BY SAM ALFAN.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) is up in arms over a billboard erected by the Federation of Kenya Employer (FKE).
In a letter addressed to FKE Chief Executive Officer Jacqueline Mugo by LSK Chief Executive Officer Mercy Wambua says, the move by FKE to list legal services as one of their services they offer is in violation of the advocate Act.
Ms Wambua wants ‘legal services’ expunged from the list of services listed on the billboard erected at the roundabout of Silver springs hotel next to doctors plaza.
“It has come to our attention via a billboard you have caused to be erected on the round about of silver spring hotel next to the doctors’ plaza Nairobi hospital on an iron in county that purports to be a person qualified to provide legal services in Kenya contrary to section 9 as read together with section 33 of the advocates act,” said Wambua.
In addition, they claim that the information provided in the billboard lists legal services as one of the many services that the federation offers.
Other services offered by the federation include; industrial relations, research and advocacy, training, management consultancy and projects.
LSK is concerned that the term legal services puts the FKE in contravention with the provisions of the advocates act which reserves the provision of legal services for advocates.
The society says that any unqualified person who willfully pretends to be, or uses any name title implying that he/she is qualified or recognized by law as qualified to act as an advocate, shall be guilty of an offense.
LSK has demanded that FKE ceases with immediate effect from purporting to provide legal services and/or holding itself as capable of providing legal services.
LSK has threatened to sue the federation should it fail to amend the billboard.
“Further we demand the billboard erected as aforementioned be immediately corrected to remove the words (legal services) from the services rendered by the federation, failure to which we shall be constrained to take necessary legal action,” the letter states.
