Reflections on the inaugural MLG–DABLO Corporate Law Fellowship
DABLO Law Firm LLP | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | September 2026
Ethiopia's legal and commercial landscape is undergoing a period of profound transformation. A modernised Commercial Code, the phased liberalisation of the financial sector and the launch of the Ethiopian Capital Market are redrawing the rules by which businesses are formed, financed and governed. For the legal profession, these reforms bring both opportunity and obligation: investors, regulators and enterprises increasingly expect counsel who combine technical precision with sound commercial judgment from the very outset of their careers.
It was against this backdrop that Metassebia Law Group LLP (MLG) and DABLO Law Firm LLP launched the
MLG–DABLO Corporate Law Fellowship, an intensive two-month programme designed to bridge the distance between legal theory and sophisticated corporate advisory practice. As the inaugural cohort concludes, this article reflects on the Fellowship's ambitions, its delivery and, most importantly, the perspectives of the Fellows themselves.
A Partnership with a Shared Purpose
The Fellowship draws on MLG's flagship
Young Lawyers Initiative (YLI), which has built a strong record of mentoring emerging legal talent in Ethiopia. In partnership with DABLO, a full-service corporate law firm and the Ethiopian member of LEX Africa, the programme assembled a faculty of senior practitioners from both firms, complemented by guest experts. Fellows were thus able to learn directly from lawyers who advise investors, corporations and financial institutions as a matter of daily practice.
Delivered in a hybrid format that combined virtual lectures with in-person workshops, the programme was practical by design. Fellows worked through hypothetical scenarios and assignments modelled on live matters, and engaged in candid dialogue with practitioners on how legal problems are analysed, how risk is assessed and how clients are advised within a law-firm environment.
For the Fellows, this meant access to lawyers who work on corporate transactions, investment matters, financial-sector regulation, capital-market transactions, contracts, due diligence and dispute resolution as part of their day-to-day practice.
A Curriculum Anchored in Market Realities
Structured around six practice areas central to Ethiopia's evolving investment and commercial environment, the curriculum spanned corporate governance and company formation, inward investment and regulatory compliance, the emerging capital market, corporate tax, advanced contract drafting and due diligence, and commercial dispute resolution under Arbitration and Conciliation Proclamation No. 1237/2021. Each module paired the governing legal framework with the practical realities of advising clients on live transactions.
Corporate law provides the foundation for understanding how companies are established, governed, and operated. Foreign investment and regulatory compliance introduce Fellows to the regulatory environment in which domestic and international investors operate. Banking, finance and fintech expose them to increasingly sophisticated financial transactions and regulatory questions.
Capital markets have become particularly significant as Ethiopia develops its securities-market infrastructure and expands the legal and institutional framework necessary for securities issuance, trading and investor protection. The regulatory framework now encompasses, among other areas, public offerings, securities exchanges and over-the-counter markets.
The M&A and due-diligence module brought another important dimension: understanding how lawyers investigate businesses, identify liabilities and advise clients before transactions are completed. Finally, dispute resolution reminded Fellows that corporate lawyers must understand not only how transactions are structured, but also what happens when relationships break down and disputes arise.
Together, the modules presented corporate practice not as a collection of isolated legal subjects, but as an interconnected professional discipline. This process is central to effective legal practice. It requires analytical discipline, commercial awareness, attention to detail and the ability to communicate complex legal issues with clarity. For emerging lawyers, developing this way of thinking can be as important as learning another area of substantive law.
A Perspective from Metassebia Law Group
"Our Young Lawyers Initiative [YLI] aims to cultivate an elite community of young legal professionals, with a particular focus on strengthening their skills in legal writing, public speaking, and professional networking. In our effort to provide specialized and practical training opportunities to our fellows, we recognized the importance of collaborating with other law firms that share our vision and are committed to investing in the development of the next generation of lawyers. This vision led to the establishment of the MLG-DABLO Corporate Law Fellowship, in collaboration with DABLO Law Firm. We are pleased to have successfully concluded our first cohort of the Fellowship. The experience has demonstrated the tremendous potential for meaningful and impactful joint initiatives between law firms when there is a shared vision, mutual commitment, and a willingness to collaborate.The successful completion of this first cohort is therefore not merely the conclusion of a training program; it is a practical demonstration that law firms can come together to create sustainable professional development opportunities and contribute collectively to the advancement of the legal profession." — Metassebia Hailu, Managing Partner, Metassebia Law Group LLP
A Perspective from DABLO Law Firm
For
Dawit Kidane, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of DABLO Law Firm LLP, the Fellowship reflects a responsibility shared by all established practitioners.
