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LSBA WINS LEGAL DEPARTMENT<br />
OF THE YEAR AWARD<br />
By Herbert Ssempogo<br />
Thanks to diligence in and outside court,<br />
the Legal Services and Board Affairs<br />
(LSBA) department has won a prestigious<br />
award.<br />
LSBA beat two competitors namely Bank of<br />
Uganda and Centenary Bank to the award.<br />
Uganda Law Society (ULS), which oversees<br />
lawyers’ activities, offered the award on March<br />
28, 2018.<br />
The award was the first of its kind in the history<br />
of ULS. To win, contenders submitted entries<br />
indicating the following;<br />
-Landmark cases of huge precedential value<br />
won.<br />
-Stakeholder engagements of high impact.<br />
-Involvement in the affairs of the society, e.g.<br />
pro-bono (free) legal services to indigent<br />
persons e.g. via having a tax desk on ULS probono<br />
day.<br />
The ULS awarded distinguished personnel and<br />
teams in these categories: criminal law,<br />
intellectual property, commercial law, in house<br />
legal department, outstanding academia and<br />
public interest among others.<br />
LSBA submitted a list of cases (see summary<br />
below), which they argued, were proof of the<br />
“unique court room skills, resilience, and ability<br />
to work under pressure, which is exhibited by<br />
the legal team on a daily basis”, notes Patience<br />
Tumusiime Rubagumwa, Commissioner Legal<br />
Services and Board Affairs.<br />
From 2014 to December 2017, 181 rulings and<br />
convictions were secured, 79 cases were ruled<br />
in URA’s favour, representing an average<br />
success rate of 88.7%, LSBA submitted.<br />
Summary of Rulings and Convictions<br />
FY<br />
2015/2016<br />
Convictions 20 30<br />
Judged in favour<br />
of URA<br />
31 33<br />
Key among the cases URA won were;<br />
FY 2016/2017<br />
Success rate 73% 88.7%<br />
• URA Rabbo Vs(U) Ltd.<br />
• Elgon Hardware Ltd. Supreme Court<br />
Civil Appeal No. 12 Of 2014:<br />
• Uganda Revenue Authority Vs Siraje<br />
Hassan Kajura and Others.<br />
• Supreme Court Civil Appeal No.<br />
09/2015:<br />
• Tullow Uganda Operations Pty Ltd Vs.<br />
URA H.C.C.S NO. 445/2012:<br />
10