About the event
The visit in Nairobi includes:
- meetings on Wednesday 18 October
- seminars on Thursday 19 October
- meetings on Monday 23 and Tuesday 24 October
The seminars will be delivered by British Bar Representation Fee-subscribed barristers, in conjunction with our host colleagues. They will cover a range of subjects, from arbitration and financial crime to pro bono legal services and cybersecurity.
Who will be attending?
Barristers who are subscribed to the Bar Representation Fee, and who have relevant practice experience in:
- Kenya
- Arbitration
- Financial crime and fraud
- Rule of law
- Pro bono
- Professional secrecy
- Medical law
- Cybersecurity
Programme and speakers
08:30: Arrive for panellist briefing. 09:00: Arrivals - teas and coffees provided 09:45: Welcome speeches and introductions by Eric Theuri, President of the Law Society of Kenya, Faith Odhiambo, Vice President Law Society of Kenya, and Barbara Mills KC, incoming Vice Chair of the Bar Council of England and Wales 10:15-11:00: Panel 1: The importance of an independent Bar and the challenges facing independent Bars, self-regulation, and professional ethics.
11:00-11:30: Morning break: teas and coffees provided 11:30-13:00: Panel 2: Transnational financial crime, fraud and arbitration
13:00: Business lunch 14:00-15:15: Panel 3: Young Barristers' Committee and Law Society of Kenya's young barristers: Leveraging on AI and technology for Africa’s legal sector: opportunities and experiences for young lawyers.
15:15-16:30: Panel 4: Rule of Law
16:30-17:00: Closing remarks 17:00 onwards: Drinks reception: drinks and canapes provided Details of the programme are subject to change. |
Nancy Williams
Nancy is a barrister who practises in the areas of children's law, court of protection, inquests and international human rights.
She has extensive international experience, and previously worked at:
- the International Court of Arbitration in Paris in the common law team
- the United Nations Development Programme
- the Access to Justice Programme in Sierra Leone
- the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law
and in the international and group claims department of the leading UK human rights law firm Leigh Day, where she was involved in large group actions.
Nancy has also collaborated with the UK Sierra Leone Pro Bono Network to draft the Sentencing Guidelines and Practice Direction for the Anti-Corruption division of the Sierra Leonean High Court. The guidelines were published in October 2022.
Hammad Baig
Hammad is a tax barrister. He advises on all aspects of indirect tax law, and is experienced at in-depth analysis of complex provisions in disputes with His Majesty's Revenue and Customs.
He has advised and represented private parties and states in disputes of commercial nature in a range of sectors, including mining, energy, banking, oil and gas and telecommunications, and is familiar with all the major arbitral institutions and rules.
Hammad has interest in the flow of goods across borders, and is particularly experienced in advising on:
- all aspects of WTO law
- provisions relating to the World Customs Organisation treaties
- international trade law and treaties
- UK and EU customs law
- embargoes and trade sanctions
Simon Milnes KC
Simon Milnes KC specialises in advocacy and strategic advice in international commercial disputes, especially in the fields of energy and commodities, infrastructure and projects, shareholder/post-M&A, shipbuilding and offshore installation construction and civil fraud.
His caseload typically includes both contractual claims and fraud-related disputes requiring interim relief, including freezing and anti-suit injunctions.
Simon has handled commercial cases from Kenya, Tanzania and Nigeria. He also regularly acts in arbitrations for and against Asian (especially Chinese and Indian) parties. He speaks and reads Chinese (Mandarin), and has acted in arbitrations seated in Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines.
Amrit Kaur Dhanoa
Amrit has a diverse practice with a particular focus on commercial litigation and public law, advising and representing both individuals and companies in all levels of Court and Tribunal. Amrit’s previous commercial experience includes working at UBS in both New York and London and recently in Dubai at Al Tamimi & Co, the largest commercial law firm in the MENA region, and at the DIFC Courts.
Amrit is appointed as junior counsel to the UK’s COVID-19 inquiry and is currently considering core UK decision-making and political governance during the pandemic. Alongside her practice, Amrit is a civil and commercial mediator and is growing her international arbitration practice. Amrit is also currently the Vice-Chair of the Bar Council of England and Wales’ Young Barristers’ Committee, an appointed member of the ADR Panel, and a co-opted member of the Bar European Group.
