1,370 Legal jobs in Kenya

Job Title- Legal Counsel

Reporting to - Legal Manager

Department - Legal

Job Purpose
Legal Counsel is responsible for management of civil and criminal court cases, maintenance of the litigation database and assisting in case investigation and assessment on behalf of the company. The position ensures that the company's dispute resolution mechanisms are effective and that court cases are properly managed in compliance with the country's legal and regulatory framework. The position shall also be an advisory one with the officer providing expert opinion and execution on all matters pertaining litigation and risk management.

Key Responsibilities:

• Assist in managing all litigation matters within the company and its subsidiaries, including handling matters in person as required
• Receive and process summons and pleadings filed against the company
• Ensure accurate documentation of cases, including maintaining the litigation tracker and keeping records of all upcoming court dates and case progress for each case
• Give sound legal opinions on litigation matters within the company and its subsidiaries with key focus on cost management
• Draft for review and approval all demand letters, legal instruments and court defense responses
• Participate in negotiation of out of court settlements and draft settlement agreements for execution
• Conduct legal research, monitor legislation changes and advise management on the same
• Visit different courts throughout the country to follow up on litigation matters and support field teams in prosecution of cases as may be required
• Initiate process of case withdrawal from court where matter has been settled and debt cleared
• Together with the Legal manager, map out the company's litigation portfolio
• Oversee legal compliance in all facilities leased by the company
• Maintain regular communication with external panel of lawyers, insurance service providers and other stakeholders
• Any other duties as assigned from time to time

Requirements:

Education and Experience

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from a recognized institution
• Minimum 3 years of relevant work experience

Technical Skills

• Litigation & Contract Management
• Legal policies and procedures
• Relationship building
• Teamwork and collaboration
• People skills
• Records management

Behavioral Skills

• Creativity in developing dispute resolution solutions towards out of court settlements
• Develop and improve on processes
• Promote good working relationships with all stakeholders in the litigation process
• Self motivated

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Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

1. Legal Support

2. Assist in legal research and analysis on applicable laws, regulations, and case law.

3. Draft and review basic legal documents including contracts, letters, notices, and memos.
4. Maintain an organized filing system for legal documents (physical and digital).
5. Support the preparation of documentation for litigation, arbitration, or regulatory submissions.

2. Company Secretarial Support

• Assist in the preparation and filing of statutory returns and resolutions with the Registrar of Companies.
• Support in maintaining statutory registers and company records.
• Assist in drafting board and committee notices, agendas, minutes, and resolutions.
• Participate in board and shareholder meetings where applicable and prepare summary notes.

3. Governance & Compliance

• Support the company in monitoring compliance with relevant legal and regulatory requirements.
• Assist in the implementation of governance policies and procedures.
• Monitor deadlines for filings and renewals (e.g., business permits, licenses).

4. Administrative & Coordination

• Coordinate with other departments to gather required information for legal and secretarial processes.
• Support the Legal and Compliance team with day-to-day administrative tasks.
• Manage document certification, sealing, and stamping.
• Provide logistical support for meetings, trainings, or compliance audits.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Law (LLB) from a recognized university.
• Postgraduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law (ongoing or completed) is an added advantage.
• Company Secretarial foundation level

Skills & Competencies:

• Excellent legal research and drafting skills.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational ability.
• High level of integrity and confidentiality.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Eagerness to learn and adapt in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team.

Desirable:

• Basic knowledge of the Companies Act, 2015 and other relevant legislation.
• Familiarity with corporate governance and secretarial practice in Kenya.

