PFI Partnerships
Boutique competition & consumer protection law firm for COMESA markets. PFI Partnerships (PFI) is a boutique law firm specialising in market based professional services in competition and consumer protection law across the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and its member states. Established in 2013, PFI was founded to meet the growing demand for specialised competition and consumer legal services following the operationalisation of the COMESA Competition Commission, now the COMESA Competition and Consumer Commission (CCCC). Based in Malawi, where the CCCC is headquartered, PFI provides clear, practical and commercially grounded legal solutions to businesses operating in COMESA. Our expertise spans competition and consumer protection law, commercial transactions, and corporate advisory services. PFI serves both local and international clients operating in COMESA. PFI also advises competition authorities, regulators, and government departments in COMESA, including the CCCC and the Competition and Fair Trading Commission of Malawi (CFTC). Our Expertise
For very many years Chambers Global, a leading international legal directory, continuously rated and listed Savjani & Co. as the only Malawi law firm in Band 1, and Mr. Savjani also in Band 1 (and for very many years the only Malawi lawyer in Band 1). Chambers Global have over the years said the following about Savjani & Co. and Mr. Savjani:
- Peers and clients alike paid tribute to the “international knowledge and skill” demonstrated by this firm, which has retained its reputation as the “strongest in the country”.
- Clients concur that “there’s nobody in Malawi to compete” with this firm.
- Is “equally at home in the boardroom and the courtroom”. “Clients admire his combination of local understanding and international experience and praise his ability to plan ahead”.
- “first port of call” for national and international clients, who have “complete confidence in his advice”. An outstanding professional with “an excellent mind”.
- “Focused and meticulous,” “extremely highly regarded”. Market sources indicate clearly that he is “the top lawyer in Malawi.”
- “Superb”.
- “Clever”. He is widely assessed by the market as “the country’s leading commercial and banking lawyer”. Clients report that he is “a shrewd negotiator who closes deals with patience and persistence”.
Mr. Savjani has trained many of the successful and respected lawyers in Malawi; they worked in his firm over the years; several of them became Attorney General, Senior Counsel, and some held high positions in Government.
Mr. Savjani decided in 2022 to wind down his firm’s operations and spun off different parts of his firm to some lawyers who were then working with him. In November 2022, the Nation, a leading Malawi daily newspaper, published an article under the heading “Lawyers honour Savjani as legal firm closes”. A copy of the article, with various eminent lawyers’ tributes, is attached.
Article The Nation: Savjani Winding Down
Savjani & Co. was also listed and rated as a Tier 1 Malawi law firm by IFLR 1000 (International Financial Law Review).
HONORARY WORK AND HONOURS
Honorary Legal Appointment
Honorary “Diplomatic” Appointment
Honours
NATIONAL BENEFIT ASSIGNMENTS
Malawi Stock Exchange
Economics Association of Malawie
Advisory Committee Appointment on Senior Counsel
PRESIDENTIAL ASSIGNMENTS
- Mwanza Commission of Inquiry 1994
Member of the Mwanza Commission of Inquiry established by President Bakili Muluzi to inquire into the deaths of three cabinet ministers and one member of parliament in 1983. - Public Service Remuneration Board 2004
Member Public Service Remuneration Board established by President Bakili Muluzi to oversee public service remuneration policy research, planning and evaluation. - Public Service Reforms Commission 2014-2017
Commissioner of the Public Service Reform Commission established by President Peter Mutharika to advise on reforms to the Malawi Public Service.
CLUBS, SCHOOLS AND OTHER ACTIVITIES
Chairman
- Indian Sports Club, Limbe, Malawi for 10 years from 1972.
- Southend School Association which runs South End Primary School, Blantyre, Malawi. A not for profit private school.
- South End Secondary School, Blantyre, Malawi. A not for profit private school.
- Giants Group of Malawi. A service club affiliated to Giants International. Founded the Giants Group of Malawi 35 years ago.
- Mulika Limited, a non-profit company formed to establish an executive club known as Mulika Club. Club closed.
- AMECA. A charity (part of a British charity) which established a primary health care clinic and an adjoining maternity clinic in the outskirts of Blantyre.