Smith Kiiza a dedicated young lawyer has been driven to pursue greatness as Uganda's next top advocate.[1]
one would be astonished by how much the ambitious Kiiza has achieved. With several Ugandans pursuing their Masters Degrees in their 30s, Kiiza is currently pursuing his Masters in law and hopes to complete this year (2023).
"In 2022, I decided to take up a Masters Degree in Law, with a scholarship from the Government of India. I will be completing my Masters this year 2023 and I start my PhD program as well.
"This may make me the youngest lawyer in Uganda with a PhD in Law," he manifested, noting that this makes him very happy since it could be a safe passage for him to become an international lawyer just like he has always visioned.
Besides his education background, Kiiza is also an accomplished writer and Author of over 20 books, including law books, spiritual books, business guides, relationships books, and Christian books all available on Amazon and all the online bookshops, and has different publications published in international journals like in vidhia Agaz journal including the rights of accused and also the rights of children with disabilities, among others. He said that he has also presented different papers in different international conferences including International Conference on Human Rights and Constitution Law.
More to this, the young Advocate also greatly participated in the research drafting and guiding of various bills and Acts of parliament like the Local Governments Act, NSSF Act, Parliamentary Elections Act, and Presidential Election Act However he also drafted and introduced the Tree Planning Bill alone to the parliamentary legal committee.
Sharing more of his success stories, Kiiza was happy to narrate how he started law practice immediately after his LDC clerkship.
"I started my career as a Legal Assistant with Katende, Ssempebwa and Company Advocates, a reputable law firm, where I gained practical experience in drafting pleadings in preparation for court process, interviewing clients to ascertain the facts of the private cases and offering legal advice to various private litigants on the various laws," he narrated.
As a former Kampala International University (KIU) student, Kiiza believes that not even the sky is the limit so there's need to give hope to students because it's as a result of opportunities at the leading private university that he was able to perform highly, join LDC, and chase his dreams, an accomplishment he described as a groundbreaker to his journey to success.
"It's because of opportunities at KIU that I became a lawyer, then a young advocate because of LDC, I strongly give credit to these institutions," he emphasized, urging KIU students to believe in themselves and the university to attain the much sought after success.
As one of the KIU opportunities, Kiiza was granted the honour to execute his urge and passion to share legal knowledge with the upcoming legal generation.
"I have been a part-time lecturer at Kampala International University and Islamic University in Uganda where I have taught Administrative Law, International Trade and Investments and Intellectual Property Rights and more others," he revealed.
Shedding light on his future plans, Kiiza who is a registered member of Uganda law society and East Africa law society, hopes to become an international lawyer. Journeying towards this, he has registered in the Asian law society, and is currently working on getting registered to start his practice in India.
Asked why he is focused on Asian countries, Kiiza revealed that Asians contribute over 50 percent to the world population and currently, they have alot of businesses in Africa. So as a lawyer majoring in criminal practice, land practice, family practice, and civil ligation, gaining ground in these Asian countries is a good strategy.
Besides making it as an international lawyer, Kiiza also dreams of working for the UN organizations, and one of their qualifications is to have a master’s degree in law, something he is already working on.
As he continues to journey towards becoming Uganda's next top advocate, Kiiza encourages students especially law students to believe in God, keep praying, build connections and network because it is as a result of all this and his family's support that he has been able to make all the achievements in such a short span of time.
Uganda's Top young lawyer and International young lawyer (practicing in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, S.Sudan, India, China, South Korea and others) I am an optimistic and empowering advocate and international lawyer with a strong belief in making a positive impact on the lives of others. Throughout my career, I have consistently demonstrated my commitment to excellence and have actively contributed to various professional endeavors.
I have pursued a dual degree in Masters (LLM) and PhD (Law). This educational opportunity has allowed me to deepen my knowledge and expertise in the legal field, furthering my ambitions in multiple areas of interest.
As a writer and author, I have published over 20 books covering a wide range of topics, including law, spirituality, business, relationships, and Christianity. These books are available on popular platforms like Amazon and other online bookshops. Additionally, my academic pursuits have led to the publication of several dissertations and thesis in esteemed international journals, My research has focused on important legal issues, including the rights of the accused and the rights of children with disabilities. I have also had the privilege of presenting various papers at international conferences, notably the International Conference on Human Rights and Constitution Law.
In Uganda, I have been actively involved in the research, drafting, and guidance of several bills and Acts of Parliament. Notable contributions include the Local Governments Act, NSSF Act, Parliamentary Elections Act, and Presidential Election Act. I have also independently drafted and introduced the Tree Planning Bill to the parliamentary legal committee.
Currently, I am working as a lawyer at Harison Associates, an international law firm based in India. In this role, I have had the opportunity to represent and provide legal counsel to diverse stakeholders and clients both in Uganda and abroad. Noteworthy clients have included the current President of Kenya, H.E. Dr. William Ruto, Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia, the Indian Association in Uganda, Winnie Byanyima, religious leaders and others Additionally, I serve as the Executive Legal Officer to Euro Exim Bank, an international UK-based financial institution.
Overall, I am a proactive and competitive legal professional with strong analytical skills and demonstrated leadership abilities. I am trustworthy, highly self-motivated, and possess a strong sense of duty. Through my work, I aim to create meaningful change and contribute to the betterment of society.https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fkiu.ac.ug%2Fnews-page.php%3Fi%3Dkiu-alumni-smith-kiiza-shares-thoughts-on-becoming-ugandas-next-top-advocate&psig=AOvVaw1W4vJEfHFWbRJuvSWBQDug&ust=1711124100187000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CAgQr5oMahcKEwjI0I_O4IWFAxUAAAAAHQAAAA[1]AQBA