Aman & Partners Legal Service LLP provides a broad range of legal services with a particularly strong offering in the TMT sector, where the team advise on some of the most high-profile deals in the Ethiopian market. This is supplemented by the firm’s strong international focus, with a notable alliance with pan-African, South Africa-headquartered firm Bowmans. Aman Assefa heads the team, with broad expertise that includes banking, competition and intellectual property. Bahakal Abate handles work covering areas such as fintech, data protection and telecoms, Ermias Ayalew has experience in tax, Micael Sheul brings his previous in-house counsel experience to corporate and M&A matters, and senior associate Mintewab Afework is qualified to practice in New York and specialises in corporate transactions.
Leading firms in Ethiopia
Aman & Partners Legal Service LLP
Practice head(s):
Aman Assefa
Other key lawyers:
Bahakal Abate; Ermias Ayalew; Micael Sehul; Mintewab Afework; Redeat Stiphanos
Testimonials
‘This is the go-to firm in Ethiopia for commercial and TMT advisory work. The team has a good grasp of the market realities, and are able to guide us on various cross-sector issues.’
‘I primarily work with Redeat Stiphanos. She has proved an invaluable asset, providing clear, concise and practical advice.’
‘The team have a thorough grasp of the law and the complexities/requirements of doing business, and seek to flag these up-front and provide processes and timelines for completing these items.’
‘Bahakal is very approachable, and always willing to assist.’
Key clients
Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia PLC
Ardagh Group S.A
Guinness Overseas Holdings Limited (Diageo)
Work highlights
- Advised the Safaricom consortium since the competitive bid phase stage all the way up to the company becoming fully set up and operational in Ethiopia.
- Advised on the sale of a majority stake in Meta Abo Brewery S.C, the second oldest brewery in Ethiopia.
- Advised Ardagh Group SA in the merger of target companies of Juniper Glass Industries SC, undertaking due diligence on Juniper and undertaking merger filings in Ethiopia.
Mehrteab & Getu Advocates LLP (MLA)
Mehrteab & Getu Advocates LLP (MLA) advises on the full scope of corporate, intellectual property, employment, energy, real estate and aviation matters, with notable work in tax disputes. The team’s broad practice is supplemented by its access to the global resources of DLA Piper, used by the team to service its predominantly international clients. Firm principal Mehrteab Leul is primarily active in project finance and corporate matters, with experience working on major infrastructure projects. Getu Shiferaw heads the corporate and finance practice, with a specialisation in M&A, private equity, financial regulation and sovereign debt.
Practice head(s):
Getu Shiferaw; Tibebe Zewdu; Selamawit Alemayehu; Meron Kahase; Redeat Kassahun; Yohannes Hailu
Other key lawyers:
Mehrteab Leul
Testimonials
‘The team is compose of lawyers who provide responses and opinions in a timely manner. I also understand that they check for the latest practices before providing guidance.‘
‘They have a very good understanding of their sectors and latest developments in their jurisdictions. They also provide guidance on optimal way of complying with regulatory requirements.‘
‘Their touch of class particularly when managing client expectations is par excellence. ‘
‘The team have an attention to detail and the ability to think outside the box.‘
Mesfin Tafesse & Associates Law Office (MTA)
Mesfin Tafesse & Associates Law Office (MTA) advises a number of multinational and Ethiopian clients on the full scope of corporate matters across a variety of industries, with notable work on some of the most high-profile financing and energy transactions in the Ethiopian market. The firm’s leading position in the market is evidenced by its membership of the Africa Legal Network, an alliance of prominent independent firms across the continent. Mesfin Tafesse leads the team with significant experience in cross-border transactions in M&A, energy, finance and infrastructure, while senior associate Haymont Belay has a focus on corporate matters.
Practice head(s):
Mesfin Tafesse
Other key lawyers:
Haymont Belay
Testimonials
‘In our view, the top firm in the country.’
