What is the mandate of the Branch?
The Law Society of Kenya Nairobi Branch is concerned with practice matters, welfare issues and member participation of lawyers in Nairobi and Kiambu regions. Its focus is towards improving the standard of lawyers and facilitating their advancement of legal knowledge in matters of practice and emerging legal issues. The Branch also assists the public in matters that are incidental to the law through its programmes and by working with both government and non-governmental institutions to advance the law.
Who are the members of Branch?
The membership of the Branch comprises of lawyers based in the Nairobi and Kiambu region.
Is there a membership fee?
There is a voluntary membership subscription fee of Ksh. 1,500 .00 for all members who wish to support the Branch.
Does the LSK Nairobi Branch award CPD points?
The award of CPD points by the LSK Nairobi Branch is still under consideration by the CPD Committee.
How can members actively participate in the Branch Activities?
There are various ways members can actively participate in the activities of the LSK Nairobi Branch. One can participate through joining Branch Committees that address practice and welfare issues of advocates. They can also participate by assisting the organization in running its activities through funding, participating in Branch’s trainings, conferences, seminars, forums, paying for membership subscription or through contributing in Branch’s publications.
How does the Branch relate to the National Office?
The Branch is affiliated to the LSK National office as a branch as provided for under Section 24 of the Law Society of Kenya Act,2014. However, the Branch functions distinctively from the National LSK body but works together through relevant coordination and interdependence on consultation and coordination.
Yes. Click on the link to open our LSK Portal, which will locate a lawyer by name or by region and provide the address of all practicing lawyers according to the most recent update of our database. This directory will also provide the current member status and insurance status of lawyers and former lawyers. In Kenya, we do not record or endorse a lawyer’s specialty.
You can use our Lawyer Search page to search our member directory for our most current information about our lawyer members (see above). The yellow pages in the telephone directory, or the lawyer’s website if they have one, may provide more information about a lawyer’s area of practice but our member directory will not tell you what types of files a lawyer will accept as we do not record this type of information. We do not offer a lawyer referral service.
Please open our Links page for a list of informative websites that may be helpful if you decide to represent yourself. The Law Society does not provide legal advice.
The Law Society of Kenya Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Program is mandated with the responsibility of ensuring congoing professional learning for all Advocates in Kenya after they are admitted to the Bar. All Advocates practicing in Kenya are required to attend Continuous Professional Development sessions.
The Law Society of Kenya Continuous Professional Development has been in operations for years. The CPD program is self financed by registration fees charged on participant for the sessions.
The CPD program rolls out an annual calendar which covers different law topics in the format of seminars and lectures. The sessions are carried out in various towns in the country and advocates and non-advocates experts in various professional fields volunteer to present at the sessions. The CPD Calendar has over sixty sessions in fifteen towns in Kenya. The CPD program also rolls out supplementary free programs throughout the year, many of which are organized in partnership with development partners.
The Law Society of Kenya Committee on Continuous Professional Development (CPD) provides policy direction to the program and meets monthly to discuss ant pertinent issues surrounding the CPD program. The Committee also accredits other institutions, that facilitate sessions on professional development for lawyers.
The CPD Committee is mandated to work with the LSK Secretariat in the implementation of the CPD Calendar of Events, development of the curriculum and content of the program. The CPD Committee constantly reviews and develops the program and envisions a program that provides legal knowledge to all advocates practicing in different areas of law at an affordable rate and in an efficient manner.
Under the Committee’s guidance, the Continuous Professional Development Program has become, in recent years, an integral aspect of legal practice in Kenya. It is one of the most vibrant program of the Law Society of Kenya. This is in line with its vision of structuring the on going training of advocates on the latest developments in the Law and acting as forum for discussion of proposed legislation.
The Committee has two sub-committees:
Education Committee: This Committee deals with accreditation matters of Advocates.
Finance Committee: This Committee deals with the budgetary issues of the Continuing Legal Education Program.
The objective of the Legal Awareness is to promote the mandate of the Law Society of Kenya by extending legal literacy and awareness to members of the public. The public will also be advised on various aspects of the Law including Civic Education, Civil, Criminal and Family/probate. The Law Society of Kenya Branches shall also observe this week and coordinate their legal Aid activities at the branch level.