“We are deeply grateful to Metassebia Law Group for this partnership and to every participant whose commitment and enthusiasm made the inaugural Fellowship a success. I also extend my sincere appreciation to the DABLO team for its important role in designing and delivering the programme. It gives us immense satisfaction to contribute to the development of young lawyers at this formative stage of their careers. Law schools lay the foundation; it is incumbent upon practitioners to build upon it by creating meaningful opportunities for practical learning, mentorship and professional growth. Ethiopia’s evolving business environment needs more young lawyers equipped to serve confidently in corporate practice. Investing in them is an investment in the strength and credibility of our profession. Building on the lessons of this first cohort, DABLO looks forward to working with MLG and our wider network of partners to deliver an even stronger and more impactful programme next year. I also extend my sincere appreciation to the DABLO team for their important role in designing and delivering the programme." — Dawit Kidane , Managing Partner, DABLO Law Firm LLP
“As a supervisor in the Fellowship, I had the opportunity to train and observe the Fellows’ engagement with practical legal issues and their development throughout the programme. Their willingness to learn, ask questions, and connect academic knowledge with practical legal analysis was encouraging. The experience demonstrated the value of creating stronger links between legal education and professional practice in preparing the next generation of Ethiopian lawyers.” — Tewodros Tena, Associate Capital Markets and Financial Regulation, and Fellowship Supervisor
In the Fellows' Own Words
Upon completion of the programme, Fellows were invited to reflect on their experience through a structured survey. Every respondent described the subject matter as
very relevant to their legal education and future careers, and rated the faculty's ability to connect legal principle with practice as very good or excellent. The most striking shift, however, was in practical understanding. Before the Fellowship, respondents' familiarity with the application of law in a law-firm environment ranged from none to moderate; afterwards, every respondent reported a clear improvement, with one describing it as significant.
"The training gave me a realistic understanding of how law is actually practiced, through honest discussions and real-life experiences, including both the rewarding and challenging realities of working in the legal field. It has helped me approach my future career with a much better understanding of the field."
— Lael Fekade Solomon, Addis Ababa University
"Some of the topics weren't even covered in class, let alone getting the chance to learn them through practical examples. It was a completely new experience for me. I learned a lot in such a short period of time, and I believe this experience has prepared me to navigate the corporate world with greater understanding."
— Helina Mesfin, Law Graduate, Addis Ababa University
"Before engaging with this fellowship, I had somewhat little knowledge in the areas I was able to see in the fellowship. In the practice of knowing the nature of this corporate law, I was able to develop a new found excitement for most of the topics discussed." — Efrata Mathewos, Addis Ababa University
" The training helped me better understand the corporate legal world by connecting academic knowledge with practical legal work. It provided valuable practical experience, strengthened my legal skills, and gave me greater confidence in handling real-world corporate matters."— Hermela Samuel , Addis Ababa University
Looking Ahead
Fellows commended the programme's structure, its flexible scheduling and its open, practice-oriented approach. They also offered constructive recommendations for future cohorts, including more frequent sessions to sustain momentum and a greater emphasis on oral presentations to strengthen advocacy and communication skills. MLG and DABLO will draw on this feedback in shaping the next edition of the Fellowship.
We extend our sincere thanks to the Fellows for their dedication, to the practitioners and guest speakers who generously contributed their time and expertise, and to our colleagues at Metassebia Law Group for a partnership founded on a shared vision. The cultivation of practice-ready legal talent is not a single undertaking but a sustained commitment: one that strengthens Ethiopia's legal profession and underpins the confidence of the investors and enterprises that depend upon it.
Investing in the Legal Profession
Ethiopia’s economic and regulatory transformation will require institutions, businesses, investors and regulators to adapt. The legal profession is no exception. As new financial markets develop, investment structures become more sophisticated and businesses operate within increasingly complex regulatory environments, the demand for capable legal advisers will continue to grow.
The profession therefore has a shared interest in ensuring that young lawyers are prepared for that environment. Universities provide the intellectual foundation. Law firms provide exposure to practice. Regulators and public institutions contribute an understanding of the broader legal and institutional framework. Businesses and investors provide the commercial context in which legal advice ultimately operates.
When these parts of the professional ecosystem work together, young lawyers gain something that cannot easily be acquired from textbooks alone:
a practical understanding of what it means to be counsel.
The cultivation of practice-ready legal talent is not a single programme or a one-time undertaking. It is a sustained professional commitment one that strengthens the legal profession, supports the development of Ethiopia’s commercial environment, and ultimately contributes to the confidence of the businesses, investors and institutions that depend on the rule of law. The MLG–DABLO Corporate Law Fellowship was created to take that step and the first cohort has shown why that step matters.
