Kenya School of Law

The Kenya School of Law (the School) was established in 1963 when a total of 11 students were admitted. The School was located on 4 acre plot on Valley Road where the University of Nairobi’s Dental School currently stands. The premises were formerly a maternity wing of the Nairobi Hospital. The School was a department of the Attorney General’s Office until July 2001, when it acquired the status of a semi-autonomous government agency. As an effort to boost training activities at the School, the Government, through the Ministry of Finance, financed the purchase of the current modern and spacious premises at Karen. The School took occupation of the new premises in January, 2005.

In an effort to address some of the issues linked to education and training for a competent and professional legal profession, both the pre and post-colonial governments have undertaken various initiatives and set up commissions of inquiry to formulate appropriate policy. Some of these include the Denning Committee (1962); the Akiwumi Committee (1995) on the Status and Management of the Kenya School of Law; the Kwach Committee (1998) on the Administration of Justice. The recommendations of these committees still form the bulwark of policy on legal education and training in the Country. The recommendations of the Akiwumi Report in particular culminated in the establishment of the Council of Legal Education (the Council) under the Council of Legal Education Act, Cap 16A of the Laws of Kenya (now repealed).