OIL & GAS LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR IN CÔTE D’IVOIRE Houda Law Firm Khaled Aboul El Houda Managing Partner Tel: (+221) 33 821 47 22/35 houda@avocatshouda.com k.houda@avocatshouda.com www.avocatshouda.com Houda Law Firm is a full-service law firm based in Senegal and in Côte d’Ivoire. Founded in 1977 by Mohamed Salim Kanjo, the firm is under the leadership of its managing partner Khaled Abou El Houda. Houda Law Firm is composed by a 42-person staff and benefits from the experience of international lawyers with senior lawyers registered at the Bars of Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, France. The firm has extensive experience in providing counsel, legal and tax advice and assistance, and litigation or arbitration representation in court in Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and the sub-region. Thanks to its legal expertise in OHADA law and its network in the sub-region, Houda Law Firm opened a second law firm in Abidjan to accompany the demands of its clients for this essential
financial and economic place in West Africa.
developed an in-depth knowledge of the Senegalese law on local content.
Khaled Abou El Houda has 23 years of experience in legal counsel and litigation in West Africa and practices as an attorney at law registered at the Bars of Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire. He is an outstanding practitioner in business law, and has proven strengths and qualifications in banking, restructuring, major infrastructure financing, and energy projects. He has been involved in the establishment of numerous mining, oil, and gas projects in Senegal and the sub-region.
The firm acts alongside leading international law firms as local counsel in complex transactions related to the oil and gas sector, such as the purchase of equity interests in production sharing contracts. The firm also assists hydrocarbon companies for oil and gas transactions or day-to-day operations.
Houda Law Firm has emerged as a leading law firm in the oil and gas sector and advises a mix of private companies, investors, mining or oil majors, as well as governments and public entities on their legal and tax issues. The firm is well known for the upstream oil and gas transactions and has also
Houda Law Firm has been ranked and recognized as a Leading Firm in Côte d’Ivoire by Legal 500 for the year 2020.
The firm has extensive experience in providing counsel, legal and tax advice and assistance, and litigation or arbitration representation in court in Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and the sub-region.
COMMERCIAL LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO Thambwe-Mwamba & Associes Liliane Mubanga Partner Tel: +243 81 710 00 18 cabinet@thambwe.com
Liliane Mubanga has a Degree in Law, with a specialisation in Private and Judicial Law from the University of Lubumbashi. Career History: • Senior Executive of Thambwe-Mwamba & Associes. • Member of the International Criminal Bar. • Member of the Bar Council of Kinshasa/ Gombe from 2011 to 2015. • Lawyer at the Bar of Kinshasa/Gombe (1998 to Present). Has had training in: OHADA; Hydrocarbons; Public Procurement; and Insurance, among others. Commercial Law Practice: • Commercial law disputes deal primarily with contract and/or tort laws. It involves issues that arise in the course of running a business at any stage of the commercial cycle. • Such disputes are brought before courts for legal restitution when other methods of resolution, such as arbitration or mediation, have failed to provide a solution acceptable to all interested parties. Why is Commercial Law Important? • Commerce is at the core of a democratic
society and, in order to be strong economically, it must be attractive to businesses. • One way of doing this is to have a strong set of laws and regulations protecting businesses that enter into agreements with others and providing resolutions when things don’t go to plan. Commercial law provides that platform. • Most commercial disputes are heard in Commercial Court or in county business courts when the dispute relates to that particular jurisdiction. • They can also be brought before the Queen’s Bench or Chancery divisions of the High Court or the Technology & Construction Court (TCC). Break it Down For Me a Little Bit! • A commercial lawyer’s work begins with obtaining necessary instructions and supporting information and documents from the clients. The case is reviewed thoroughly and the important facts and data are picked out. • Lawyers then research case law and former precedents, prepare pleadings and arguments, and attend regular briefing sessions with clients.
THAMBWE-MWAMBA & ASSOCIES
• They will arrange for settlement where viable, and present motions and arguments before courts if the case proceeds into litigation. • Understanding a clients’ needs is an important quality for those involved in commercial law. Other skills and talents required are: negotiation, commercial awareness and time and people management. • Commercial lawyers need to keep up to speed with the current business and commercial climate, changes and amendments in legislation, and regulations in all jurisdictions that are involved. • Commercial lawyers are normally required to have: a top-class degree, experience of participation in extra-curricular activities whilst at school or university, experience in debating, public speaking and moot court trials. • Work experience in a non-legal commercial sector will be an added advantage.
Commerce is at the core of a democratic society and, in order to be strong economically, it must be attractive to businesses.
GLE Awards 2020
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