Louis Lwanga

Louis Lwanga is a Senior Associate at KATS. His practice focuses on Entertainment Law, and he is proficient in commercial, civil and criminal litigation.

In 2018, Louis initiated the Media and Sports Law sub-department at the firm, being its in-house expert. He remains the only lawyer in Uganda with a combined Master of Laws (LLM) in Entertainment, Media and Sports Law. Louis is widely acknowledged and internationally recognised as one of the leading entertainment and media lawyers in East Africa, with over 9 years' multi-jurisdictional practice experience, having worked in California, Massachusetts and Uganda.

He is a member of the Association of Media & Entertainment Counsel, The California Lawyers Association, Media Law International, the East Africa Law Society and the Uganda Law Society.

Louis has led the global entry of international media giants and streaming platforms like Spotify and Netflix into Uganda, and negotiated the very first local content film feature on Netflix. He works collaboratively with global and emerging entertainment and media leaders to execute complex transactions and achieve cost and tax-efficient growth in the East African region.

Louis has structured, negotiated and executed regulatory policy frameworks in Uganda, spearheading the drafting of new regulations on industry unionisation and performance rights administration, including supervising the drafting of a Private Member's Bill on the reform of the Copyright & Neighboring Rights Act of Uganda to the 11th Parliament, to address and adopt international standards of Intellectual Property commercialisation.

Having handled some of the largest and most cutting-edge media transactions in Uganda, Louis has become a go-to advisor for several local and multinational companies with new and unusually complex or large-scale entertainment, media and sports transactions in the region. He represents various individual and corporate clients, including leading television and radio companies, recording artistes and performance rights organisations. He assists with contract drafting and interpretation, general tax and financial planning, investment strategy and recommendations. He regularly counsels clients regarding potential claims for defamation, invasion of privacy and advertising disputes, and has represented clients to license, enforce and defend their rights to music, photographs, videos, films, graphics, trademarks, advertising and other modes of content.

He holds a Master of Laws (LLM) with Distinction in Entertainment, Media and Sports Law from Pepperdine University (2018), a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) with Honours from Makerere University (2013), where he was Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Makerere Law Journal, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre (2015).

He previously served as a Board Member of the Uganda Rugby Union, the youngest ever in the history of the country. He also previously served on the Board of the Athletes Commission Uganda Olympic Committee, and currently serves on the Legal and Ethics Committee of the Uganda Olympic Committee.