Litigation

Litigation is the resolution of disputes through the courts. It covers the whole life of a contested matter: the assessment of a claim before proceedings begin, the pleadings and interlocutory applications that shape it, the trial itself, and any appeal that follows.

In Zambia a civil claim may begin in the Subordinate Courts or, depending on its value and subject matter, in the High Court, whose Commercial Division hears substantial commercial disputes. Criminal matters proceed from the Subordinate Courts to the High Court. Appeals lie to the Court of Appeal and ultimately to the Supreme Court, with constitutional questions reserved to the Constitutional Court.

The work is not only advocacy in the courtroom. It involves advising early on the strength of a case and the time and cost it will take, preserving evidence, considering interim relief such as an injunction, and weighing honestly whether a negotiated settlement would serve the client better than a judgment.

Malambo & Company is a firm of Advocates and Notaries Public based in Lusaka, acting in both civil and criminal matters.