Tax law firm, Birungyi, Barata & Associates (BBA) has announced that it has elevated four of its Associate Partners, to Partner level.
The four are Dorothy Bishagenda, Martin Mbanza Kalemera, Belinda Lutaya Nakiganda and Patrick Kabagambe.
In between them, the four new partners possess over 50 years of combined corporate and commercial law knowledge and practice covering key practice areas such as taxation, litigation, dispute resolution, debt collection, conveyancing, intellectual property, insolvency, banking, arbitration, construction, environmental law, as well as oil and gas, among others.
“All of our new partners have enhanced the growth and reputation of the firm in their respective practice areas and reflect our deep commitment to our clients through their hard work, dedication and leadership,” the firm announced in an e-announcement sent to its stakeholders.
The appointments take effect from 25th November.
Established in 2003 BBA has grown to become Uganda’s foremost specialist law firm. The firm is headed by Birungyi Cephas Kagyenda, the Managing Partner who also heads the tax and litigation departments. Enoch Barata, the Senior Partner and co-Founder, heads the commercial law and banking department.
BBA has over the years grown to be recognised by local and international peers as well as international legal ranking firms such as IFLR 1000, Chambers and Partners and Global Law Experts among others for its excellence in tax and legal Services. The Firm has been recognised for its bespoke advisory services on domestic and international tax, tax litigation, planning, audit and consultancy among others.
Some of the key tax matters BBA has been involved in included negotiating double taxation agreements on behalf of the Government of Uganda and drafting tax legislation. The firm has also carried out several consultancy assignments within Uganda for various ministries and government bodies, and outside Uganda for the EAC Secretariat, Trademark East Africa, GIZ, IFC, AFDB, the World Bank, and the Governments of Rwanda, Liberia, Nigeria and Malawi.
More about the new partners
Dorothy Bishagenda
Partner
Dorothy Bishagenda joined the Firm in 2009 as a Legal Assistant and has since seen her role at the Firm grow into a critical player at the Firm, especially in the tax and litigation departments.
Over the past 11 years, she has built extensive experience in handling some of the most complex tax-law-changing litigation cases on behalf of the Firm. She has also won several multi-billion shillings cases.
According to the Firm’s website, Dorothy “has been charged with work related to commercial transactions, commercial litigation, tax consultancy and tax litigation, land, and labour law disputes.” She also commands good knowledge of environmental law, debt collection, and election petition practice.
“She has made her mark as one that achieves the most needed settlements without spending a lot of resources on court processes,” reads her profile on the Firm’s website.
She is an Advocate of the High Court, a Commissioner for Oaths, and a Notary Public. She is as well a registered Tax Agent with Uganda Revenue Authority and a certified insolvency practitioner who acts as a receiver and liquidator.
She holds an LLM in International Tax, Corporate Governance, from the Queen Mary University of London, a Diploma in Legal Practice from Uganda’s Law Development Centre, as well as an LLB from Makerere University.
Dorothy is a member of the Uganda Law Society, East Africa Law Society as well as FIDA- the Uganda Federation of Female Lawyers. She is also a member of selected human rights organizations where she advises on different human rights aspects.
Martin Mbanza Kalemera
Partner
Martin joined Birungyi, Barata & Associates in 2008.
Related
He wields nearly 15 years of experience. He has advised, and represented clients as well as structured, and executed landmark multi-million-dollar deals and financial transactions in Uganda and East Africa in the fields of; private equity, energy, and mergers & acquisitions.
He specialises in commercial and corporate, taxation, dispute resolution, energy and construction.
Martin is a registered tax agent with Uganda Revenue Authority and is an advocate of the High Court.
He holds an LLB (Hons) from Uganda Christian University, Mukono and a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (Law Development Centre, Uganda).
He is a member of the Uganda Law Society, and East Africa Law Society and a Rotarian.
Belinda Lutaya Nakiganda
Partner
Belinda specialises in taxation, commercial and corporate law, construction law, arbitration and litigation. She is attached to the firm’s tax, arbitration, construction and commercial and corporate departments. She also heads the firm’s business development department.
She has over ten years of experience in tax and legal practice and is a registered Tax agent with URA. Belinda has represented clients during tax audits, compliance checks, and tax examinations with the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), specifically in the analysis of tax computation, negotiations, consultancies and litigation before the Tax Appeals Tribunal.
Belinda has vast experience in arbitration both as an arbitrator and arbitration lawyer. She has also handled several of the firm’s construction cases before dispute boards, and arbitration and negotiated on behalf of clients in contracts, and settlement of debts among others. She also has experience in commercial and corporate transactions specifically the re-organisation of companies, negotiations in loan agreements, and company secretarial works among others.
She holds an LLB from Makerere University and an LLM from the Queen Mary University of London as well as a Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre, Uganda.
Belinda is a member of the Uganda Law Society, East Africa Law Society, Centre for Arbitration and Dispute Resolution, Uganda, Young International Arbitration Group, the Charted Institute of Arbitrators, UK and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA).
Patrick Kabagambe
Partner
Patrick joined the law firm in 2008. He heads the firm’s immigration and conveyancing department.
He has vast litigation and dispute resolution knowledge and has represented various clients domestic and international clients. He underwent special training in Trail Advocacy at the National Institute for Trial Advocacy and has represented many of the firm’s clients before the Tax Appeals Tribunal, Courts of Judicature and Labour Tribunal.
Patrick holds an LLB (Hons) from Uganda Christian University and a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre, Uganda).
He is an Advocate of the High Court and a member of the Uganda Law Society, East Africa Law Society and a Rotarian.