Belinda Msungama
Associate
Belinda graduated with an LLB from the University of Cape Town in 2018 and went on to pursue an LL.M at Cornell University in the United States where she focused on international commercial law. She has experience in capital markets regulation and has assisted companies in getting listed on the Malawi Stock Exchange and ensuring continued compliance with their disclosure obligations.
She is also knowledgeable in foreign direct investment and can assist foreign companies seeking to invest in Malawi in securing investment insurance, securing partners and getting into joint venture agreements, and assisting throughout international commercial and investment arbitration proceedings.
She also has experience assisting clients throughout the various stages of structuring corporate transactions, from assisting clients in negotiating deal points, drafting transaction documents, and getting clients to closing. She has previously interned at the World Bank Legal Vice Presidency where she sat in on IBRD and IDA negotiations for grants and other financing facilities with World Bank member states and assisted in the drafting and analysis of Financing Agreements.
She is a member of the New York Bar and was admitted to the Malawi Bar in May 2022.
Experience
Belinda is the team lead on instructions from Sovereign Metals Limited. The Firm is currently advising sovereign metals on the feasibility of using the Malawian railway system for transportation needs related to a mining project. The firm has provided an overview of the legal framework governing railway concessions in Malawi and provided specific details on the current railway concessions in place and are advising on how Sovereign Metals can go about utilizing existing concessionaires to meet their transportation needs.
Belinda is part of the team assisting with TDB as it is looking to advance a loan facility to a Microfinance institution in Malawi and the firm is assisting throughout the transaction until closing. At this stage we have completed due diligence on the Microfinance institution and are drafting and reviewing the financing and other project documents.
Belinda is part of the team which handles this Illovo Sugar Malawi Plc portfolio. She has assisted with drafting and analyzing various agreements for the company and is also assisting with the team incorporating a related company for Illovo’s future needs.
Belinda is part of the team that handles this MyBucks Banking Corporation Limited. The Firm has undertaken to provide debt collection services for defaulting customers on behalf of the bank. To this end the firm is currently engaged in negotiations, mediation and commercial litigation to ensure that MyBucks Banking Corporation is able to realize their security interests or otherwise recover the sums advanced by them from the defaulting customers.
Belinda is part of the team assisting Arkay Plastics Industry Limited as it is undergoing restructuring. Belinda drafted the documents reflecting the company’s current shareholding and profit sharing scheme.
Belinda is a part of the team which handles ETG. The firm advised the company on the employment law aspects of their corporate restructuring, in particular on the potential extent of the company’s liability upon restructuring and how the same could be mitigated in the circumstances. Belinda also handles various civil litigation matters on behalf of the company.