‘Haymanot Belay is extremely responsive, works at all hours, has excellent written English and high-quality legal advice. She could be an associate at any major law firm in Europe or the U.S.’
Key clients
International Finance Corporation
Fortescue Future Industries Pty Ltd
Financial Sector Deepening Africa
Betking
Wilmar International Limited
Boeing
Veris Investments B.V
DHL Express
Betika
Dummen Orange
Genesis Analytics
Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank
Zoscales partners
Mitsubishi
Tamrat Assefa Liban Law Office
Tamrat Assefa Liban Law Office has particular expertise in banking and finance, especially regarding financing by foreign banks and development finance institutions. The team offers advice more broadly in M&A, tax, energy and natural resources, agribusiness and intellectual property, and supplements these core areas of practice with some significant matters in the aviation, telecoms and NGO sectors. Tamrat Assefa Liban, who leads the team, handles banking and finance, foreign investment and international trade law, while Marina Bwile focusses on international finance, commercial law and regulatory work.
Practice head(s):
Tamrat Assefa; Marina Bwile
Testimonials
‘Tamrat Assefa Liban has a good reputation working on finance projects like ours. He has helped the company finalize the required documentation and he produced results on various occasions where we had limited time.’
‘Tamrat Assefa is a brilliant lawyer. He is very well connected and has the habit of overperforming, putting a lot of enthusiasm into the legal work, and delivering ahead of time. He regularly calls upon government offices to promote our cases. He has a very good business acumen and is an asset to our company.’
Key clients
United States International Development Finance Corporation
International Finance Corporation
Agence Française de Développement
Acciona Energίa, S.A. and Swicorp Company
Kenya Electricity Generating Company Plc
Abt Associates Inc.
Deloitte Deutschland
Société de Promotion et de Participation pour la Coopération Economique S.A.
China Development Bank
Deutsche Investitions- Und Entwicklungsgesellschaft MBH
Ethos Mezzanine Partners
Shanghai Electric Group Co., Ltd.
PPC Group
Duet Vasari Beverages Africa Limited
Kenya Airways
Kleemann Hellas SA
CDC Group Plc and Philafrica Foods Limited
Felsted Investments Group Limited
International Lutheran Laymen’s League
Leadcom Integrated Solutions Ltd.
Ascott International Management, Dubai
Corbetti Geothermal Private Limited Company
SES Pty Ltd / SES Societe Anonyme
LOMINAT Beverages PLC
SOS Kinderdorf International
Work highlights
- Advised CDC Group PLC and Philafrica Foods Limited in a potential acquisition of AgFlow Ventures, a Mauritian company, which has three Ethiopian operating subsidiaries.
- Advised Ethos Mezzanine Partners of South Africa and PROPARCO in a financing of Mauritian entities having subsidiaries in Ethiopia.
- Advised Felsted Investments Group Limited in connection with acquisition of shares by another investment fund in a company in Ethiopia where it owns a substantial number of shares.
Tameru Wondm Agegnehu Law office in cooperation with BonelliErede
Tameru Wondm Agegnehu Law office in cooperation with BonelliErede collaborates with the broader firm's offices to advise clients in a range of different practice areas, including corporate, construction, energy, employment, and intellectual property. Of counsel Tameru Wondm Agegnehu brings extensive experience in corporate, commercial, civil and criminal law, while Gianpiero Succi, an Italian-qualified lawyer who divides his time between Genoa and Addis Ababa, and focuses on Italian-related work, M&A and joint ventures.
Practice head(s):
Tameru Wondm Agegnehu; Gianpiero Succi
Key clients
Carvico
Calzedonia
Bombardier
Dow Chemical
Unimpresa
Work highlights
- Assisted Bombardier Transportation Italy S.p.A. on opening its branch in Ethiopia.
- Consulted and assisted Mediterranean Shipping Ethiopia PLC with everyday legal questions and inquires in its joint venture.
- Consulted and assisted SAS Construction Chemicals Ltd in its day-to-day activities, including representing the client before tax commission and in a branch purchase deal.