1) What do you see as the main points that differentiate Bowmans from your competitors in Zambia?

There are several differentiators, the main one being that, as a firm in the Zambian market, we are endowed with local knowledge, extensive experience and recognised excellence and, at the same time, are part of Bowmans, a pan-African firm. This allows us to assist clients in the region and around the globe, delivering services that transcend boundaries seamlessly.

The results of all of this are evident from the growth of the firm, the development of our professionals and the market recognition we have received. In our first 12 months of operation, we won the National Law Firm of the Year for Zambia at the 2021 IFLR1000 Africa Awards. Receiving this recognition was a clear testament to our technical expertise, the significance and complexity of the matters we advise on and, most importantly, the trust that our clients have in us.

We are also indisputably in the lead in investing time and resources in our artificial intelligence (AI) and legal tech capabilities, to the benefit of our clients. The legal profession is undergoing a shift on many fronts, technological and otherwise, and we are at the forefront of embracing the changes.

2) What achievement are you most proud of since opening your doors for business?

The fact that, after only three years in the market, we have won the trust of our clients. They see us as reliable and knowledgeable and seek us for strategic business advice in addition to legal guidance.

This required us to put competent teams, infrastructure, and systems in place and, most importantly, to penetrate a market containing existing legal suppliers, some of which were established before Zambia’s independence. The fact that we have achieved all this makes us very proud.

Having won our clients' trust, we can now focus on expanding the practice to meet their requirements and service them more fully as new business needs emerge.

3) Which practices do you see growing in the next 12 months? What are the drivers behind that?

We have seen tremendous growth in numerous practice areas over the last three years, especially in mining, energy, banking and finance, environmental, social, and governance (ESG), dispute resolution, and arbitration. We predict that this growth trend will continue in the next year and beyond, given the Government’s priorities and the various drivers that are fuelling the national and regional economy.

Mining is critical to Zambia, which is expected to maintain its growth trajectory, driven by the Government’s target to scale up copper production to 3 million metric tonnes per year by 2030 and the sector’s strategic investment appeal.

Off the back of mining is energy. The practice will continue to grow to meet the ever-increasing demand, particularly the anticipated move by the Government to increase copper production. A 2021 Electricity Cost of Service Study (CoSS) projected that the country will need 4,169 MW by 2040. This necessitates an additional investment of USD 14 billion in the sector (USD 9.4 billion in generation, USD 2.7 billion in transmission and USD 1.9 billion in distribution). The tilt is obviously towards clean energy – hydro, solar and wind, and large and mini grids.

Banking and finance practices will be driven by debt restructuring, project deficits and funding demands in critical economic sectors such as infrastructure, mining, energy, agriculture and health. Another key driver of these practices is government policy on public-private partnerships (PPPs) as a mechanism for furthering infrastructure development and increasing private sector participation in various economic sectors.

Further, given the development and massive increase in construction and infrastructure projects in Zambia, there will be a continued need for dispute resolution and arbitration services. Commercial disputes are arguably on the increase, and arbitration remains the preferred dispute resolution mechanism in construction-related disputes across Africa. Demand for arbitration services is also anticipated to increase with the introduction of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

In summary, macroeconomic and environmental factors will guide the expected expansion of these practice areas in the year to come. These factors underscore the shifting landscape of business and legal priorities, with a growing emphasis on ensuring that development pathways are sustainable.

4) Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them?

Absolutely. In fact, our office was established in 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, legal tech and various technological tools have had a significant influence on the way we engage with our clients and the range of services we offer them. From transaction management software, virtual data rooms and collaboration platforms to document automation and AI, the list is extensive.

The use of these tools has supported us in our work, resulting in greater efficiency and enhancing the quality of our services and decision-making. In the dispute resolution space, for example, we represented a mining client in arbitration proceedings undertaken during the pandemic. We steadily adopted and employed new technologies and ways of working that enabled the dispute resolution process to continue, while increasing efficiency and cutting down on the cost associated with traditional in-person arbitrations.

We are well aware that all this technological change is occurring at a time when Zambia, as well as the rest of the globe, is working around the clock to develop or update rules and regulations governing data privacy and protection. Consequently, we keep that in mind when investing in and deploying technology that saves our clients time and money.

5) Can you give us a practical example of how you have helped a client to add value to their business?

In September 2021, one of our mining clients was let down by lawyers who had been hired to represent them during a mediation. They turned to us for counsel and we accepted the challenge to defend them in the arbitration, seated in London under the auspices of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). It was a construction dispute, and the counterparty was demanding around USD 9 million.

Our team successfully took over the arbitration, which was due for a hearing on merits at the beginning of November 2021. Despite severe time constraints for preparation and the arbitration tribunal rejecting a request for an extension, our team was able to defend the arbitration proceedings, with the final award resulting in savings to our client of about USD 1 million.

Our client and its stakeholders were delighted with this result, which demonstrated our capacity to handle complex, high-stakes cases at any stage of the litigation process, including when given very short notice. The matter also reaffirmed our ability to anticipate events and reactions to achieve the client’s overarching goals of managing risk and capitalising on strategic opportunities.

6) Where do you see the firm in three years’ time?

Considering our overall performance in the past three years, we are confident that the next three years will see us continuing to stand out as a go-to firm and strategic partner fully embedded in our clients' businesses. Obviously, our headcount will have increased, our offering expanded, and our reputation enhanced with admirable examples of how we leverage our expertise, knowledge, and technology to help shape the market.