Ernest Sembatya Kaggwa

BACKGROUND

Ernest is a Partner in the Litigation team with over twenty years of experience in advising on employment matters as well as handling employment disputes. He also specialises in corporate debt recovery including handling the related litigation, and in this regard has handled matters for several banks and corporate entities. Ernest also handles general commercial litigation and arbitration.

Ernest completed a secondment to the corporate and commercial department, and the international arbitration department of Stephenson Harwood in London. He also participated in a secondment at Essex Court Chambers, a leading barristers’ set in London.

Ernest is a practicing Advocate of the High Court of Uganda, and a member of the Uganda Law Society and the East African Law Society.

MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

• Advocate, High Court of Uganda
• Member, Uganda Law Society
• Member, East Africa Law Society

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice, Law Development Centre, Uganda
• LL.B (Hons), Makerere University, Uganda

CAREER SUMMARY

• 2009 - DATE Partner, MMAKS Advocates
• 2005 - 2008 Senior Associate, MMAKS Advocates
• 2001 - 2005 Associate, Mugerwa & Masembe Advocate

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• General Commercial Litigation (including Commercial fraud)
• Loan recoveries
• Litigation and Dispute Resolution
• Employment

TOP MATTERS

• Acting in an arbitration involving an association of three Italian road construction supervision companies and a UK-registered recruiter.
• Acting in an international arbitration involving a concessionaire and the Government of Uganda at the LCIA.
• Handling a recovery of US$ 4 million for two banks, which involved various suits both in the Land Division and the Commercial Divisions of the High Court contesting the recovery process.
• Handing a recovery of US$ 7 million for an international bank against a flower growing and exporting company.
• Handling a recovery of US$ 100 million for a bank against a local investor.
• Advising on an employment dispute involving the immigration status of an employee.
• Acting for the Central Bank in a pension dispute involving former employees.