The Law Society of Kenya (LSK), in partnership with the Senior Counsel Bar, has strongly opposed a proposed amendment to the Advocates Act that would grant the President unilateral powers to confer the rank of Senior Counsel.
In a joint statement, the two bodies warned that the changes threaten to erode decades of professional standards by shifting the authority to confer the prestigious title from a merit-based, peer-reviewed process to one influenced by political officeholders.
“This process must remain merit-based, peer-reviewed and independent of political influence. Senior Counsel should continue to represent legal excellence earned through professional achievement, not an automatic title tied to public office,” the LSK president stated.
The LSK emphasised that only advocates who meet the highest threshold of distinction should be elevated to the rank, adding that safeguarding the integrity of the process protects not only the dignity of the title but also the legal profession as a whole.
The Society and the Senior Counsel Bar urged National Assembly Justice and Legal Affairs Committee Chairperson Hon. George Gitonga Murugara to withdraw the amendment and reaffirm the existing legal framework, which they say enjoys public support and participation.
They further pledged to continue engaging constructively, in line with the Law Society of Kenya Act, to ensure legal reforms strengthen rather than compromise professional standards.
Discussion about this post