Biography

Overview

Habtamu Negese holds an LL.B. degree from Jimma University and an MA Master’s degree in Project Management with a specialization in Project Contracts and Procurement Administration. He currently teaches at Jimma University School of Law with a focus on various legal disciplines, including courses such as Construction Law, Tax Law, International Trade Law, Business Law, Extra-Contractual Liability Law (Tort Law), and Employment Law.

In addition to his academic role, Habtamu has served as Legal Counsel at the Jimma University School of Law Free Legal Aid Center, providing essential legal advice and consultancy services to vulnerable groups, including women, children in conflict with the law, internally displaced persons (IDPs), victims of human rights violations, and prisoners. He further contributed to the Jimma University community by serving as a Legal Advisor and member of the Central Executive Discipline Committee. In this capacity, he advised on legal documents related to disciplinary cases, conducted hearings, and provided training on disciplinary legal frameworks to university stakeholders.

After obtaining a Master’s degree in Project Management with a specialization in Project Contracts and Procurement Administration, Habtamu worked as a Legal Officer for Kibish Construction Company, engaging in contract-based work. His responsibilities included: providing legal advisory services to the Company in relation to legal and regulatory matters of the Company’s construction projects and overall operations; reviewing and preparing various types of contracts (including construction contracts such as design, build, and installation contracts, rental agreements such as machinery and building rental contracts; other type of contracts such as sales, security, and agency contracts) and memoranda of understandings with various stakeholders. He has litigated on behalf of the company at all levels of courts in the Oromia National Regional State and Ethiopian Federal Courts, focusing on matters related to Design and Build Contracts, consultancy service contracts, and labor & employment disputes.

Habtamu also served as a facilitator for Transitional Justice public discussions in the Jimma Zone, collaborating with the Ethiopian Ministry of Justice's Transitional Justice Policy Expert Group to engage community stakeholders and transcribe outcomes in Amharic.

Currently, alongside his role as a Part-Time Legal Consultant and Legal Researcher at Makkobilli Law Firm LLP, Habtamu continues to share his expertise as a law teacher at Jimma University School of Law.

Education

LL.M Candidate in Commercial and Investment Law, Jimma University School of Law, Ethiopia (Graduation expected by December 2025)

MA in Project Management, Greenland College-Jimma Campus, (August 2024, Ethiopia)

LL.B Degree in Law, From Jimma University Faculty of Law (Sept 2021, Ethiopia)

Short Term Courses/Trainings

Onsite/In-Person Short-Term Trainings Attended With Certifications

Training on “International Law” from National University of Singapore, Center for International Law 2025.

Training on “Ethiopia Tech Freelance Workers” from International Trade Center held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, December 2024- February 2025

Training on “Responsible citizen journalism” for 12 weeks from USA Embassy in collaboration with Jimma American Corner and Afro-MIAS, 2024.

Training on “Competency-Based Teaching, Learning and Assessment” from Jimma University, 2024.

Training on “Comprehensive Systematic Review (CSR)”, 2022.

Offsite/Virtual Trainings Attended

Certificate of Completing training on Master Class Foundation of Excellence in Teaching Online course certificate issued by Arizona State University, 2024

Certificate of completing Peace Negotiation Summer School Completion from Public International Law & Policy Group (PILPG's), 2024.

Certificate of successful completion of 35th Online International Refugee law course by International Institute of Humanitarian law-Department of International refugee law and Migration law, 2023.

Certificate of Completing WIPO Academy courses on Arbitration and Mediation of IP disputes, on IP management for Legal practitioners, on General Intellectual property rights, 2022.

Certificate of Completing WIPO-KIPO Workshop on "IP and AI" and "Master Class on IP Valuation, Finance, and Management", 2024.

Certificate of Completing WIPO-KIPO Training Course for Brand Strategy, Trademark Law and Examination, 2023.

Certificate of Completing Eight weeks (From July 15- September 7, 20224) online training on Understanding Sustainability Basics: A key Steps in changing the world from Florida Southeast University (FUSE) in Partnership with Placid solution and Consulting, 2024.

Certificate of Completing online course on Key Essentials: The Paris Agreement, Sustainable Development and the Law from Cambridge Academy in October of 2024

Certificate of completing online course on Key Essentials: The Global Biodiversity Framework, Sustainable Development and the Law in September of 2024.

Certificate of Participation in Webinar series on “hate speech and disinformation” organized in observance of the 2024 International Day of Countering Hate Speech form United Nations , Ethiopia, 2024

Certificate of completing online course on “Sustainable development Goals and Law” from Cambridge Academy-Sept-2024

Completed online Training on “Fundamentals of Capital Market Development: A Focus on the Ethiopian context??Capital markets and its regulatory frameworks: Ethiopia in Focus” from Florida Southeast University (FUSE) in Partnership with Placid solution and Consulting pending Certificate, 2024.

Languages

Proficient in English, Amharic & Afaan Oromoo

2.7.      Selected Experience

Currently a legal researcher and academician at Jimma University School of Law

Served as Legal Officer at Kibish Construction Company (legal advisory, preparing and reviewing contracts and other legal documents, litigation, and other in-house legal counsel services with emphasis on construction projects)

Served as Legal Advisor and member in the Jimma University Central Executive Discipline Committee

Served as legal counsel at Jimma University School of Law Free Legal Aid Center

Served as Facilitator of Transitional Justice Public Discussion of Jimma Zone and its areas at The Ministry of Justice-Transitional Justice Policy Expert Group

Thesis/Dissertation, And Pending Research Outputs (Manuscripts Under Review)

The Social Media Challenges on the Protection of Copyright works under Ethiopian Copyright laws: A Critical Analysis

The Status of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in the Ethiopian Legal Frameworks: A critical Analysis

A look at Pagume through the lens of Business and Human rights nexus under the Ethiopian laws governing Employment Relationships: A critical Analysis

The Principle of Silence and Its Interpretation under the Ethiopian Contracts Laws:  A Critical Analysis

Examining Restrictions in Relation to Assignments of Rights during Termination of Employment Contracts under Ethiopian Labor Law: A Critical Analysis

Areas Of Interests/Practice

Labor/Employment

Intellectual Property,

Media and Entertainment

Construction Industry

Taxation

Investment

Personal Laws (family, succession and property)

Capital Markets

Law and Technology

Corporate Reorganization

Start Up Business,

Refugee and Migration

Business and Human rights

Sustainable development

Lawyering peace

Environment and Energy

Climate Change