This archive report was first published on 20 June 2020.
On June 20, 2020, High Court Judge Pauline Nyamweya allowed City lawyer Donald Kipkorir to withdraw his case challenging the list of lawyers selected for the senior counsel title.
Mr. Kipkorir had been in a protracted battle with the committee responsible for selecting lawyers to the coveted rank since last year.
According to Justice Nyamweya, Mr. Kipkorir's chamber summons dated October 9, 2019, and the suit are hereby marked as withdrawn.
The committee responsible for selecting lawyers to the rank comprises a judge of the Supreme Court, one from the Court of Appeal, High Court, and a magistrate, the Attorney-General, the President of LSK, three senior counsels, and two advocates with at least 10 years of experience.
On January 2018, LSK invited applicants for the said rank, and applications were to be submitted by March 29, 2019.
However, on September 2019, Mr. Kipkorir moved to court seeking to stop the committee from forwarding the list to President Uhuru Kenyatta following his exclusion.
LSK later revoked the recommendations of the committee on senior counsel to confer the rank to 24 lawyers, a move that saw affected lawyers move to court to protest.
When 22 out of the 24 lawyers, including Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka and Narc Kenya's Martha Karua, protested against LSK's decision, Justice Nyamweya temporarily suspended LSK's decision.
Other prominent lawyers seeking the title are deputy director of public prosecutions Dorcas Odour, family lawyer Judith Thongori, former chief executive of the defunct Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission Patricia Nyaundi, and Mr. Kioko Kilukumi.
Following the withdrawal of the initial case by Mr. Kipkorir, it could imply that the 24 may have to simply comply with LSK's directive.
According to Mr. Kipkorir, he is awaiting to submit himself to the new process once it is announced formally and the way forward on the issue is given by the Mr. Ahmednassir Abdullahi led committee.
