AF Mpanga Advocates took the top spot in the latest IFLR1000 country rankings for financial and corporate law, published annually by the International Financial Law Review. The law firm retained its top position from last year, along with the rest of the top ranked firms, according to the International Financial Law Review, a London-based international directory of financial law firms.
The IFLR1000 is considered one of the most rigorous and sophisticated legal rankings after the top two, Chambers and Partners and The Legal500, all from London-based organisations. But while those two concentrate on general business law, IFLR1000 focuses on finance and corporate transactions, as well as project development. It evaluates deals — submitted by the law firms — based on their complexity, innovation, and market impact. It also takes into account peer feedback, soliciting other lawyers’ opinions on practitioners in their jurisdiction and market trends.
“Firms and lawyers that consistently – over at least several research cycles or three calendar years – advise on a share of the most complex or innovative transactions in their markets, and that receive excellent feedback for that work, will be ranked or rated highly,” the directory says in its methodology.
Firms are ranked in tiers relative to their peers, with tier one representing the best firms that have done the most interesting and complex work, mostly with big-name clients, and have good client and peer recommendations. There is also a non-tiered ‘notable’ band for firms that have worked on notable deals and received good recommendations.
Just as AF Mpanga retained its top position, the top tiers remained largely the same as last year. ENSafrica came in second, then MMAKS Advocates, then S&L Advocates, and Shonubi Musoke & Co to round off the top five and tier one. In the second tier, there were four firms in the same positions as last year: ABMAK Associates, followed by Kampala Associated Advocates, KATS – Katende Ssempebwa Advocates, and Mukumbya Musoke Advocates.
Byenkya Kihika & Co remained at the top of tier three, but H&G Advocates, who had previously followed, were ousted by Engoru Mutebi Advocates, who were promoted from tier four. K&K Advocates, also previously in tier four, follow H&G Advocates to complete tier three. Unlike last year when there were only two firms, this year there are four firms in tier three.
Four firms — Bytelex Advocates, Cristal Advocates, KTA Advocates, Kyagaba & Otatiina Advocates and Ligomarc Advocates — moved up from the notable band to the fourth tier this year, behind Birungyi Barata & Associates, who topped the band. The four leapfrogged Nangwala Rezida & Co, who remained in the final band position.
IFLR1000 also ranks the top firms in project development, which refers to non-financing work on energy and infrastructure projects, excluding disputes and arbitration. This work includes, among other things, the drafting and negotiating of concession agreements, licensing, land acquisition, and engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC).
The project development ranking is unchanged from last year across all four tiers, with all firms maintaining their positions. ABMAK Associates took the top spot in the top tier, followed by AF Mpanga, ENSafrica, and KATS – Katende Ssempebwa Advocates. MMAKS Advocates was ranked fifth, followed by S&L Advocates, while Shonubi Musoke & Co took the final spot in the top band.
Tier two includes Byenkya Kihika & Co and Mukumbya Musoke Advocates, while H&G Advocates occupies tier three alone. In tier four are Engoru Mutebi Advocates, K&K Advocates, and Nangwala Rezida & Co.
Notable in both categories are AB & David — which is at the top of the notable list in both classifications despite not being ranked last year — Ivory Advocates, Kasirye Byaruhanga & Co, Ortus Advocates and Signum Advocates. CR Amanya and TASLAF Advocates are only listed in the notable band for financial and corporate law; the former was added this year, while the latter was ranked in 2022.
Cristal Advocates, Kampala Associated Advocates, and KTA Advocates, on the other hand, are in the higher bands for finance and corporate and, as in 2022, in the notable band for project management.
