Lawyer banned from practising for three years
Oct 26, 2009
A law graduate, Shem Allan Kirumira, who opened a firm and started practicing before enrolling as an advocate, has been suspended for three years.
By Vision Reporter
A law graduate, Shem Allan Kirumira, who opened a firm and started practicing before enrolling as an advocate, has been suspended for three years.
The Law Council disciplinary committee on Friday also ordered Kirumira to pay a fine of 200 currency points.
A currency point is equivalent to sh20,200, or sh4m.
Kirumira, who operated Kampala Consulting Lawyers, was also ordered to pay sh400,000 as costs of the case to the complainant and sh500,000 as committee costs.
The Law Council chairperson, Elijah Wante, who is also the executive director of the Law Development Centre, chaired the committee. The other members were John Mary Mugisha and Agaba Maguru.
“There are young graduates who want to engage in legal practice before enrolment. They set up illegal law firms and take advantage of the public.
“This ruling should send signals to all such graduates and we shall not hesitate to impose severe sanctions against the offenders,†the committee ruled.
Kirumira was charged with practising when unqualified, holding out as an advocate and preparing instruments when unqualified.
After qualifying from the Law Development Centre with a post-graduate diploma in legal practice, Kirumira registered a law firm, which he operated alone.
According to the prosecution, it was discovered that the Law Council did not approve the firm, although it had been registered as a business.
Prosecution said in August 2004, Geoffrey Bulayi, a director in Victor Beauty, a local company, complained to the Law Council against Kirumira, saying he had unlawfully dismissed him as a co-director from the company.
Bulayi accused Kirumira of forging documents and resolutions to evict him and that he (Kirumira) illegally appointed himself the company secretary without the consent of the directors.
A law graduate, Shem Allan Kirumira, who opened a firm and started practicing before enrolling as an advocate, has been suspended for three years.
The Law Council disciplinary committee on Friday also ordered Kirumira to pay a fine of 200 currency points.
A currency point is equivalent to sh20,200, or sh4m.
Kirumira, who operated Kampala Consulting Lawyers, was also ordered to pay sh400,000 as costs of the case to the complainant and sh500,000 as committee costs.
The Law Council chairperson, Elijah Wante, who is also the executive director of the Law Development Centre, chaired the committee. The other members were John Mary Mugisha and Agaba Maguru.
“There are young graduates who want to engage in legal practice before enrolment. They set up illegal law firms and take advantage of the public.
“This ruling should send signals to all such graduates and we shall not hesitate to impose severe sanctions against the offenders,†the committee ruled.
Kirumira was charged with practising when unqualified, holding out as an advocate and preparing instruments when unqualified.
After qualifying from the Law Development Centre with a post-graduate diploma in legal practice, Kirumira registered a law firm, which he operated alone.
According to the prosecution, it was discovered that the Law Council did not approve the firm, although it had been registered as a business.
Prosecution said in August 2004, Geoffrey Bulayi, a director in Victor Beauty, a local company, complained to the Law Council against Kirumira, saying he had unlawfully dismissed him as a co-director from the company.
Bulayi accused Kirumira of forging documents and resolutions to evict him and that he (Kirumira) illegally appointed himself the company secretary without the consent of the directors.