Walker Kontos

Corporate & Commercial Law

We act as corporate legal advisers to a large number of businesses in Kenya. These range from purely local undertakings to subsidiaries and branches of international corporations.

In this capacity, we are appointed by our clients on retainer to advise on typical day-to-day issues as they might arise, including matters in relation to employment, tax, leases and contracts; or are asked to undertake specific larger tasks such as drafting and negotiating a broad spectrum of agreements typical to corporate and commercial entities.

Our clients represent a broad spectrum of industry including banks and financial institutions, insurance companies, brokers, the hospitality sector, private equity funds, communications providers, m-commerce operators, agribusiness (including horticulture and floriculture), airlines, pharmaceutical companies, oil and gas companies, independent power producers and property developers. As general counsel to our clients, we cherish the relationships that are forged with sponsors and aim to ensure that we are always there when needed.

Please contact any of our corporate and commercial partners for more information.

Employment

Our employment specialists boast the experience and skills our Clients need when dealing with any issue that touches on employment. We work closely with Companies in this area and assist them to put in place the policies and documentation required by law in order to reduce risk.

We regularly advise on issues spanning from drafting of employment contracts to terminations, restrictive covenants engagement with trade unions and labour officers, disciplinary action and redundancies, including defending Companies in the Industrial Court, a division of the High Court of Kenya. We offer tailor made solutions on restructuring arising from mergers and acquisitions.

Our experts provide a full range of advice to clients on employment matters, in particular:-

 

• Unfair and wrongful dismissal
• Work Injury Benefits
• Occupational Health and Safety Management
• Redundancies
• Discrimination
• Non-solicitation clauses
• Directors' service agreements
• Executive compensation
• Employee outsourcing
• Employment contracts
• Employment policies
• Employment rights
• Conduct of proceedings in the Industrial Court of Kenya.
• Pensions
• Restrictive covenants
• Employee Share Option Schemes
• Collective Bargaining
• Re-organisation and restructuring

Intellectual Property

The protection of dynamic business assets requires the use and application of intellectual property law. Our intellectual property team integrates IP specialists with litigation lawyers in the region to offer seamless and pragmatic advice and solutions.

We are well regarded and offer a unified and multi-jurisdictional service in the following areas:
 

• Confidentiality / trade secrets
• Trademarks and Trademark infringement
• Copyright
• Design protection
• IT, technology and communications
• Know-how
• Passing off
• Trademarks
• Industrial Designs
• Plant breeders rights

Our Clients range from financial institutions, pharmaceutical companies, SME's , not for profit organisations, entrepreneurs, advertising companies, plant breeders and individuals.

Please contact Gregory Karungo or Rahma Karanja for more information.

Real Estate & Conveyancing

Reputed to be one of the most respected conveyancing practices in Kenya, the firm handles real estate transactions and developments across varied sectors.

We advise real estate developers from inception to sale and our diverse experience includes complex leasing and management structures for the development of estates, business parks and shopping malls. More generally, we act in property sales and puchases as well as leases of immovable property. We have also acted in several transactions involving the acquisition of agricultural land, which require experience in navigating restrictions imposed on ownership of such land.

The repeal and replacement of land legislation in 2012 has necessitated innovation and a fundamental understanding of land law. So well regarded is our expertise in this field that one of the firm's partner's has been instrumental in the drafting of subsidiary legislation necessary to give full effect to the new land laws.

Please contact any of our corporate and commercial partners or any of our senior associates for more information.

Arbitration & ADR

The Constitution of Kenya 2010 directs Courts and Tribunals to be guided by the principle of alternative forms of dispute resolution including reconciliation, mediation and arbitration. Walker Kontos has a team of seasoned lawyers with top tier reputation in advisory and contentious matters.

In particular, the firm has two Partners that are Fellows of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, with five other Partners being Members of the same Institute. We maintain a leading presence in the Arbitration arena, having earned solid reputations as effective and skilled arbitrators.

One of our Partners in particular, is at any one time presiding over several commercial arbitrations.

Our team is presently involved in drafting Kenya's first legislative amendment to introduce Alternative Dispute Resolution.

For more information, please contact our litigation and dispute resolution partners.