Deadline for application is Friday 22nd August 2025

The Legal Officer is responsible for providing expert legal services to support business and ensure operations are carried out in accordance with the laid down company policies and procedures, regulatory guidelines and are within legal framework.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities include but not limited to the following:

• Provide legal advice and interpretation to on issues relating to the operations, procedures and policies governing the general business of the organization to ensure compliance with the law.
• Drafting and reviewing agreements, legal documents, Memorandums of Understanding and other collateral securities relating to MCL's business
• Perusing, drafting, renewing, reviewing and editing of loan documents and loan files where and when necessary.
• Providing general legal advice on legal recovery processes and drafting the necessary notices for example demand notices, default notices, recall notices, etc. Participate in recovery of written off and bad loans.
• Work in liaison with external law firms, ensure due diligence is conducted on individual borrowers, companies, organizations, associations, partnerships and loan securities pledged by clients.
• Providing advice on litigation matters and monitor assignments with external lawyers. Routinely appear in courts of law with external lawyers and any other fora and design appropriate litigation strategies to monitor the progress of litigation matters.
• Preparing release letters for securities after completion of the loans and ensure release of security where applicable.
• Performing any other duties as may be assigned by management from time to time.

Qualification, Knowledge and Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree in Law from a recognized Institution, Post Graduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law
• At least 4 years' experience in a legal department of a busy organization, financial services, with sound exposure to credit or lending and debt recovery.
• Advocate of the High Court of Kenya of at least 2 years' post-admission.
• Certified Public Secretary of Kenya CPS (K) is an added advantage
• Membership in the Law Society of Kenya.
• Proficiency with MS Office suite packages as well as good IT skills and knowledge are essential

Key Competencies

• Proficient negotiation and mediation skills
• Innovative thinking ability with strong analytical skills
• Exceptional communication skills, organizational and report writing skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills with ability to build supportive relationships with everyone across the firm.
• Able to multi-task, manage time effectively and keep calm under pressure.
• Maintains the highest professional standards.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit their application through our careers page and detailed CV by 20th September 2025.

Company Description

We suggest you enter details here.

Role Description

This is a full-time on-site role for an Associate Legal Counsel located in Nairobi County, Kenya. The Associate Legal Counsel will be responsible for providing legal advice, preparing legal documents, and negotiating contracts. The Associate Legal Counsel will also address various legal issues and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

Qualifications

• Proficient in Law and providing Legal Advice
• Skilled in Contract Negotiation and handling Legal Issues
• Experience in Legal Document Preparation
• Strong analytical and research skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent law degree
• Admitted to the Bar in Kenya
• At least 2 years experience

The Foundation
We are the largest nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world. Founded on a simple premise: people everywhere, regardless of identity or circumstances, should have the chance to live healthy, productive lives. We believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve. We provide an exceptional benefits package to employees and their families which include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, foundation-paid retirement contribution, regional holidays, and opportunities to engage in several employee communities. As a workplace, we're committed to creating an environment for you to thrive both personally and professionally.

The Team
"Guidance, Solutions, Integrity" describes the Legal division's approach to providing responsive legal guidance supporting pursuit of the Foundation's mission and implementation of the foundation's programmatic and operational strategies. The Legal team delivers comprehensive legal services by providing efficient and reliable legal guidance, managing legal risk, and supporting the development of solutions to achieve the mission of the foundation and its affiliated entities.

The Legal team partners with our colleagues across the foundation and its affiliated entities to enable mission-driven work by maintaining an efficient, well-run global organization where employees can thrive and make their best contributions. Doing this well requires effective collaboration, strong alignment, and thoughtful planning across both operational and programmatic teams – as well as shared accountability for mitigating risk and optimizing the foundation's operational resources.

Your Role
We seek a
Deputy Director, Legal
to provide legal advice in support of the Foundation's programmatic activities, while also supporting its operational needs as appropriate. This position requires a commitment to the Foundation's mission and a strong understanding of the legal and regulatory landscapes in Kenya and across the rest of Africa, and the ability to navigate diverse legal systems and cross-cultural settings. The successful candidate will work closely with internal teams and external partners across multiple jurisdictions to help structure legally sound, mission-aligned work in dynamic and evolving environments. This is an exciting opportunity to apply your legal skills to some of the world's most pressing challenges. You will be part of a dynamic legal team supporting high-impact work that improves lives across the globe.

The postholder will serve as a member of the Foundation's Legal Team and collaborate with other team members to represent the entire Foundation and ensure effective coverage, work allocation and communication regarding legal issues across the Foundation, all from a "one legal team" and "one Foundation" perspective.

