Legal Officer at Kituo Cha Sheria (KITUO)

(Ref: KCS/LPO-HQ/APP)

• Kituo Cha Sheria-Legal Advice Centre (KITUO) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) whose mission is to empower the poor and marginalized people to effectively access justice and realize their human and people’s rights. This is done through advocacy, networking, lobbying, legal aid and education, legal representation and research.
• KITUO seeks to recruit a qualified, energetic, dynamic, result-oriented and capable person to fill the Legal Officer position in the Legal Aid and Education Program in the Head Office in Nairobi. He/she will report to the Coordinator, Legal Aid and Education Programme and will primarily be responsible for direct legal services provision through legal aid, advice and representation.

 Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide legal aid including advice and court representation to KITUO clients in single-welfare and public interest cases.
• Conduct legal research that informs litigation strategies.
• Conduct legal awareness and education outreaches to communities in matters relating to KITUO’s core mandate areas i.e. housing, land, labour, succession and human rights generally.
• Support fundraising initiatives for the Legal Aid and Education Programme
• Provide legal counselling for clients and communities on their cases.
• Support self-representing litigants in self-representation and drafting of court pleadings
• Prepare detailed programme and donor reports on interventions undertaken, cases and trends
• Recruit private practitioners and work with those who are enlisted into the volunteer advocates’ scheme
• Support the community and prisons justice centres with direct legal services where necessary
• Represent the organization in stakeholder meetings on access to justice and human rights

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree.
• Must be an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya with a current practising certificate
• At least 3 years professional working experience in civil and criminal litigation, with a reputable human rights organization or law firm.
• At least 1 year’s experience in public interest litigation.
• Excellent written and verbal skills in English and Kiswahili
• Good working knowledge of modern information, communication and technology systems
• Knowledge in alternative dispute resolution mechanisms