Corporate Law

At Joska Advocates, we have positioned ourselves to render a corporate law service that takes a practical approach to all corporate and commercial law transactions.  Our corporate law practice covers a wide scope of corporate business matters including but not limited to due diligence, joint ventures, company restructuring, winding up, insolvency proceedings, multi- jurisdictional deals, licensing, distribution, agency and franchising, general drafting, general commercial law, mergers and acquisitions, shareholder buy-outs, succession planning, amongst others.

Commercial Litigation

We have a deep understanding of corporate and commercial practice. Primarily our role is to ensure that we advise clients and assist them to avoid litigation whenever possible. In this respect, we advise on use of alternative dispute resolution such as mediation and arbitration as a means of solving clients’ legal challenges. We understand that this is beneficial to clients especially as they seek to preserve a commercial relationship. However, in circumstances when litigation cannot be avoided, we will advise on all aspects of litigation and we will ably represent them in courts of law for the best positive outcomes.

Banking

We have positioned ourselves to provide a responsive service in banking law and regulation. We offer corporate investment banking advisory service, collateral perfection and debt collection. Other general and specific banking services rendered include legal advisory, licensing or regulation of banks and other financial institutions, preparation and review of loan agreements, mortgages, debentures or floating charges, guarantees and related loan collateral documentation, foreclosure, hire purchase and leasing, collateral management, receivership and liquidation.

Insurance

We have positioned ourselves to provide insurance legal service that addresses   the client’s unique goals and insurance concerns. We advise on insurance and reinsurance matters, start-ups, corporate acquisitions and disposals, corporate re-organization, and regulatory compliance.  We provide the highest level of advisory and legal representation in all matters of insurance.

Consumer Goods and Retail

We have positioned ourselves as an excellent and committed legal services provider for businesses in the consumer goods and retail industry and in particular to help them navigate and overcome a number of challenges in today’s ever changing and complex marketplace, including shifting consumer attitudes towards products and brands, new entrants to the sector and increasingly stringent regulation.

Our services include seeking swift seizure and injunction proceedings to protect client brands, establishing effective trade and commercial compliance programs, assisting with new product developments, advising on employment issues, creating innovative transfer pricing strategies, maximizing efficiency in the supply chain, managing real estate portfolios and executing growth strategies through mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and other commercial collaborations.  We advise all range of consumer companies helping them to respond to any challenges they face at every stage of the business cycle.

Non-Governmental, Charitable & International Organizations

Ugandan law allows for the establishment of a variety of not-for-profit organizations, commonly constituted as non-governmental organizations, trusts and foundations. Some of these organizations already exist in other foreign countries and wish to operate in Uganda as foreign entities while some are formed purely as domestic organizations.  With a more enhanced regulatory regime in Uganda and the increased need for compliance, these organizations simply cannot do without a lawyer with a focus on service to not-for profit organizations.  Our services include legal registration, formation and recognition, filing annual and other returns and provision of legal advisory services to ensure all legal compliance.

Family Law Practice

The Firm is well positioned to provide family law practice service to individual clients.  This covers   legal advisory and legal representation in custody, adoption and legal guardianship matters. The practice also covers   family trusts, succession and estate planning.

Company Secretary Service

We have positioned ourselves to offer an excellent   and effective company secretarial service. The statutory role of a company secretary is crucial for governance excellence of any corporation. We offer a role beyond that which the country’s legislation provides for. For instance, apart from appearing on companies’ registers and signing on statutory forms where the signature of a company secretary is required, and preparation of notices and minutes of meetings of directors and members, the Firm also acts as the registered office for local and multinational companies as a way for them to maintain local presence and statutory compliance in a cost effective way.   Our service also includes filing company annual returns and other requisite statutory forms, advising and guiding boards of companies on their statutory responsibilities and ensuring adherence to corporate governance requirements, monitoring and advising on relevant changes in the company law and regulatory environment. We also act as local service agents for foreign companies doing business in Uganda.

Intellectual property

In respect of Intellectual Property Joska Advocates offers clients a full range of legal services relating to the acquisition, enforcement and commercialization of intellectual property and technology assets. These services include advice and handling transactions on engagements involving patents, copyrights, trademarks, outsourcing, privacy and data security. We manage disputes relating to trademarks, passing off, copyright, database rights and design including trademark licensing.

Natural Resources Law (Energy, Mining, Water & Environment)

We have positioned ourselves to provide environmental and natural resources legal consulting and practice service in Uganda. With the anticipated rapid growth of the oil and gas subsector in Uganda coupled with urbanization, climate change adaptation and mitigation requirements and increased expectation of compliance with environmental standards at domestic, regional and international levels, environmental awareness and compliance will as of a necessity influence the way companies operate.

Our legal consultancy and practice covers all aspects of natural resources law including oil and gas, mining, water and environment.  Services include advisory on the existence of enabling policy, legal and institutional environment in Uganda for   private sector investments as well as compliance measures.

Our services include providing expert advice on traditional environmental law, conservation and planning matters and related issues in the agricultural, forestry, mining, fishing, tourism and wildlife, infrastructure development as well as the oil and gas sub-sector. In terms of the oil and gas sub-sector, we have positioned ourselves to offer expert advice and consulting service with regard more particularly to environmental regulation and compliance.

Labour, Employment & Compensation

Employment and labour   issues are critical for every business and pose challenges that must be well addressed if any company’s business is to thrive sustainably. The work force is a company’s primary asset and how well labour and employment issues are handled will reflect in the successes of every progressive company.

That is why at Joska Advocates, we have positioned ourselves to help and work with both employers and employees to have a concise and comprehensive approach to labour-related matters. In this respect, we deal efficiently and effectively with labor and employment matters in order to avoid litigation, employee disharmony, and workplace strikes.

We are committed to providing clients with advice that is constructive, practical and timely. We are available and dedicated to advise companies and other employers on a range of contentious, non-contentious and advisory matters relating to labour and employment.

Our service also covers assessment of existing resource systems of employers, reviewing existing human resource policies, development of human resource   policies and procedures, training management on employment law, preparing new and upgrading existing employment contracts, providing extensive advisory on labor and employment matters and representations at labor offices, tribunals and courts in Uganda.