, CR Advocates LLP beat a dozen established law firms to emerge as the overall winner of the prestigious award with Igeria & Ngugi Advocates emerging as 1st Runners Up and McKay Advocates as 2nd Runners Up.

The overall result is that the firm of CR Advocates LLP begins the year 2023 as the top law firm in Kenya being the reigning award winner of both SME Law Firm of the Year Award 2022 and The Lawyer Global Legal Award Kenya 2022. In addition, the firm is now confirmed as being amongst the top 20 law firms in Kenya by THE LAWYER AFRICA.

The quick-paced upward trajectory of CR Advocates LLP which has earned it the reputation of disruptor in the corporate and commercial law scene is attributable to excellent client service and consistently efficient, reliable and cost-effective legal services. The firm boasts over 25 legal professionals most of whom are leaders and rising stars in their respective specialist practice areas.

CR Advocates LLP clientele ranges from established multinationals to state corporations and emerging SMEs and Startups as well as individuals clients. Founded in 2013 by Princess Caroline Mutisya, one of Kenya’s top Real Estate, Commercial and Corporate Law Attorneys, the firm is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year as it pivots to embrace its new status as a leading law firm in the country and to set the stage to dominate the legal scene for the next decade.

There is no doubt CR Advocates LLP is the law firm to watch this year as every move the firm’s Managing Partner Princess Caroline Mutisya and her team makes is bound to shake the legal sector. The firm is admittedly a case study for legal services sector analysts seeking to seeking to unearth the secret of building a top law firm from the bottom up within a decade.

Law Firms

Bowmans Expands its Tax Practice in East Africa

Published

1 year ago

May 20, 2022

Admin

Bowmans has made a substantial investment in its tax capacity in East Africa by expanding its Tax Practice in Nairobi with recruitment of four (4) associates. Senior Associates, Fredrick Ogutu and Patience Mbugua, joined the firm on 1 May 2022. This is in addition to Associates Lynet Mwangi and Bernard Kirii who joined the firm on 1 March 2022, adding further depth to the firm’s tax service offering.

Before joining Bowmans, Fredrick was a manager in the tax and legal department of audit firm Deloitte & Touche LLP. He has extensive experience in providing tax advisory on both local and international/cross – border tax issues, tax restructuring, tax support in mergers and acquisitions, tax due diligence, tax dispute resolution, tax compliance and assessment of tax risks across various sectors.

Patience Mbugua previously worked in the tax dispute resolution department of the Kenya Revenue Authority (“KRA”), where she gained considerable experience in handling tax disputes involving taxpayers in various sectors. Prior to that, she worked for an audit firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) and has considerable experience in providing a wide array of tax services including direct and indirect tax compliance, tax reporting, tax advisory, KRA audit support, tax dispute and tax litigation.

Lynet previously worked in the tax and regulatory services department of audit firm, KPMG East Africa, as well as Dentons Hamilton Harrison & Matthews. She has wide experience providing tax services, including tax advisory and structuring, KRA audit support, tax dispute resolution and regulatory compliance. Bernard Kirii joined Bowmans from KPMG East Africa, where he specialized in tax dispute resolution services for clients; tax optimization; tax restructuring; and tax advisory services, including mergers and acquisitions.

According to Bowmans, the expanded tax team helps expand the firm’s tax offering especially by providing additional assistance in mergers and acquisition transactions, including undertaking tax due diligence reports; tax restructuring and optimization involving both local and international/cross border entities; assistance with KRA audits; and conducting tax health checks on all tax heads. These services are in addition to the current tax advisory and tax dispute resolution services provided by Bowmans.

“We are pleased that the team has chosen Bowmans as their new home, and we are confident that they will enhance the tax service that we offer our clients across our geographical footprint,” said Bowmans Tax Partner and Head of Tax Practice Alex Mathini. Alex has been ranked by Chambers & Partners for the last six (6) consecutive years and Chambers Global Guide 2022 ranks Alex among the Top 2 Lawyers in Tax Law in Kenya.

