“[Bernard’s] exemplary leadership epitomises the essence of legal prowess and sets an exceptional standard for all. We look forward to extending our good working with the ULS in promoting the growth of the legal profession and advancement of the rule of law and good governance in the region,” said a statement from the East Africa Law Society in response to Bernard Oundo’s re-election.
Oundo is Senior Partner and PPP Specialist at Citadel Advocates, a Ugandan-based law firm specialising in Project Finance and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) legal advisory services. He is also President Emeritus of the East Africa Law Society.
Passionate about transforming and modernising the legal profession in Africa, Oundo’s vision is to place the legal profession at the forefront of social, economic, and political advancement in Africa.
“Together we embark on a journey towards a brighter future, a society that thrives on principles of justice, equity, and unity. We have set forth a comprehensive agenda to steer us towards this vision,” Oundo said in his acceptance speech.
“United by a common purpose, we shall work tirelessly to transform our society into one that stands as a beacon of justice, rule of law, compassion and progress. Our shared dedication and collaborative spirit will be the driving force behind every stride we take towards a better tomorrow,” he continued.
The 2022-23 ULS executive council was also endorsed for another year’s term.
Oundo plans to focus on the following specific areas during his second term in office: consolidating his previous term’s achievements, advocating for the rule of law and fair administration of justice, strengthening the ULS secretariat, actualising a member-focused Sacco and benevolent ULS, completing the ULS House, addressing key strategic initiatives aimed at improving the practice environment, and addressing challenges relating to the future of legal practice.
In the 2022-23 ULS Annual Report, Oundo said: “As a council working alongside the secretariat, it’s been a pleasure to run activities that guide us to achieve our mission of ‘Developing a skilled and empowered legal profession in execution of our statutory mandate to foster and improve access to justice as well as good governance in Uganda.’
The ULS has five strategic objectives: to enhance the relevance of the ULS to its membership; enhance the relevance of the ULS to the government and other stakeholders; enhance the promotion of rule of law, good governance and the respect for human rights; increase access to justice for the vulnerable, indigent and marginalised persons; and enhance the capacity of the ULS to sustainably deliver on its mandate.
Oundo is proud that during his council’s first year in office, the ULS noted improvements in the following key areas, among others: promotion of relevant continuing legal education & professional development of the legal practitioners in Uganda; promotion of rule of law and strategic litigation; protection and defence of advocates’ rights while executing their mandate; bridging the communication gap; and promotion and protection of the welfare of the members of Uganda Law Society.
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