The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has invited applications for the conferment of the rank of Senior Counsel for the year 2025.
In a notice on Tuesday, September 2, LSK asked qualified advocates to submit their applications for consideration by the Committee on Senior Counsel.
“Pursuant to Rule 5 of the Advocates (Senior Counsel Conferment and Privileges) Rules, 2011, the Committee on Senior Counsel hereby invites members of the Society with the requisite qualifications and interest in the conferment of the rank of Senior Counsel to submit applications for consideration.
“Applicants are required to submit their applications together with supporting information or evidence to demonstrate that they meet the criteria set out under Rule 7 of the Rules,” read part of the notice.
To be eligible for conferment of the Senior Counsel rank, one must meet the requirements under Section 17(2) of the Advocates Act.
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One should also be an active legal practitioner and undertakes training of other members in the legal profession, holds a valid practicing certificate or is entitled to act as an advocate under Section 10 of the Act at the time of making the application, not been found guilty of professional misconduct by the Disciplinary Committee established under the Act and should possesses sound knowledge of law and professional competence.
Further, an applicant should have argued a substantive matter before a superior, regional, or international court, be a person of integrity, irreproachable professional conduct and good character, and should have actively served LSK or other regional or international bar association to which the Society is a member or has undertaken community service.
Additionally, the applicant is required to have contributed to the development of the legal profession through scholarly writings and presentations.
How to apply for the Senior Counsel rank
Qualified members are required to submit their applications, together with all supporting documents through by completing the online application form via the link: https://forms.gle/AE6ujcYDegPHy9Pq9.
The applicants should also submit hard copies of their application and supporting documents in a sealed envelope clearly marked ‘Senior Counsel Conferment’.
The application should be addressed to the Secretary/CEO, Law Society of Kenya, Lavington, Opp. Valley Arcade, Gitanga Road P. O. Box 72219-00200 Nairobi.
The deadline for the applications is Friday, October 3, 2025, by 5:00 p.m.
The notice comes days after LSK opposed the Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks to grant the President powers to confer the rank of Senior Counsel.
LSK President Faith Odhiambo, in a statement, said the proposal will undermine long-standing standards built to keep the process fair, transparent, and based on legal excellence.
“The proposed amendments risk undermining decades of hard-won standards by shifting authority to confer this prestigious rank to political officeholders. This process must remain merit-based, peer-reviewed, and independent of political influence,” Odhiambo stated.
The LSK President noted that only advocates who meet the highest standard of distinction should be conferred the honor and not an automatic title tied to public office.
The bill, which is sponsored by Tharaka MP George Murugara seeks to give the President the power to confer Senior Counsel status on an advocate who has served as Speaker or Deputy Speaker of either House of Parliament, Chief Justice, Deputy Chief Justice, President of the Court of Appeal, Principal Judge of the High Court, Attorney-General, Solicitor-General and Director of Public Prosecutions.