In addition to Alex and the four new associates, Bowmans Tax Practice in Nairobi includes Andrew Oduor (Tax Partner), Samuel Githanda (Senior Associate), Nelly Chepkoeach (Associate) and Maurice Muma (Associate). Andrew Oduor is a tax practitioner of sixteen (16) years who is active in tax litigation, tax compliance and tax advisory services. He is the Kenyan contributor to an annual Global publication by Thomson Reuters Practical Law on Tax Litigation in Kenya.

Law Firms

BOWMANS SOUTH AFRICA: JSE Consultation Paper to Reform Listings Framework

Published

1 year ago

May 18, 2022

Admin

By Mili Soni (Senior Associate) and Charles Douglas (Co-Head of M&A), Bowmans, Johannesburg, South Africa. Bowmans is the 3rd Largest Law Firm in Africa as ranked in Africa Top 50 Law Firms in 2022, with over 400 specialist lawyers providing integrated legal services throughout Africa from eight offices (Cape Town, Dar es Salaam, Durban, Lusaka, Johannesburg, Kampala, Moka and Nairobi ) in six countries.

As part of the JSE’s active focus on remaining relevant and competitive in order to retain and attract more listings and capital markets activity, the JSE has released a further consultation paper considering the following proposals:

Market segmentation: It is proposed that mid/low-cap companies be provided with regulatory relief by splitting the current two-tiered equities market from the Main Board and AltX into two segments at Main Board level and establishing a growth board (for SMEs to have an effective and appropriate level of regulation depending on the market cap and level of liquidity concerned).
Dual class shares: The introduction of dual class shares is being proposed (i.e. low or high voting shares, being shares of different classes holding different numbers of votes per shares).
Technology Board: The JSE would like to establish a Technology Board to invite tech IPOs to take place through more inclusive and adaptable listing rules to support technology and innovation enterprises. It is anticipated that this would allow, inter alia:

- dual class share structures;
- no profit or qualified audit opinion over the last two years;
- a lower threshold for subscribed capital;
- a lower level of equity shares in issue and a lower free float threshold; and
- broader ranges for cat 1 and 2 transactions and issue for cash authorities.

Free float: The 20% free float threshold for a Main Board listing is a deterrent to listing and may be reconsidered, alongside reconsidering public spread criteria as applied to institutional investors.
Depositary receipts: The JSE would like to allow African listed companies to access the JSE through depositary receipts to gain exposure to African listed securities.
Simplification of the JSELR: The aim is to use plain language and reduce the volume of the JSELR.
Auditor accreditation: This may be removed for applicants whose auditors are regulated by the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors (IRBA).
REIT expansion: The JSE is considering expanding its REIT offering beyond property (e.g. to include infrastructure).
Review of SPACs: Further alignment with international leading markets is sought to ensure the attractiveness of SPACs.
Financial Reporting Disclosures: The JSE aims to simplify these.
Actively Managed Certificates and Actively Managed Exchange Traded Funds: Expansion of specialist securities offerings is in the pipeline.
Specialist securities rejuvenation project: The JSE intends to remove administrative provisions and align the provisions with international best practice going forward.
Repositioning the BEE segment: Simplification of the BEE Listings Requirements is sought to allow BEE companies to list on a stand alone basis, where trading will only be allowed between eligible BEE participants.
Review of Secondary Listings Framework: The JSE would like to expand its list of approved and accredited exchanges to facilitate these (e.g. the Singapore Stock Exchange was added to the list in 2021 and also qualified for the fast-track secondary listing route).

The JSE invites comments by Monday 20 June, after which it will engage with the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) for approval.

The information contained in this article is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter. Follow this link to read the Original Article published in the Bowmans Website. The Copyright © for the article belongs to Bowmans and the Authors. For any further information or clarifications on the above matters, please contact: Charles Douglas and Mili Soni.