The role will be based at the Foundation's office in
Nairobi
, and report to a Director on the Legal Team (based in Seattle).

What You'll Do

• Understand and provide legal support for the programmatic and business objectives of internal client groups, notably the Foundation's Africa Team, develop creative solutions, mitigate legal risks and resolve issues using the appropriate legal framework in consideration of the Foundation's values and consistent with Foundation practices and policies.
• Structure, negotiate, and draft legal documents related to the Foundation's investments, including grants, contracts, and complex transactions and collaborations, and other Foundation activities in furtherance of the Foundation's charitable objectives (collectively, "Investments").
• Understand legal compliance best practices for, and help ensure Foundation-wide consistency regarding Investments, including with respect to applicable laws, Global Access, data/privacy matters, charitability, intellectual property, for-profit engagement and advocacy.
• Demonstrate broad generalist expertise to proactively identify legal issues and collaborate, where appropriate, with other Legal Team members to lead the resolution of complex and strategic legal issues across Africa, in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Establish a partnership of trust with key internal stakeholders and participate as a strategic and day-to-day advisor. Serve as an active and key contributor to the Foundation's Africa Leadership Team.
• Serve as the Legal Team's relationship manager for the Foundation's office in Kenya (and other country offices as required) and support the Foundation's activities across the African continent, working closely with the leadership and staff of the Foundation's Africa Team and providing guidance and helping to coordinate legal team resources where appropriate.
• Facilitate compliance with regulatory requirements applicable to the Foundation's offices in Africa and other Africa-based activities as well as help ensure Foundation-wide consistency, including developing generalist familiarity and, where appropriate, collaborating with other Legal Team members on operational matters (including requirements related to employment/labor, tax, office registration, cybersecurity, insurance, records retention, and workplace health and safety).
• Partner with other Foundation operations teams to support Foundation goals and policies as appropriate.
• Build relationships with and manage outside counsel, as applicable.
• Support training and education of Foundation personnel on legal issues, as well as grantees and partners as appropriate.
• Keep current on and track relevant applicable new and emerging laws, policy developments and best practices, including those relating to tax-exempt organizations, private foundations, cross-border giving and operational compliance in Kenya and the wider African continent.
• Travel to the Foundation's other Africa offices and its offices in the U.S. on a consistent basis required; travel to other Foundation offices as appropriate; and other travel as required.

Your Experience

• Academic: Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from a recognized university required; Masters of Law preferred.
• Professional: Admitted as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with a current practicing certificate. Member in good standing of the Law Society of Kenya.
• Minimum of 12 years' experience in the practice of law, of which at least seven years must have been in Kenya.
• Combination of law firm and in-house counsel experience strongly preferred.
• History of effectively supporting a demanding client base, serving as counselor on ground-breaking, emerging legal issues in a complex, fast-paced and evolving legal and policy environment.
• Direct experience guiding and generally advising clients on broad and multi-jurisdictional commercial legal and business matters in cross-cultural, multilingual, and often politically sensitive environments on the African continent is a plus.
• Experience with supporting grant making and other investment vehicles within philanthropy or representing an international non-governmental agency or a U.S. based not-for-profit is a plus.
• Expertise in leading, drafting and negotiating complex transactions and collaborative relationships.
• Ability to identify potential business and/or operational issues that could impact business objectives of internal clients.
• Ability to collaborate across a legal team and with clients and/or business partners as well as the ability to build relationships to gain the respect and trust of others.
• Ability to communicate complex legal concepts clearly and non-legalistically to clients in both writing and orally.
• Ability to work with diplomacy, flexibility, efficiency, intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm both individually and collaboratively as part of a team effort in a highly matrixed organization.
• Ability to prioritize work in the context of an organization's risk tolerance framework, priorities and objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to learn and apply new areas of law applicable to nascent and evolving technologies, business models, regulatory systems, and investment models, demonstrating intellectual curiosity and excitement to engage proactively and confidently with unfamiliar topics.
• Highest standards of ethics and integrity.
• Sense of balance, humor and perspective.

