Corpus Legal Practitioners

Corpus Legal Practitioners is a corporate law practice. Formerly known as, Corpus Globe, the firm was founded by Elias Chipimo Jr in 1995 in response to an increasing demand for specialised quality legal services as Zambia moved from a state regulated to an increasingly private sector driven economy. Corpus Globe was one of the first legal firms to offer comprehensive commercial and corporate legal services in Zambia and was described in Chambers Global as “trailblazers” in the Zambian commercial legal world.

The practice focuses on four main legal service areas: corporate advisory, banking & finance, dispute resolution and property & conveyancing. Corpus has unrivalled experience in the mining and energy sectors and tends to be the first port of call for foreign and multinational corporations investing in Zambia.

Firm Overview:
Established in 1995, Corpus Legal Practitioners was inspired by a burning desire to respond to the increasing demand for quality corporate legal services in Zambia. Today, the firm continues to live up to its purpose of offering world class legal services to local, regional and international clients. Corpus Legal Practitioners’ core competences lie in the provision of professional legal services to the corporate world and this is made feasible through the expertise offered in its 4 operating structured departments. In addition, it has seven specialised practice groups. These specialised practice groups enable the firm’s dedicated professionals to acquire a unique and intimate understanding of the technical and commercial requirements of their clients and to offer clients specialised advice unrivalled by any law firm in Zambia.

Main Areas of Practice:
4 partners (1 senior partner and 3 partners); 2 heads of department; 1 senior associate; 8 associates; and 11 lawyers. 26 fee earners in total. They are all based in Lusaka, Zambia.

Banking & Finance:
■ Itezhi Tezhi Power Project: Acting as local legal advisors to the consortium of lenders (comprising of AFDB, DBSA, FMO and Proparco) in a project financing of the construction, operation and maintenance of a 120 MW Independent Power Plant (IPP) project in Itezhi-Tezhi in Zambia. Matter Partner: Sakuwaha Sharon
■ African Land Investments Limited: Legal advisors to African Land Investments Limited in relation to the acquisition of Manda Hill Centre Limited from the HBW Group and the secondary listing of African Land Investments Limited on the Lusaka Stock Exchange. Matter Partner: Sakuwaha Sharon

Corporate Advisory:
■ Eaton Towers (UK) Limited: Legal advisors to Eaton Towers (UK) Limited in relation to the regulatory requirements applicable to the establishment of telecommunication operations in Zambia. Matter Partner: Mabvuto Sakala
■ Rainbow Chicken Limited: Legal advisor to Rainbow Chicken Limited in relation to the acquisition of 49% shares in Zamchick Zambia Limited. Matter Partner: Mabvuto Sakala

Intellectual Property:
■ Tanga Cement Company Limited: Registration of Trade Mark in Zambia. Matter Lead: Namakuzu Shandavu
■ Fermel Pty Limited: Registration of Trade Mark in Zambia. Matter Lead: Namakuzu Shandavu

Mergers & Acquisitions:
■ Equinox Minerals: Advisors in Equinox Minerals US$7billion takeover by Barrick Gold. The deal resulted in Barrick owning 100% of shares in Lumwana Mining Company, the largest single copper mining operation in Africa. Matter Partner: Charles Mkokweza
■ BP Plc UK: Advisor to BP Plc UK on the disposal of its 75% interest in BP Zambia Plc. The disposal of the interests paved way for the takeover of BP Zambia Plc by Puma Energy Holdings Limited. Matter Partners: Charles Mkokweza and Sharon Sakuwaha

Real Estate & Construction:
■ Bicon Zambia Limited: Legal advisors to Bicon Zambia Limited in relation to the development of a hotel and office park in Kitwe, Zambia. Matter Partner: Mabvuto Sakala
■ Stanbic Bank Zambia Limited: Legal advisor to Stanbic Bank Zambia Limited in relation to the financing of Manda Hill shopping mall expansion project amounting to US$ 46,500,000.00. Matter Partner: Mabvuto Sakala

Energy Mining & Infrastructure:
■ China Non-Ferrous Metal Mining Group: Advisor to China Non-Ferrous Metals Corporation (CNMC) a Chinese state owned metals group, on the restructuring and reorganisation of its Zambian asset portfolio and the subsequent listing of the offshore holding company on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange by way of an IPO to raise about US$500 million. CNMC is the first foreign mining firm to list a local Zambian asset on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Matter Partner: Charles Mkokweza
■ Lunzua Power Authority: Sole legal advisor with respect to the development, construction and commissioning of the 210 MW Kalungwishi River Hydro Electric Power Project in Luapula Province of Zambia. Matter Partner: Charles Mkokweza

Tax:
■ BP Southern Africa vs. Zambia Revenue Authority: Legal representation of BP Southern Africa in a dispute with the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) with respect to the classification of a mineral solvent leading to an assessment by ZRA of alleged taxes, interest and penalties to the value of K 96,222,942,069.57 (approx. US$ 18,504,441). Matter Partner: Mabvuto Sakala

Employment:
■ Norsad Agency: Legal advisors to Norsad Agency with respect to the Zambian labour law and the regulatory framework. Norsad Agency is funded by four Nordic development finance institutions namely, Finnfund, IFU, Norfund and Swedfund. Matter Partner: Mabvuto Sakala
■ Room to Read: Legal advisors to Room to Read with respect to the Zambian labour law and regulatory framework. Room to Read is an award-winning non-profit organisation for improving literacy and gender equality in education in the developing world and receives funding from donations from across the world, with most donations received from USA. Matter Partner: Mabvuto Sakala

Competition:
■ Kenyan Airways: Legal advisors to Kenyan Airways in relation to an application to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission of Zambia for an exemption from the provisions of the Competition and Consumer Protection Act with regard to potentially restrictive provisions of the Joint Venture. Matter Partner: Sydney Chisenga
■ CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre: Legal advisors to CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre in relation to the acquisition of CFAO France by Toyota Tsusho Corporation resulting in the indirect acquisition of CFAO Zambia and Vehicle Centre and application for merger approval. Matter Partner: Sydney Chisenga

Dispute Resolution:
■ Vehicle Finance Pioneer Master Fund v African Alliance Limited: Legal advisors to African Alliance Pioneer Master Fund on a successful litigation outcome in a law suit against Vehicle Finance Limited. Matter Partner: Sydney Chisenga
■ Stanbic Bank Zambia Limited v Trade Kings Limited: Legal advisors to Stanbic Bank Zambia Limited in the first ever derivative litigation in Zambia where Stanbic Bank successfully sued Trade Kings Limited for breach of forward exchange contract. Matter Partner: Mabvuto Sakala

Technology, Media & Telecommunications:
■ LAP Green v Attorney General: Legal advisor to LAP GreenN in relation to a dispute involving the compulsory acquisition of Lap GreenN’s interests in Zambia Telecommunication Company Limited (ZAMTEL). Matter Partners: Mabvuto Sakala and Sydney Chisenga

Clients:
Barrick Gold, First Quantum Minerals, Lin Q Capital Limited, Vale SA, Vale Zambia Limited, FirstRand Bank, China Non-Ferrous Metal Mining (Group) Company Limited, Accenture, BHP Billiton, Total, MTN, Stanbic Bank Zambia Limited, Standard Bank, Barclays Bank and General Cable.

Areas of Practice

• Banking & Finance
• Corporate Advisory
• Dispute Resolution
• Real Estate & Construction
• Energy Mining & Infrastructure
• Technology, Media & Telecommunications
• Tax
• Competition
• Employment
• Intellectual Property
• Mergers & Acquisitions