Corpus Banking & Finance Team Shines

Corpus Legal Practitioners has been named the Banking & Finance Team of the Year – Small Firm for 2021 by the African Legal Awards network. The award was given in recognition of a complex transaction that involved structuring a deal to suit a sovereign borrower.

Corpus, a leading provider of corporate legal services, provided legal support to UK Export Finance on all local law issues in connection with finance supplied to the government of the Republic of Zambia for the construction of 108 health posts and three district hospitals in Zambia by NMS Infrastructure Limited.

“Overall, the transaction was important as it provided funding for the construction of critical infrastructure in the health sector of Zambia,” said Lupiya Simusokwe, lead lawyer on this deal. “This instruction was an example of the trust which high-profile clients have in Corpus’s ability to advise on complex and high-value transactions.”

The transaction also involved complex analysis of dealing with sovereign default risk, particularly considering local law restrictions against the enforcement of judgements against assets of the sovereign. Corpus Legal Practitioners reviewed the loan documentation, conducted due diligence on the project and the borrower, attended to negotiations on behalf of UK Export Finance, and issued local law legal opinions.

Corpus’s senior partner, Charles Mkokweza, acknowledged the vital role both clients and employees played in the company’s success. “This achievement could not have been made possible without our clients who have continued to trust in our capabilities, and for this, we heartily say thank you. The confidence that you have placed in us over the years leaves us forever grateful. Many thanks also go to our highly talented employees and partners who work tirelessly in ensuring that our vision comes to life. Thank you for your teamwork and resilience.”

Corpus Legal Practitioners has continually distinguished itself by the high quality of the services that the firm has delivered over the last 26 years. Its quest is to provide world class legal services across a developing world environment that interfaces global standards with local conditions. Apart from the firm’s expertise in banking and finance, Corpus Legal Practitioners’ capabilities are renowned in three other sectors: Energy, Regulation, and Infrastructure; Corporate Advisory; and Dispute Resolution and Public Policy.


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