Other Attributes

• Demonstrated passion for the Foundation's mission and values and Legal Team purpose statement.
• Comfortable in a wide range of cultural, geographic and operational settings, demonstrating culturally sensitive behavior with a diverse range of people.
• Ability to travel up to 30% internationally.
• Must be able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.

Application deadline
: 2 October 2025

Hiring Requirements
As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

Candidate Accommodations
If you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request here.

Inclusion Statement
We are dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We strive for a global and cultural workplace that supports ever greater diversity, equity, and inclusion — of voices, ideas, and approaches — and we support this diversity through all our employment practices.

All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve our mission will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and prior protected activity.

AGRA and its Work

AGRA is an African-led institution that actively supports the drive towards inclusive agricultural transformation and sustainable food systems. Working in alignment with the development priorities of our focus countries, we enable farmers to access improved and high-yielding seeds, gain knowledge on sustainable farming, and link to profitable markets.

In our work, we aspire to build the alliances, partnerships, and networks required to drive an inclusive agricultural transformation. We work with our partners to create an equitable, youth-friendly environment that harnesses the youth dividend on the continent to drive growth and facilitate open employment opportunities for young women and men. We achieve our key objectives through a focus on the following four areas of intervention:

1. Policy and state capability - We support governments in creating an enabling environment for private sector involvement in agricultural transformation.
2. Seed systems – We trigger higher productivity by increasing the availability and access to improved seeds by farmers, allowing them to increase their harvests for food security and better incomes.
3. Sustainable farming – We support farmers in building resilient farming systems for sustained high yields through interventions such as mechanization and irrigation.
4. Inclusive markets and trade – We work to increase the linkages between farmers and other market actors for a positive, sustained cycle of commercialization and reinvestment.
5. Youth, Gender, and Inclusiveness – We enable women and youth to contribute to and benefit from agriculture for their economic empowerment.

Implementing Our New Strategy Through People

People are the heart of our organization and remain the true drivers of our delivery and our impact.

We work with incredible people and partners who have roots in farming communities across the continent, combined with an inclusive and diverse workforce from over 24 nationalities. Our commitment to a call to action goes beyond ourselves as we arise to catalyze African Food Systems' transformation by being
Deeply collaborative, Executing Excellently, Sincerely Constructive, and Increasingly Entrepreneurial,
aligned with our values of (I-RISE; Integrity, Respect, Innovation, Stewardship, and Equity).

The Position

General Counsel & Corporation Secretary

Purpose:
To lead AGRA's legal function and governance, ensuring the institution operates with integrity, compliance, and accountability while maximizing the effectiveness of its Board and governance structures.

This role combines legal stewardship, board governance, institutional compliance, and strategic advisory to the President and Board. The General Counsel & Corporate Secretary will ensure AGRA's legal resilience across its multi-country operations, while enabling its Board to play a more strategic, value-adding role in the transformation of African food systems.

The General Counsel & Corporate Secretary will report to the President administratively and to the Board Chair in their secretarial capacity, serving as a key member of AGRA's executive leadership team.

The General Counsel & Corporate Secretary will:

• Serve as AGRA's principal legal advisor
  : oversee all legal matters, mitigate legal risk, and ensure statutory and regulatory compliance across multiple African jurisdictions.
• Strengthening governance and Board effectiveness
  : act as Secretary to AGRA's Board and Committees; manage board documentation, action tracking, and communication; enhance alignment between Board and Management.
• Enable strategic Board engagement
  : design systems and structures that leverage AGRA's influential Board more fully supporting strategic input, stakeholder convening, and aligned communications.
• Lead institutional compliance
  : review contracts, grants, procurements and partnerships; ensure legal soundness and adherence to donor and statutory requirements; provide oversight of litigation.
• Build capacity and leadership
  : develop and mentor AGRA's legal team; oversee external counsel; ensure governance and legal processes are strategic enablers rather than bottlenecks.
• Shape future structures
  : advise on placement of risk, compliance and regulatory affairs functions within AGRA, ensuring alignment with best practice.

