The government has enlisted the services of London-based Norton Rose LLP law firm to provide legal advisory services for its three major development projects until the end of March next year.
The law firm is providing legal and project finance advisory services for the Mmamabula Energy Project, the Mookane Domestic Power Project and the North South Water Carrier II Project, according to the government.
The Office of the Attorney General says the legal services required are to be provided on an “as needed basis”.
In its request to the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board for a direct appointment of Norton Rose LLP, the government indicated it would pay the hourly rates in US Dollar terms. It says the rates are fixed for the duration of the contract, calculated per hour based on an agreed tariff.
The government is paying an hourly rate of US$ 475 (Three thousand one hundred pula) for a partner, US$ 440 (Two thousand nine hundred pula) for a senior associate, US$ 395 (Two thousand six hundred pula) and US$ 250 (One thousand Six hundred pula). A partner who offers legal advisory services for the duration of eight working hours gets paid P24 800.
The government has justified the latest outsourcing of legal services to an external law firm.
“In view of the magnitude, scope and complexity of the projects, as well as the amounts involved, the Government determined that in order to minimise its exposure, it required highly specialised services offered by a legal services firm with experience in the areas relevant to the projects. Norton Rose has experience in many practice areas, including Banking, International Project Finance, Energy and Infrastructure,” Attorney General Dr. Atalia Molokomme says.
“We generally work with only one partner but this depends on the complexity and number of issues referred to Norton Rose and the personnel determined to be appropriate by Norton Rose,” according to the principal legal advisor to the government.
The company says in its official website that it has over 1800 lawyers operating from 30 offices in Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Athens, Bahrain, Bangkok, Beijing, Brisbane, Brussels, Canberra, Dubai, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hong Kong, London, Melbourne, Milan, Moscow, Munich, Paris, Perth, Piraeus, Prague, Rome, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo and Warsaw and from associate offices in Ho Chi Minh City and Jakarta.
