ANNIE NSAMA CHISANGA

Management and Leadership

• Coordinate and supervise preparation of Work Plans and Budgets.
• Oversee activities of the High Court, ensuring judicious management of resources.
• Maximise service efficiencies, using the case management system to monitor and maintain case-related information and court deadlines.
• Prepare and review Quality Risk Management (QRM) checklist on a monthly basis to ensure optimal output.
• Manage timely production and compilation of court returns in order to facilitate development of appropriate interventions.
• Proactively deal with all accounting duties as Chief Accounting Officer assigned by the Chief Administrator pursuant to section 8(1)(a) of the Public Finance Management Act No. 1 of 2008 for the respective financial year.
• Attend to procurement of goods and services.
• Diligently apply commitment control system to ensure expenditure is within budgetary releases from the Budget Office at Ministry of Finance.
• Oversee preparation of account reconciliation statements and submission of revenue, expenditure and general and financial returns.
• In appropriate cases, ensure that motor vehicles and equipment procured under donor financed projects are vested in Government at end of each project.
• Promptly ensure that all revenue collected is deposited into designated Government bank accounts.
• Independently examine and evaluate adequacy and effectiveness of internal controls for quick detection and prevention of errors, corruption and fraud.
• Prompt preparation of reports and proposals on administrative issues as may be required from time to time.

Adjudication and Dispute Resolution

• Independently manage a caseload of a high volume of commercial cases and undertake efficiently the hearing and delivering of rulings in taxation proceedings, judgments on assessment and other post-judgment applications.
• Manage high volume client caseloads through planning and organisation.
• Explain client rights and entitlements to devise action for legal proceedings where the Judiciary is a party.
• Liaise professionally with external legal teams for smooth case management where the Judiciary is a party.
• Represent the Judiciary in Court-Annexed Mediation in several matters.

Legal Research & Advisory

• Effectively and proactively participate in the work of Committees appointed by the Hon. Chief Justice, the Chief Administrator or the Chief Registrar to prepare sound legal opinions on a wide array of issues for purposes of operations or policy formulation.
• Manage and supervise legal research on international law relating to human rights, relevant developments in international law, legislation, jurisprudence at international courts, and other related research
• Provide technical expertise to the office of the Chief Administrator and the Chief Registrar and offer comprehensive legal advice across various legal matters including procurement contracts, property management, etc.
• Confidentially draft legal correspondence on behalf of the Judiciary.
• Review legal documents for accuracy and compliance, including contracts in liaison with Ministry of Justice.

Training and Development

• Proactively identify training needs for judges and support staff.
• Plan and coordinate implementation of periodical training courses for Judicial and support staff.
• Facilitate at in-house trainings, and during on-boarding processes for support staff.

Legal Writing and Drafting

• Prepare legal documents, including memorandum and speeches
• Participate in drafting and reviewing various pieces of legislation in liaison with concerning Government Departments and Agencies as well as other professional bodies whose Rules are promulgated by the Hon. Chief Justice.

• Adeptly handle cases involving assessments, and taxation of costs arising from various commercial judgments and rulings, including all matters within the Registrar's jurisdiction
• Judgment writing
• Handle high level complex issues arising from various commercial agreements and transactions
• Legal compliance to regulations as well as contract negotiation, drafting, review, perfection and interpretation
• Conduct in-depth research into relevant law, mostly on mortgages, finance leases, charges and, debentures, concerning amortization of loans and applicable interest rates for assessment on monies due
• Conduct trials and other chamber hearings
• Work closely with Judges and the Registrar of the Commercial Court to achieve better case management and reduce time for case disposal
• Oversee daily operations of the High Court Commercial List Registry as allocated by the Registrar
• Manage and coordinate support staff and oversee operations including preparation of appraisal reports and making recommendations for staff training where skills gaps are identified in liaison with Human Resources
• Prepare monthly, quarterly and annual returns on all cases and reports on case management including action plans.

Worked as Assistant Senior Research Advocate and eventually promoted to the position of Senior Research Advocate in March 2017. The role involved:

• Rendering legal advice to the Judiciary of Zambia, mostly to judges of the Superior Court of Zambia, that is, judges of the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and High Court
• Assisting with daily operational activities and general case management
• Attending numerous trials and other court hearings, both civil and criminal, for purposes of preparing opinions
• Researching widely into various areas of the law and render legal opinions for preparation of court orders, rulings and judgments in both civil and criminal cases
• Assisting judges to prepare speeches and other legal memoranda, including proof reading
• Effectively supervised judges' support staff to achieve smooth case flow.

Worked as Legal Assistant and eventually promoted to the position of Associate in February, 2013.

• Researched statutes, court decisions, legal articles and codes
• Produced legal documents such as pleadings, interlocutory applications, submissions and appeal records for litigation
• Prepared for trials by organising exhibits and other key evidence
• Collected and prepared pre-trial discoveries, records and evidence, including interviews of witnesses, clients and law enforcement if needed
• Compiled documentation, ensuring accuracy and detail for responses to opposing counsel, and applications to court
• Conducted trials and attended hearings in Arbitration and Mediation
• Issued writs of execution of judgments and attended to other available post-judgment enforcement procedures
• Kept an up-to-date diary of all pending court cases and applications
• Prepared sound legal opinions
• Advised on risk and compliance to all relevant legal and regulatory requirements
• Successfully prepared a compliance manual for a bank covering all legal aspects of its operations to offer on-spot legal guidance to management and all employees for daily operations to minimize risk
• Provided company secretarial services for corporate clients
• Handled debt recovery
• Negotiated, produced and reviewed commercial contracts for both national and multinational organisations such as joint ventures and financing arrangements for investment purposes
• Prepared and perfected mortgages, debentures, charges, lease finances and other loan security documentation
• Prepared other conveyance documents such as caveats, sale agreements, assignments, and discharge of security documentation
• Managed accounts and records of clients with the highest level of confidentiality and discretion
• Kept up to date case progress by frequently reviewing records and reporting findings to clients
• Researched the local legal market to increase accounts and promote brands and internal company value
• Participated in professional development initiatives for consistent improvement and up-to-date knowledge of emerging trends and best practices.