President William Ruto has conferred the rank of Senior Counsel on eight Advocates of the High Court, including Charles Kanjama, Kamau Karori, and Allen Gichuhi. The ceremony took place on Tuesday at State House during the swearing-in of 20 newly appointed judges. Although these eight lawyers were gazetted two years ago by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, the formal conferral of their Senior Counsel status, as required by law, had not occurred until now.
“We were gazetted and sworn in two years ago, but we have been waiting for the presidential conferment letters. So, our situation is interesting—gazetted by President Uhuru but conferred by President Ruto. We were sworn in before the Chief Justice two years ago and signed the Senior Counsel Roll,” Kanjama said.
President William Ruto has conferred the rank of Senior Counsel on eight Advocates of the High Court, including Charles Kanjama, Kamau Karori, and Allen Gichuhi. This ceremony took place at State House during the swearing-in of 20 newly appointed judges. Despite being gazetted two years ago by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, these lawyers had not been formally conferred with the title as required by law until now.
The coveted title of Senior Counsel, established under the Advocates Act, is awarded after an advocate applies to the Committee on Senior Counsel. The committee reviews the application, and upon meeting all requirements, the Chief Justice submits the list to the President for approval.
Charles Kanjama, an advocate of the High Court of Kenya for over 20 years, is the managing partner of Muma & Kanjama Advocates Co. His firm specializes in litigation, dispute resolution, debt collection, and commercial legal work. Kanjama has extensive experience in various branches of commercial law, including Public Law Litigation, Banking and Insurance, Succession Law, Family Law and Children, Intellectual Property, Tort Law, Building and Construction, General Contract, Employment Law, and Criminal Law.
He has a particular interest in Tax Law and frequently provides legal insights in mainstream media. Known for his active involvement in Kenya’s legal scene, Kanjama gained attention in 2017 when his application to be an Amicus Curiae in the presidential election petition was rejected. Additionally, he has represented the Judicial Service Commission in several significant matters, including the case of Court of Appeal Judge Sankale ole Kantai.
Kamau Karori, another new Senior Counsel, is a partner at DLA Piper Africa, Kenya (IKM Advocates) in charge of the Dispute Resolution practice. Karori has been involved in many high-profile commercial disputes in the High Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court. As a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitration (Kenya branch), he has extensive experience in commercial arbitration.
He has been retained by several multinationals and institutions to act in high-profile arbitration matters, both as counsel and as an arbitrator. Recognized by Chambers Global as a top-tier lawyer in arbitration, Karori has defended the Kenyan government in a multibillion-dollar investment arbitration claim, resulting in a favorable ruling in October 2018. His distinguished service to the nation earned him the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (MBS) award.
Eric Mutua, another appointee, is the founding and managing partner of E.K. Mutua & Company Advocates. He served as the President of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) from 2012 to 2016, the only president to serve two consecutive terms. Mutua is renowned for his litigation and dispute resolution expertise, having handled numerous complex commercial and constitutional cases in Kenyan and regional courts. One of his notable cases involved defending the Kenya Airports Authority in a landmark case concerning the forceful eviction of residents from Mitumba village near Wilson Airport.
Allen Gichuhi, also conferred with the Senior Counsel title, is a leading litigation advocate with over 23 years of experience in Commercial Litigation and Administrative Law. He served as the President of the LSK from 2018 to 2020, where he significantly improved practice standards and lawyer welfare. As a Chartered Arbitrator, Gichuhi frequently handles commercial disputes and has contributed to drafting important legal rules and orders in Kenya.
James Mungai Warui, another appointee, currently serves as Inspector General (Corporations) and previously worked as a Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). He handled major cases, including the Anglo Leasing scandal, and was a candidate for the position of High Court Judge.
The other appointees are McCourt Kevin Dermot, Mwaura Lilian Wakiya, Gathenji Mbuthi, and Kibet Jinaro Kipkemoi. To qualify for the rank of Senior Counsel, an advocate must be an active legal practitioner, provide training to other legal professionals, and maintain an unblemished record of professional conduct. They must also contribute to the development of the legal profession through scholarly writings and presentations.
