Legal market to open in Kenya?

Kenya’s closed legal market is taking the first steps towards liberalisation with confirmation that a committee has been established to review its Advocates Act, reported The Lawyer. The review could pave the way for foreign firms to open their own offices in the jurisdiction. Currently, independent firms associated with foreign outfits are not permitted to use the branding or name of their international partners. The committee has been convened by the Kenya Law Reform Commission and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) wrote to practitioners last week asking for their views. According to the LSK, the committee has been asked to review the act “with a view of reforming and updating it or making proposals for its repeal and re-enactment as a new Legal Practitioners Bill. The legislation is to take into consideration emerging challenges in the training and regulation of the legal service sector.”

A recent court judgment has removed a ban on advertising, with judges ruling that the profession had developed to such a state that banning firms from marketing their services was pointless. The ruling is set to be codified into law later this year, although advertising will remain limited. Meanwhile, Kenya has just gazetted an amendment to its Advocates Remuneration Order, which sets minimum fee levels for a wide range of legal work.