Oraro & Company Advocates > Nairobi, Kenya > Firm Profile

With a good reputation for handling complex banking disputes, debt recovery and asset tracing, the practice area has represented clients in various courts in the land, including the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. Our asset tracing and recoveries practice works closely with a broad range of stakeholders, including banks, financial intermediaries, distressed companies, creditors, private equity sponsors, and governments. As a full-service law firm, the practice area is able to call upon lawyers from a wide range of related specialist areas, including tax, employment and labour, banking and finance, and restructuring and insolvency.

Banking and finance: With increased oversight in the banking sector and the advent of Islamic finance and FinTech in Kenya, we leverage on the trusted legal advice we provide to regulators to help clients make sense of what may be complex transactions in an increasingly competitive market.

Our banking and finance practice area is well-known for its years of experience in advising clients in banking and finance law on contentious and non-contentious matters. The practice area actively advises on asset finance, structuring and drafting lending and security documentation for corporate and retail lending, including cross-border and syndicated loans, structured finance and trade finance for local and regional banks, regulators and international financial institutions.

Capital markets: Over the years, we have established a reputation as a market leader in capital markets transactions in the country, representing a range of listed companies in Kenya. We have been instrumental in the development of the legal and regulatory framework for Kenya’s Capital Markets Authority (CMA) as well as advising the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) technical committee.

The practice has years of experience in advising on a broad spectrum of capital markets products and incorporates specialist expertise in debt and equity capital markets. The practice area is highly regarded for offering clients commercially insightful advice, technical expertise, and a complete understanding of both sides of a transaction. Our advice also reflects a broader view of the regulatory issues, markets, and business environment in which our clients operate. Moreover, working closely with our dispute resolution practice area, the capital markets team acts and represents clients in contentious matters, tackling complex issues and deriving the satisfaction that comes from finding practical and efficient solutions.

Led by our founding partner, George Oraro SC, our team has particular industry expertise that enables us to enhance our clients’ abilities to execute their business goals effectively. George has served as a member of the Nairobi Securities Exchange’s Technical Committee and the Kenyan CMA’s Legal Panel, Disclosure and Standards’ Committee. Previously, he was a board member at the CMA for six years and was involved in shaping the legal and regulatory framework for Kenya’s Capital Markets from its formative phase. Additionally, our firm has, over time, established strong relationships with market authorities such as the CMA and NSE.

Conveyancing and real estate: Our conveyancing and real estate practice group has rich experience in providing strategic and practical advice to local and international clients on the acquisition and disposal of land, conveyancing, commercial and residential development, leases, licenses, project financing, structuring of complex projects and joint ventures. Our practice area encompasses the full spectrum of contentious matters, including conveyancing, commercial and residential developments, and leases and licenses.

Corporate and commercial: Our corporate and commercial practice area deals with both private and public corporations on substantive transactional matters. Our practice is well-positioned to provide strategic, business oriented legal advice on complex domestic, cross-border, and multi-jurisdictional transactions in both emerging and developed markets.

Our corporate and commercial practice comprises a robust team of lawyers who have proven experience in bringing commercial awareness to every transaction. The team prides itself on finding creative solutions to the most complex transactions entrusted to them. The practice is able to cut across several sectors, with extensive involvement in buyouts, corporate restructuring, incorporation and company registration, joint ventures, preparing and reviewing commercial agreements, private equity, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Moreover, the team has been involved in some of Kenya’s most complex M&A transactions in the financial services sector.

Dispute resolution: Known in the legal industry in Kenya as a “formidable dispute resolution practice,” we bring together a multidisciplinary disputes team with an in-depth understanding of the judicial process. Our practice group has the experience, skills and judgement to successfully guide clients from the onset of a dispute through a resolution.

Our dispute resolution practice group actively pursues all avenues of dispute resolution available to advise clients on a wide range of contentious matters, including banking litigation, highly complex commercial disputes, constitutional law, election petitions, environmental litigation, employment and labour law, family law, medical malpractice, public procurement and property disputes.

Employment and labour: Our employment and labour practice area has been recognised for its advice on contentious and non-contentious matters relating to termination and dismissal, redundancy, discrimination, and non-contentious matters, including advisory on employment contracts, employment policies and procedures, review of HR manuals and policies, and advising on staff restructuring. The practice advises clients in various sectors, including banking and financial services, health services, nongovernmental organisations, telecommunications and hospitality.

FinTech: Our FinTech law practice offers a combination of deep global technical experience with local regulatory and financial service knowledge. Frequently, the team is involved in advising clients on their financing, corporate matters, and regulatory and compliance. The practice area also provides financial and technical legal advice on the establishment of fintech service businesses, licensing of the products, compliance with regulatory requirements, and dispute resolution in day-to-day matters, and highly complex issues in the industry. Our client base in the practice area ranges from venture capital funds, start-ups, banks, and other financial institutions.

Infrastructure, projects and PPP: Our Infrastructure, projects and PPP practice group is at the forefront of providing commercially focused advice in rapidly growing sectors in Kenya, including energy, power generation, engineering and construction, mining and metals, telecommunications, transport, infrastructure and Public Private Partnerships.

The practice area consists of a specialist team of lawyers who are experts in the energy field and deliver commercial and best practice advice across all areas of contentious and non-contentious matters, backed by a deep understanding of the complexities of the industry. The practice has substantial expertise in advising on project structuring, project financing, drafting and reviewing project contracts, contract negotiation, public procurement, and conducting extensive legal due diligence. Our advocates have been involved in social infrastructure projects, including roads and housing projects.

Private client: Our private client practice area provides prudent direction to individuals and families. The private client team provides all-round legal services in the most efficient way by integrating the other practice areas when handling personal and structural issues.

Through this practice area, we have been able to preserve, build, maintain and establish trust with our client base. Our practice is aimed at linking relationships with our clients to provide them with practical and attainable legal advice and action.

Restructuring and insolvency: Our insolvency and restructuring practice group is well regarded for advising on some of the largest and most complex restructuring and insolvency matters in the country. We combine various practice areas to deliver practical advice on both contentious and non-contentious aspects of Insolvency law.

We regularly work closely with a broad range of stakeholders, including banks, financial intermediaries, distressed companies, creditors, private equity sponsors and governments.

Tax: Our tax practice area is well known for its comprehensive understanding of Kenyan tax laws. The practice area is regarded for its expertise in handling both contentious and non-contentious tax matters, developing solutions that are both tax efficient and practical to help our clients maximise opportunities while minimising risks.

The practice area provides advice on domestic and international tax, value-added tax, income tax, capital gains tax and transfer pricing. We also advise on the tax implications of mergers and acquisitions and capital markets transactions. In tax disputes, the tax practice is renowned for its creative approach and is forward thinking in tax litigation due to the complexity of Kenyan tax laws.