Key
Responsibilities
of the role include:

Legal Stewardship and Risk Management

• Serve as AGRA's principal legal advisor, providing timely counsel to the President, Executive Committee, and Board.
• Ensure compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements across AGRA's multi-country operations.
• Lead contract negotiation, drafting and review for grants, procurements, partnerships, and consultancy agreements.
• Manage litigation, oversee external counsel, and safeguard AGRA's legal and reputational integrity.
• Establish and enforce policies, processes and systems that reduce legal risk and enhance institutional efficiency.

Governance and Board Effectiveness

• Act as Secretary to the Board of Directors and its Committees, accountable to the Board Chair.
• Manage the scheduling, preparation, and documentation of all Board and Committee meetings, ensuring best-in-class governance practices.
• Drive innovation in Board engagement, introducing practices such as communiqués and enhanced strategic dialogue to optimize Board contribution.
• Support the President and Board Chair in strengthening AGRA's governance frameworks, aligning them with international best practice.

Board Relations and Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and sustain strong relationships with AGRA's influential Board members, enabling them to contribute more fully to AGRA's strategy.
• Ensure alignment of external communications with Board messaging; manage Board-related communications and representation at key convenings.
• Work closely with the Partnerships and Communications teams to leverage Board members' networks for institutional positioning and strategic opportunities.
• Serve as a trusted liaison between the Board, management, and external stakeholders on governance and legal matters.

Compliance and Regulatory Affairs

• Provide oversight of organizational compliance, including grants, procurement and donor requirements.
• Advise on the institutional placement of enterprise risk, compliance, and regulatory affairs functions, ensuring coherence and independence of checks and balances.
• Maintain custody of AGRA's legal documents and ensure adherence to donor, national, and international compliance frameworks.
• Partner with internal audit and risk functions to ensure robust governance and accountability mechanisms.

Leadership and Capacity Building

• Lead, mentor, and develop AGRA's legal and governance team, fostering a culture of professionalism, accountability, and service excellence.
• Strengthening legal capacity across the organization through training and knowledge-sharing.
• Ensure that legal and governance functions are enablers of AGRA's mission, supporting agility and innovation while safeguarding compliance.
• Build strong relationships with external legal partners and regulators, ensuring AGRA is represented effectively in relevant forums.

The Ideal Leader

This is a pivotal executive role in a moment of transformation for AGRA. The ideal leader will bring not only legal excellence but also the vision and gravitas to strengthen institutional governance and help AGRA navigate complexity with agility.

The ideal leader will be:

• Strategic and seasoned:
  a senior lawyer with pan-African legal experience, deep operating expertise in Kenyan law, and maturity gained from working across jurisdictions and complex organizations.
• Governance-minded
  : adept at board relations, skilled in enabling high-performing boards, and committed to the highest standards of governance and compliance.
• Stakeholder-savvy
  : able to engage confidently with government, donors, partners, and Board members, leveraging networks to advance AGRA's mission.
• Team-builder
  : capable of leading and empowering a legal and governance team, with a focus on mentoring, delegation and institutional resilience.
• Adaptive and values-led
  : resilient under pressure, collaborative in style, and motivated by AGRA's mission to transform Africa's food systems.

Key
Requirements of
the role include:

• Master's degree in law from a recognized university; admission to the Bar in a sub-Saharan African jurisdiction.
• Certified Public Secretary; Advocate of the High Court of Kenya.
• Minimum 15 years' post-qualification legal experience, with significant leadership in pan-African or multi-country roles.
• Proven experience in board governance, corporate secretariat functions, and compliance management.
• Strong negotiation, litigation, and contract management expertise.
• Demonstrated ability to build legal teams and mentor senior counsel.
• Excellent communication skills: ability to influence and align senior stakeholders, including Board members.
• Experience in non-profit, intergovernmental, or international development organizations is a distinct advantage.

AGRA is a crucible for diversity and equal opportunity organization. We welcome the torch bearers of change for this role. All expressions of interest will be enveloped in confidentiality. Interested executives are requested to
send in a cover letter and their updated resume/CV via email to

before the application deadline of 3rd October 2025.

For more information on AGRA, visit

AGRA is an Equal Opportunity Employer