Legal Practitioner
Shenje & Company Attorneys
Total years of experience :19 years, 8 Months
As a legal practitioner I am responsible for:
• Drafting pleadings and contracts, legal opinions, attending arbitrations and appearing in High and Fiscal Court litigation proceedings, especially with a particular focus on Company and Tax law;
Recent Achievements:
• Conducted due-diligence for the purposes of disposal and acquisition of shares in a major local battery manufacturer.
• Successful resolution of a $1, 2m Tax Dispute with the Revenue Authority resulting in a revised assessment of $350, 000.
• Provided specialist advice on a Private-Public-Partnership with a local Town Council resulting in an Agreement for the construction of a bus terminus and SME cluster.
The majority of my advisory work covers Estates and Tax planning, and company secretarial services. Some of the highlights of my work include:
•Most recently i advised a South Africa-based company on their investment and expansion options into 3 SADC countries.
• In 2014: Served as agent and advisor for an international investor in a Tender application for a Waste to Energy project in Lusaka, Zambia.
• In 2011: Performed a legal audit and advised on the restructuring of the largest and oldest locally-run NGO. My work resulted in the organisation signing a US$5m multi-year funding contract with USAID.
• In addition I have helped register over 20 charities and assisted several international NGOs and Aid Agencies set up offices in Zimbabwe.
Imperium-Africa was a family-owned company, with interests in Mining, Trucking, and Grain commodities, looking to expand operations in the DRC, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. My key responsibilities included handling the company's legal portfolio, such as; Drafting Business contracts, giving Legal advice and Opinions to guide Management in Investments, acquisitions, transport and logistics contracts, raising capital, and company secretarial work. During my time here I gained invaluable experience regarding the business and legislative environment of the jurisdictions in which the company operated.
Performed tasks generally associated with a candidate attorney, which included among other things, reviewing, commenting and drafting of contracts. On a regular basis, I monitored statutory and regulatory compliance for clients; managed legal risks in standard commercial transactions; and worked closely with other lawyers.
•Advising clients in respect of Criminal, Civil and Commercial Law matters, contentious and advisory.
•Researching and drafting legal opinions and pleadings in Court proceedings.
•Estate Planning and Administration - Drafting Wills and testaments.
Providing legal advice on criminal & civil litigation matters.
•Presenting cases in the Magistrates’ & High Court;
•Drafting of Contracts and Memoranda of Understanding (MOU);
•Monitoring and evaluating compliance with legislation as well as assisting with preventative and corrective measures regarding issues of compliance by State-owned enterprises.
•Report writing.
The ADip International Tax, is a specialist, advanced qualification in international and cross-border taxation and is targeted at all professionals. Some of the topics covered include: 1. INBOUND AND OUTBOUND INVESTMENTS 2.DOUBLE TAX AGREEMENTS 3. WITHHOLDING TAXES & TREATY RELIEF 4. TRANSFER PRICING 5. CORPORATE RESTRUCTURING RULES 6. CROSS-BORDER FINANCING &INTERNATIONAL TRAFFICKING 7.FOREIGN CURRENCY CONVERSION RULES 8.INTERMEDIARY HOLDING COMPANIES & TAX HAVENS
Profile: Upon graduating, with Economics (1999), and Law (2002) degrees, I started my legal career at the Attorney General’s Office of Zimbabwe in 2004, where I learnt to draft contracts, write legal opinions, and to negotiate and litigate matters. In 2006, I joined Advocates SKM Sibanda & Co, a law-firm, where I gained new skills in Estates, Trusts and Tax law. In 2007 I joined Imperium-Africa Investments, a South Africa-based company, where I gained a practical understanding of corporation law, cross-border finance and investing arrangements in general. On my return to Zimbabwe in 2011, I founded and still operate Maxwell Trust Company – where I consult on Estate Planning and Tax law. Although, I continue to practice as an Attorney with the law firm, Shenje & Company, I am increasingly passionate about tax law. In 2016 I completed a specialist Advanced Diploma in International Tax, that I hope will open up opportunities to prove and improve my credentials as a Tax Professional
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