We have extensive experience and insight into all aspects of land law and property transactions in Somalia. Whether structuring a complex development project or assisting in the purchase of a new property, our team takes a result-oriented, strategic approach to negotiate, document and complete all aspects of property transactions.

Some of our clients in the real estate market include:

• Real estate developers
• Entrepreneurs
• Owners and tenants of commercial and residential buildings
• Shopping centers and malls
• Hotels
• Schools
• Multiresidential developments
• Mixed-use developments
• MLO keeps clients abreast of any developments in the law and guidelines relating to land transactions through its ‘Alert’ service.

“Clients seek us out for our excellence in service, so crucial in real estate.”

Our clients benefit from our significant experience in handling complex, long-term projects that involve drafting documentation, facilitating negotiations, navigating legal and regulatory issues and, when necessary, litigating on their behalf.

Our experience spans public transport, renewable energy, waste, education, healthcare as well as social infrastructure, rail, roads, bridges, aviation, shipping and ports, among others. Our lawyers are at the forefront of advising the infrastructure sector, working with clients who invest in, own, operate, manage or provide services to infrastructure assets.

“From the roads which transport our goods to the telecommunications which keep us connected, world-class infrastructure provides the foundations to create jobs, grow business and connect people with essential services.”

Our expertise

Our knowledge base from working with clients across the public and private sectors means that we have a comprehensive understanding of each of the stakeholder’s concerns and are able to structure transactions in a manner that specifically addresses them. Our strong market knowledge coupled with an extensive regional and international reach enables us to deliver world-class legal services to our clients. We have successfully used this model on numerous infrastructure deals.

We are recognized as one of Somalia’s leading law firms for telecommunications law, and we have supported our clients in the navigation of the increasingly sophisticated and competitive telecoms market. Due to our active participation at the forefront of Somalia’s telecommunications policy and our experience working with the Somali Communications Commission, the apex regulatory authority for the telecommunications industry in Somalia, we possess specialized and unique experience in this field. We also participate in various stakeholder organizations, both in the private and public sectors, to deepen our participation and promote policies for the sector. We have successfully represented, and continue to represent, telecommunications clients.

We counsel clients on a broad range of legal and regulatory issues, such as:

• Advising on and procuring requisite licences for telecommunications operations from the NCC
• Advising on regulatory compliance issues in respect of clients’ operations
• Advising on joint venture arrangements in the sector
• Advising on the regulatory frameworks (permits and consents) for prospective operations

“A responsive and top-level firm with deep industry knowledge, Banwo & Ighodalo has a robust Shipping, Aviation & International Trade practice and provides advice that is relevant to client’s care objective ”

Information Technology

Technology continues to evolve in an ever increasingly instrumented and sophisticated market. Technology companies, in staying relevant, encounter legal pitfalls in terms of innovation, regulation and market practice in the technology sector.

Our experienced information technology lawyers are on top of the latest legal and industry developments, so you always remain up-to-date. We offer our clients in a broad range of industries leading-edge, effective and practical solutions to technology-related legal compliance needs. Our practice focuses on information technology transactions including outsourcing, systems integration, telecommunications, acquisitions, licensing, strategic alliances, cloud solutions, and e-commerce and internet issues.

We help technology providers and users navigate around the pitfalls of Somali legislation on information technology as well as connecting them with information technology stakeholders and decision makers.

When your company has questions about the legal and regulatory requirements of Somali law concerning your expatriate employees or employee relations severally, our immigration lawyers provide the answers, as well as creative, practical and cost-effective solutions.

The legal framework governing labor and immigration issues is typically one of the topics that entrants, who are new to the region seek advice on. Equally, established businesses require ongoing practical legal guidance on labor-related issues to avoid expensive and sometimes complicated litigation with former employees.

“We provide answers – and creative, practical solutions – to client’s employment questions.”

Our expertise

Our strong and well-resourced team is well known for providing solution-based legal counsel to both local and foreign clients. From recruitment to retirement, our team ensures that clients are well covered to avoid the usual pitfalls arising from misinformed decisions and actions against employees which may end up in costly litigation. We regularly provide practical and commercially viable legal solutions to our clients with respect to their employee related issues including dispute resolution, health, safety and the environment (HSE), unlawful termination of employment, employees’ compensation and immigration. We have advised a wide range of clients, both local and multinational, on contracts of employment, employee handbooks, collective bargaining agreements and trade disputes with particular emphasis on compliance with the Labor Act and other labor related statutes. We have represented a broad range of clients’ at the Industrial Court in employee related disputes.

We provide sound and innovative labor law advice, including high-level management and workforce terminations, negotiation and review of employment contracts and consultancy arrangements, employee share schemes, secondment arrangements, wages, outsourcing, pensions, tax liabilities, independent contractors, and health and safety compliance. We also advise on the immigration and tax status of foreign workers in Somalia.

Our corporate practice group provides strategic legal advice and proactive support to our clients to help navigate a fast-changing and sometimes opaque regulatory environment. With our deep expertise and specialised skills, we pride ourselves on keeping our corporate clients ahead of evolving regulations for optimal business services.

“We keep clients ahead of evolving regulations and help them optimize their goals.”

Our expertise

Our team provides comprehensive business advisory services, including guidance on all aspects of corporate and commercial law. We help clients form corporations, partnerships and joint ventures including unincorporated ventures. We advise on foreign investments, regulatory compliance, all aspects of regulatory compliance and divestments and liquidations.

We help clients and maintain regulatory compliance, statutory reporting and record-keeping requirements. Our company secretarial services team helps our clients to comply with corporate governance codes, as well as giving advice and counsel regarding directors’ fiduciary and legal responsibilities.

Our finance and projects lawyers advise on all aspects of financing. We share knowledge and skills in deals involving: lending and borrowing, debt securities, derivatives, funds, portfolios as well as energy, infrastructure, transport matters and other projects.

MLO’s Finance practice, headed by Aweis Ahmed, has vast experience and industry insight in the specialist areas of finance, enabling us to advise clients from diverse business sectors. Our lawyers act for the top commercial banks, a number of which are the top-tier financial institutions in Somalia.

MLO’s Projects practice has substantial experience across a diverse band of undertakings that include public-private partnerships (PPPs), energy (geothermal, hydropower, wind, solar and coal), and social infrastructure (health, housing and transport). Our knowledge base from working with clients across the public and private sectors means that we have a comprehensive understanding of each of the stakeholder’s concerns and are able to structure transactions in a manner that specifically addresses their needs.

“We provide answers – and creative, practical solutions – to client’s employment questions.”

Our expertise

Infrastructure development is a key economic driver for every economy in the world. Somalia Outlook 2030 Roadmap has set the stage for the development of world-class infrastructure that is expected to transform the country into a middle-income economy by the year 2030. Our knowledge base from working with clients across the public and private sectors means that we have a comprehensive understanding of each of the stakeholder’s concerns and are able to structure transactions in a manner that specifically addresses them.

We understand the nuances and intricacies of local markets and regulatory frameworks and are able to tailor our advice to meet a project’s specific needs. Our spread of lawyers enables us to advise on a range of infrastructure projects, irrespective of where such projects may be situated.

Our strong market knowledge, coupled with an extensive regional and international reach, enables us to deliver world-class legal services to our clients. We have successfully used this model on numerous infrastructure deals.