Legal Officer

Role Overview

This position sits at the centre of a busy property and commercial law practice, where you will handle the full lifecycle of landlord-tenant matters — from drafting and negotiating agreements to pursuing recovery of arrears and enforcing court orders. Your work will directly protect the company’s revenue streams and legal standing across a portfolio of commercial properties, so you’ll need to balance firm, commercially savvy negotiation with meticulous attention to procedural compliance. Day to day, you’ll move between paperwork, client consultations, court filings, and coordination with external legal agents, acting as the key legal resource for management on property-related risk.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare, review, and finalise commercial leases, tenancy agreements, supplier contracts, and related legal instruments, ensuring terms are clear, enforceable, and aligned with business objectives.
• Manage tenant compliance: serve breach notices, prepare demand letters, and initiate enforcement actions where lease terms are violated or rent goes unpaid.
• Lead debt recovery strategy for overdue accounts, prioritising high-value or persistent default cases, and escalating to legal proceedings only when necessary.
• Instruct and supervise external advocates, auctioneers, process servers, and other third parties involved in litigation, execution, or dispute resolution.
• Maintain a systematic tracker of all active court cases, arbitrations, and legal disputes, updating stakeholders on progress, risks, and deadlines.
• Ensure operational compliance with Kenyan property law and licensing requirements, flagging any regulatory gaps and recommending corrective measures.
• Advise senior management on legal risk across property transactions, lease renewals, evictions, and commercial dispute settlement options.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Admission as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and possession of a valid practising certificate.
• At least four years of post-qualification legal experience focused on commercial property, leasing, or civil litigation.
• Proven track record working with commercial landlords, property management companies, or portfolios carrying significant tenant debt.
• Hands-on experience in tenant management, lease enforcement, eviction processes, and coordinated debt collection efforts.
• Strong drafting skills across contracts, demand letters, court pleadings, and settlement agreements, with an eye for detail and legal accuracy.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple disputes simultaneously, track deadlines, and brief external counsel effectively.
• Excellent negotiation and communication skills, with the confidence to advise management on sensitive legal and financial decisions.