Legal Counsel

The Legal Counsel will provide high-quality legal representation, legal advice, and legal aid services to women and girls, support strategic litigation and advocacy initiatives, strengthen alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, and contribute to FIDA-Kenya's mission of promoting access to justice and gender equality.

Key Responsibilities

Legal Representation and Legal Aid

• Provide legal advice and legal aid services to clients in accordance with FIDA-Kenya's mandate.
• Represent clients before courts, tribunals, and quasi-judicial bodies.
• Prepare pleadings, affidavits, submissions, witness statements, and other legal documents.
• Conduct legal research and provide sound legal opinions.
• Support strategic litigation aimed at advancing women's rights and gender justice.

Case Management

• Manage an assigned litigation portfolio and ensure timely progression of cases.
• Maintain accurate client records and case management information.
• Monitor court schedules and the virtual justice system, ensuring compliance with procedural timelines.
• Prepare regular reports on case outcomes and emerging legal trends.

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

• Facilitate mediation, Alternative Justice Systems (AJS), and other appropriate dispute resolution processes.
• Promote amicable settlement of disputes where appropriate.
• Support community-based dispute resolution initiatives.

Community Legal Empowerment

• Conduct legal awareness and civic education programmes.
• Support community outreach activities, legal clinics, and mobile legal aid initiatives.
• Develop simplified legal information materials for public education.

Advocacy and Policy

• Contribute to legal and policy research.
• Participate in advocacy initiatives aimed at promoting legal and policy reforms affecting women and girls.
• Prepare briefing notes, legal analyses, and policy submissions.

Partnerships and Organizational Support

• Build collaborative relationships with the Judiciary, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, National Police Service, County Governments, civil society organizations, and other justice sector actors.
• Represent FIDA-Kenya in stakeholder forums as assigned.
• Contribute to programme design, resource mobilisation, proposal development, and donor reporting where required.
• Undertake any other duties assigned in support of FIDA-Kenya's mandate.

Person Specifications

Academic and Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree from a recognized university.
• Postgraduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law.
• Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with a current practising certificate.
• Member of the Law Society of Kenya in good standing.
• Training in mediation or alternative dispute resolution is an added advantage.

Experience

• At least three (3) years of relevant post-admission experience in litigation and legal advisory services.
• Experience in gender justice, human rights, family law, succession, children's rights, or public interest litigation is an added advantage.
• Experience working with civil society or development organizations is desirable.