Email
mossr@scanlen.co.zw
Practise Areas Include:
Corporate and Commercial Law
Insolvency and Business Rescue
Mining and Energy Law
Riana Moss (nee Theron)
Riana is a corporate and commercial lawyer in Harare, Zimbabwe. Riana was registered as a lawyer of the High Court of Zimbabwe in 2009, she joined Team Scanlen that same year and was elevated to equity Partner after three years. She was with the firm for eleven years before moving to the corporate world for a three year period gaining invaluable transferable skills on the realities of co-managing an entrepreneurial manufacturing business in Zimbabwe and navigating financial, industrial and workplace realities. Returning with her usual fire and drive to succeed, Riana rejoined Scanlen in 2023 as a Partner to once again serve her clients.
Riana’s legal practice has focused on working with business leaders to navigate the unique legal issues faced by companies and business owners. She is a trusted advisor who provides advice that is pragmatic and highly responsive.
Riana has advised on good corporate governance, compliance and regulatory aspects, she has drafted shareholder agreements and complex tripartite out-grower agreements, she has advised on interpretation and implementation of agreements as well as recourse for breach of agreements. Riana has given practical assistance to business owners in on-going shareholder dispute scenarios, successfully litigated numerous claims for breach of agreement specifically cross-border debts, and instituted and defended liquidation and judicial management cases.
In 2014 Riana advised and successfully litigated a USD 6 million dollar High Court garnishing tax matter and obtained a declarator in her client’s favour on the interpretation of the hybrid laws applicable in the matter being the Income Tax Act [Ch 23:06], the Finance Act [Ch 23:04] and the Mines and Minerals Act [Ch21:05] and in the process defended various claims of defense including no locus standi, dirty hands principle, waiver, estoppel, and disputes of fact.
In 2018 Riana was ranked along with Sternford Moyo in the top 20 outstanding business persons across all industries in Zimbabwe and she was ranked top 10 in the women’s category. Riana completed the Law Society’s Advanced Commercial Law Training
Riana’s return to private practice will mainly focus on corporate and commercial matters.