The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) on Friday, November 25, awarded legal professionals who have excelled in the practice in the last year.
Those awarded include Lady Justice Achode of the Court of Appeal, who emerged as the best judge of the year in the event held at the Panari Hotel in Nairobi.
Lady Justices Mugure Thande and Maureen Odero finished second and third, respectively.
Justice Achode has worked in the Judiciary for more than 30 years, rising from the position of a district magistrate II in Kericho to become a judge of the High Court.
On April 23, 2018, she was voted for as a Principal Judge by other High Court judges in an election conducted by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and was installed by Chief Justice (Rtd) David Maraga at the Milimani Law Courts.
Achode stated that she was encouraged by her female colleagues to go for the key position because they believed she was the most suitable candidate due to her previous experience in the Office of the Registrar.
She previously served as the Chief Registrar of the Judiciary before assuming her new role.
In July 2022, the Judicial Service Commission nominated her among six other judges for appointment to the Court of Appeal.
Meanwhile, Chief Magistrate Lucas Onyino of the JKIA Law Courts won the best judicial officer of the year. Others in the category were Stella Kanyiri, the registrar, Small Claims Court and Senior Resident Magistrate at Thika Law Courts, Oscar Ruguru.
Other award winners of the night comprised;
Old Mutual Holdings PLC scooped the Corporate Legal Department of the Year award.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) was awarded as the Public Sector Legal Department of the Year.
Federation of Women Lawyers of Kenya, FIDA- KENYA, emerged as the best Civil Society (Justice & Legal Affairs) Organisation of the year.
CR Advocates LLP was the year's top Small Markets Enterprise (SME) law firm.
Litigation practitioner of the year was awarded Lawyer of the year, while Kennedy Mutua Mutuku won the Youngest Lawyer of the Year.
John Mulika Mbaluta received the award of Pupil Master of the year, while Lilian Nyaboke Obiye was the Civil Society lawyer of the year.
Public Sector Lawyer of the year was conferred to Ibrahim Kitoo.
Among the attendees at the award was former Attorney General Githu Muigai.
Nairobi Legal Awards is an initiative of LSK- Nairobi Branch to recognize legal practitioners who continue to make a remarkable difference in the profession.
The award was invented in 2017 to celebrate excellence in the Legal Profession. Since its inception, the Awards Programme has continued to grow in the number of entries and attendees.
