Law society steps into Mau Mau row

By Steve Mkawale

KENYA: Law Society of Kenya has stepped in to resolve a raging dispute between four law firms over compensation of Mau Mau war veterans by the British Government.

LSK has summoned Tandem Law Solicitors, a United Kingdom based law firm and its agents to Nairobi for a meeting scheduled for June 1, 2013.

The meeting was prompted by advocates of GT Law Solicitors (UK) who claimed that TandemLaw assisted by Griffin Legal Companies were involved in unethical practices and misrepresentation to vulnerable and elderly Mau Mau victims.

In the letter addressed to GT Law Solicitors and copied to three others, LSK makes it clear that the meeting was for the benefit of the war veterans who were awaiting an out of court settlement by the British Government.

Andrew Lindsay, the managing director, Tandem Law Solutions, Mark Grover, the chief executive officer of Antony Hodari & Co Solicitor, and his senior partner Antony Hodari have been invited for the meeting.

GT Law Solicitors had filed numerous complaints against the three firms regarding the Mau Mau claims operations in Kenya and the UK. In a communication dated May 23, 2013, GT Law gives details of illegal and unethical activities against Tandem Law and Griffin Legal companies accusing them of misrepresenting themselves to the elderly vulnerable Mau Mau victims.

The law firm also accuses the other parties of transferring clients who were Mau Mau war victims to other law firms without seeking authority prior to doing so in more than one occasion.

It further alleges racial discrimination against their clients by treating them less favourably in comparison to when transferring white/European clients as stipulated by the required codes.