Oladele Osinuga
Oladele Osinuga is a barrister, solicitor, and an advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He is also admitted counsel to the International Criminal Court and the Kosovo Specialist Chambers (both in The Hague, Netherlands).
Oladele is currently litigations and prosecution lawyer at Bury Metropolitan Borough Council. He was previously Prosecution Advisor of the Pan American Development Foundation in Belize, and has held positions as a lawyer previously at:
- the London boroughs of Camden, Enfield and Hackney
- EU in Kosovo
- the CPS
and as compliance specialist with Olympus Corporation UK & Ireland.
Oladele been engaged as a criminal justice consultant by the International Development Law Organisation, and the Pan American Development Foundation in the Bahamas. He is on the United Nations Development Programme Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery Rule of Law, the Justice and Security roster of Deployable Experts, and is a UK FCO and DFID Deployable DV Security rule of law expert.
David Simpson
David Simpson specialises in complex and high value litigation in the fields of banking, financial services and civil fraud. He has acted in some of the most high-profile banking cases of recent years.
Significant results have included:
- judgment for the lead claimant bank in the multi-billion dollar Algosaibi litigation
- the successful defence of a major Swiss bank in a series of high value mis-selling claims
- securing declarations on issues of private international law for the Argentine Exchange Bondholders
- judgment (maintained on appeal) in an important case, raising issues of restitution and illegality, in the context of a failed collective investment scheme
David has also been instructed by the Bank of England, the Financial Conduct Authority, the DFSA (Dubai), the QFCRA (Qatar) and AFSA (Kazakhstan) in a large number of contentious and non-contentious regulatory matters.
Before coming to the Bar David worked for the Busoga Trust, a charity which installs clean water sources in rural Uganda.
Philip Murgor SC
A managing Partner at Murgor & Murgor Advocates, Philip is a practicing advocate of the High Court of Kenya and a Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, with invaluable legal and management experience spanning a period of over 34 years in the legal profession as state counsel, private practitioner and as a former Director of Public Prosecutions.
He specialises in international commercial contractual and investment disputes both in and out of court acting for and against corporations, states and state entities. His private practice involves substantial cases in civil and commercial litigation, domestic and international commercial arbitration, criminal litigation, including private prosecutions, corruption cases, and commercial fraud.
Philip has also directly participated in developing, and amending legislation in critical areas such as anti-Money laundering, anti-terrorism, witness protection; mutual legal assistance, extradition, anti-narcotics; anti-corruption and economic crime, penal code, and criminal procedure.
Philip's various professional memberships include:
- Law Society of Kenya (LSK)
- Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI) 2010, Patent Agent
- American Chamber of Commerce Kenya (AMCHAM) Member of the Legal Committee 2013
- International Association of Prosecutors (IAP)
- International Association of Penal Law (IAPL)
- The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb)
- The London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA)
- International Criminal Court (ICC) – The Hague, authorised practitioner on the List of Counsel, 2010 to date
- The International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) (2012 - 2018)
- Member of the ICSID Panel of Arbitrators designated by the Republic of Kenya
- Office of the Chief Justice, Republic of Kenya, Panel of Arbitrators, 2012 to date
- Association Internationale De Droit Penal (AIDP)
Philip is a champion for equality, and provides pro bono legal advice and services aimed at meaningfully impacting the lives of Kenyans.
Robert Muoka
Robert (Salim) Muoka's work demonstrates a commitment to innovation and progress in the legal and proptech industries in Africa. Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, Robert Muoka's extensive professional background encompasses law, technology, and blockchain.
He is a founding partner at T.M.M. PARTNERS Advocates, a dedicated team of legal professionals committed to providing top-notch legal services and solutions. At T.M.M. & Partners Advocates, Robert and his team bring together a diverse group of Advocates of the High Court of Kenya and legal experts, united by a common goal of delivering exceptional legal services tailored to meet unique needs. They pride themselves on their unwavering dedication to clients and the communities they serve.
