Why Elizabeth Wanjeri is seeking a continuation of her LSK council work with vice president bid
Elizabeth Wanjeri, a contestant for vice president of the Law Society of Kenya.
What you need to know:
- Elizabeth Wanjeri plans to expand practice and protect advocates.
- She serves in the current council and adds there is unfinished business, especially with regard to practice and welfare issues.
When Elizabeth Wanjeri joined law, she did not quite have the passion for the profession. After the first two years, she quickly realised law was more of service to the public and that is when her passion started growing.
“Growing up, I wanted to become a pharmacist and I remember I had missed the cut-off point by a point and switched to law since it was a stable profession.”
Now, 19 years in, Elizabeth says her biggest challenge was starting her law firm in 2013: EW Wanjeri and Company Advocates. She quickly learnt how to look for clients. As a contestant for the Vice President seat of the Law Society of Kenya, Elizabeth says what motivated her to vie was genuine change for the society.
“I'm in the current council and I thought there was some unfinished business, especially with regard to practice and welfare issues. For example, in the justice sector, a lot of corruption is affecting how we even practise.”
Additionally, Elizabeth says there is need to expand practice areas and protect the existing ones. “There are new areas like environmental issues, medical legal issues, those are areas advocates can make money and tap into.”
When elected, Elizabeth shares that she will champion the recruitment of competent judicial officers as a way to curb corruption and unethical conduct within the legal profession. In the same measure, she says, making sure the Judiciary implements the ethics they are supposed to handle.
“We've seen a case not so long ago where the court held that the Judicial Service Commission cannot consider complaints against judicial officers and judges because there are no regulations. What we are saying is this kind of judicial overreach needs to be called out and ensure all justice sector stakeholders are well funded so that we reduce instances where they want money on the side,” she says.
While the VP role is supportive, Elizabeth shares that the LSK vice president mostly deals with welfare issues. To Elizabeth, effective leadership in the legal profession is knowing how to champion change for issues affecting the profession.
“In this regard, two of my greatest accomplishments have been leading the reduction of continuous professional development expenses and moving motions that led to issuance of certificate of good standing to members for free. So, I am motivated by the desire to create impactful service that creates a positive difference through solutions that offer professional growth and wellbeing for our members.”
With years in the profession, Elizabeth says she has served under different regimes, seen what works and what doesn't, and now has a clear sense of what needs to change.
She also points to her proactiveness, saying it has helped her understand what the society needs and how to deliver it. If elected as VP, Elizabeth says she will not only increase the practice space with a view of creating more jobs and protecting already existing ones but also ensure there are more activities that cater for mental wellbeing and a good work-life balance.
“Also, part of LSK corporate social responsibility is to go to law schools and prepare students for entry to the profession.”
Lastly, Elizabeth plans to empower branches more, which also deal with welfare and practice issues, by enabling them to get more money and deal with their devolved functions better. For the vulnerable groups accessing justice, she says that while the LSK has pro bono programmes, which are funded by members, she will champion increased budgetary allocations for stakeholders like the National Legal Aid Service and conducting civic education in areas touching women and children.
To curbing sexual harassment in the legal profession, Elizabeth says the LSK has set the pace with a sexual harassment policy and the only thing remaining is ensuring law firms and other stakeholders have and implement theirs. “Also, we will work on how victims come out and report without feeling like their issues will not be handled better.”
When it comes to attacks on lawyers and threats against judicial independence, Elizabeth says if she wins the VP seat, the LSK will continue calling out acts against advocates and supporting members when attacked. If she serves as VP, she would want to leave behind a legacy of one who improved welfare of members and led to measures that increased practice areas.
