When news broke out mid last year that two of Kenya’s distinguished law firms were merging, many viewed the rare development with excitement, as it would have brought a battary of over 50 lawyers on one stable.
However, it seems the marriage between Hamilton Harrison & Mathews and Oraro & Co. Advocates is short-lived as the two firms have indicated they are parting ways.
Senior Counsel George Oraro, the personal lawyer of CORD Leader Raila Odinga, heads Oraro and Company Advocates.
The influential partnership will be terminated by end of business this month, effectively dissolving Hamilton Harrison & Mathews (incorporating Oraro & Co) as a single law firm.
Hamilton Harrison was founded in pre-independence years, 1902 to be precise, and has trained some of the known names in legal circles in Kenya, including Justice (rtd) Richard Kwach, Mr Paul Ndung’u who chaired the ground-breaking land commission, Justice Paul Kihara Kariuki, Mr Peter Le Pelley of the Goldenberg Commission.
Parliament’s Speaker Humphrey Slade, once worked at HHM, while Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, Lee Muthoga and William Maema are among prominent lawyers trained at the firm.
Some of the top lawyers who have gone through Oraro and Company include former partner Ambrose Rachier,Cecil Miller and Justice (rtd) Aaron Ringera.
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