In addition to his role at T.M.M. PARTNERS Advocates, Robert is a professional with a diverse and impressive background in the fields of law, technology, and blockchain. He is the driving force behind My Shamba Digital, a pioneering proptech startup that is dedicated to simplifying real estate transactions in Africa through the power of blockchain technology.
My Shamba Digital aims to transform the real estate investment sector on the continent by tokenising real estate assets, making them more accessible and liquid.
Robert is also an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, underscoring his legal expertise and qualifications. He is actively involved in legal matters and serves as the Chairman of the Blockchain Sub-Committee at the LSK Nairobi Branch ICT and IP Committee, playing a pivotal role in promoting and advancing the understanding and adoption of blockchain technology within the legal field.
Furthermore, Robert com'smitment to sharing his knowledge and experience is evident in his role as a mentor, where he guides and inspires the next generation of professionals and entrepreneurs. He is also a co-founder of Sheria Online, a digital platform aimed at bridging the access to justice gap in Kenya, offering a curated knowledge base for individuals seeking guidance on legal matters related to Kenyan law.
Kamotho Waiganjo
Former Commissioner at the (defunct) Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC), Kamotho has been an advocate of the High Court of Kenya for more than 30 years. He holds both a Bachelors and Master of Law degrees from the University of Nairobi, and a Certificate in Public Finance and Decentralisation from Duke University, USA.
Kamotho is currently undertaking a PhD in Law at the University of Nairobi. In his years in private practice, he has handled commercial, constitutional and administrative law issues. As Commissioner at the CIC, he oversaw legislative developments in the devolution and public finance sectors.
Since serving at the CIC he’s engaged in consultancy work on constitutional issues, particularly devolution, public finance and fiscal decentralisation. In this respect, he drafted the legislative framework for water and sanitation for the Northern Frontier Counties and has also been engaged in writing numerous other laws and policies on elections, agriculture, and natural resources. He has been engaged in constitutional litigation on a diversity of issues, mostly relating to devolution.
Kamotho has written on several subjects, including on the implementation of constitutions in Africa, and writes a weekly column in one of the national newspapers. He has served as a director in numerous public and private entities including The Law Society of Kenya and Kituo Cha Sheria. He is a husband, father, and grandfather of five.
Dr. Fred Ojiambo, SC, MBS
Senior Partner, Kaplan & Stratton Advocates. Dr. Fred Ojiambo is a Kenya advocate. He was admitted as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya in 1975. His main area of practice is civil litigation in the following areas: banking, insurance, medical negligence and malpractice issues, land disputes, commercial transactions, international trade, construction and environmental law, judicial review, criminal law, public international law claims, employment, debt collection, criminal law, arbitration and mediation. Dr. Ojiambo mainly handles matters before the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, the High Court, the Industrial Court and other specialised Tribunals. He has also participated in various judicial and other inquiries such as the inquiry into the Goldenberg affair. Dr. Ojiambo has been the Chair of the Law Society of Kenya and Senior Counsel Bar. He has served and continues to serve as director in various organisations and
Kamotho has written on several subjects, including on the implementation of constitutions in Africa, and writes a weekly column in one of the national newspapers. He has served as a director in numerous public and private entities including The Law Society of Kenya and Kituo Cha Sheria. He is a husband, father, and grandfather of five.
With thanks to 3VB’s International Advisory and Dispute Resolution Unit (IADRU)
The Bar Council of England and Wales thanks IADRU for its continued support with the planning and execution of this visit to Kenya.
Established in 2019, IADRU complements 3VB’s international practice by providing pro bono legal capacity in developed and emerging markets through trainings, workshops, conferences, and insights. The program’s strategy is aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, with particular focus on gender equality, rule of law, justice, and supporting strong institutions.
The primary goal is to reinforce the drive for peace, justice, and strong institutions, including promoting the rule of law and access to justice in a self-sustained way on an international stage. The unit’s offering is complementary to Goal 16 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and includes advice, drafting services, and advocacy.
IADRU also helps with other practical issues, including the identification of arbitrators, consultation services for projects, and assistance with negotiations.