During the Legal Awareness Week, organizations involved in legal work will be given a chance to show-case their services with a view to promoting a better understanding by the public of the role lawyers play in the advancement of legal literacy and advocacy. Members of the Law Society of Kenya offer pro bono services to the public.
Complaints against Advocates Advocates and lawyers are subject to the laws of the land just like any other citizen. Accordingly, they are liable for any breach of the law in the same manner as any other person. Besides the law, advocates and lawyers have a higher calling to observe a strict code of professional conduct and etiquette in their dealings with clients, colleagues and members of the public. Breach of the code amounts to professional misconduct for which an aggrieved person may lodge a complaint with the Law Society of Kenya, the Advocates Complaints Commission or the Disciplinary Tribunal. Complaints against advocates may be made to the Advocates Complaints Commission, which is a department within the Attorney General’s Chambers. The complaint should be in writing and supported by relevant documentary or other evidence. Complaints may also be addressed to the Disciplinary Committee, or the Law Society of Kenya. In practice, most complaints are dealt with by the Advocates Complaints Commission and the matter will normally be taken to the Disciplinary Tribunal if it is of a serious nature or if it involves professional misconduct on the part of the advocate
The (advocates) Disciplinary Tribunal consists of the Attorney-General as its Chairman, the Solicitor-General or a person deputed by the Attorney-General, six advocates (other than the Chairman, Vice-Chairman or Secretary of the Society) of not less than ten(10) years standing. Since June 2002, a provision has been made for the appointment of three (3) lay persons into the tribunal. The committee may act as a tribunal of either three or five members. The tribunal sits largely as a court but with a bit of relaxation regarding the strict rules of evidence.
A complaint against an advocate of professional misconduct, which expression includes disgraceful or dishonorable incompatible with the status of an advocate, may be made to the Tribunal by any person. The Complaint is made by affidavit by the complainant setting out the allegations of professional misconduct.
Where a case of professional misconduct on the part of an advocate has been made out, the Disciplinary Tribunal may order –
1. That such advocate be admonished; or
2. That such advocate be suspended from practice for a specified period not exceeding five years; or
3. that the name of such advocate be struck off the Roll of Advocates; or
4. That such advocate does pay a fine not exceeding one million shillings, or such combination of the above orders as the Committee thinks fit.
5. That such advocate pays to the aggrieved person compensation or reimbursement not exceeding five million shillings.
Every advocate is subject to the jurisdiction of this tribunal. The Secretary of the Law Society of Kenya serves as the secretary to the Tribunal. The LSK Secretariat serves as the administrative arm of the committee. It receives the frame charges from the Advocates Complaints Commission, sets them down for plea and undertakes service of the process upon advocates. It is also in charge of ensuring compliance with orders of the Tribunal
The Advocates Complaints Commission is a department within the Attorney General’s Office. It consists of such commissioner or commissioners as may be appointed by the President for the purpose of inquiring into complaints against any advocate, firm of advocates, or any member or employees of an advocate or firm of advocates. Where the President appoints a single commissioner, the person appointed must be a person who is qualified to be appointed as a Judge of the High Court under Chapter IV of the Constitution of Kenya. Where the President appoints more than one commissioner, at least one commissioner must be so qualified.
The Commission is obliged by law to receive and consider a complaint made by any person, regarding the conduct of any advocate, firm of advocates, or any member or employee thereof.
If it appears to the Commission whether before or after instruction that there is substance in a complaint but that the matter complained of constitutes or appears to constitute a disciplinary offense, the Commission refers the matter to the Disciplinary Tribunal for appropriate action. In practice, the Complaints Commission prosecutes such matters before the Disciplinary Tribunal.
- Mr. Beauttah Siganga, Advocate
- Mr. Onguto, Joseph Louis Omondi, Advocate
- Ms. Dorcas Kitaa, Advocate
- Ms. Naomi Wagereka, Advocate
- Mr. Ambrose Weda, Advocate
- Ms. Wamaitha Gladys, Advocate
- Mr. Wanjama Ezekiel N.K, Advocate
