Talk of the most popular lawyers in Kenya, Adil Khawaja will definitely not miss at the top of the list. Most of the clients that have had complex land-related issues have probably met him as he has helped many clients solve these kinds of cases. Also, he is known for constantly providing legal advice concerning client eco-conveyance in the tourism industry and the Kenyan Government.

Mr. Khawaja is a managing partner for the indomitable outfit known as Dentons Hamilton Harrison & Mathews and was in the recent past appointed as a member of a Taskforce whose goal is to inquire into Forest Resource Management & Logging Activities in Kenya.

He gave his legal advice and presented a report on this matter to the government of Kenya; a report that’s reference material when taking legal action against key officials working for different companies who are facing corruption charges. Also, the report offered a legal framework that upon its amendment, will help Ministry Environment & Forestry with their implementation plan to change the sector inquiring into Forest Resource Management & Logging Activities in Kenya.

Mr. Khawaja has also served as a Trustee to the Friends of Conservation and Care for Wild Kenya and Kenya  Wildlife Service, and a Director of the National Environment Council.

At only 48 years, Khawaja has 23 years of experience and deep knowledge of environmental and planning law, real estate, and commercial litigation and arbitration. The World’s famous business news site, Bloomberg, has profiled his thriving career.

He has been recognized to be among Kenya’s most eminent lawyers in regard to project development, real estate, and planning & environmental law.

Adil Arshed Khawaja

A Courtesy image of Lawyer Adil Arshed Khawaja

In the year 1990, Mr. Khawaja enrolled for his LLB Hons and graduated in 1993. He joined Hamiltons Harrison and Mathews as a trainee till 1994; the year he sat for his Diploma in Laws exams (Bar finals) from the Kenya School of Law.

In 1995, one week after completing his Bar finals, Adil Khawaja was awarded a promotion from a trainee to an associate at the Hamiltons Harrison & Mathews law firm; a position he held for five years

In 2001, Hamiltons & Mathews CEO announced Mr. Khawaja as a partner at the firm. He served as a partner at the law firm until 2013.

Between 2007-2010, Mr. Khawaja was the appointed Law Society of Kenya Elections scrutineer. It is within this period that he was proposed by Law Society of Kenya to serve in the Judiciary Committee in charge of the renovation of the new Milimani Commercial Courts.

Lawyer Khawaja attained his master’s degree in law from the University of Nairobi, one of the most outstanding institutions of higher learning in Kenya (African Exponent ranked the Nairobi University at number 7 out of 10 of the top universities in Africa in 2020). This proves that he is a resourceful and experienced attorney with a non-questionable educational background.

In addition, he has a bachelor’s degree from The University of Sheffield.

Adil Legal 500

After leaving his partner position in 2013, Mr. Khawaja was recognized as a leading attorney by different world’s certified legal directories, including Legal 500, Chambers Global and IFLR 1000. This laid foundation for what would be his new appointment, since he was later named the Managing Partner at Hamiltons Harrison & Mathews law firm. He holds this position to date.

As per the Hamilton Harrison & Mathews blog, Hamilton Harrison and Mathews law firm is among the largest Kenya’s law firms. Clients and international directories have consistently rated it a top tier law firm. The firm has a total of 12 partners that I will name later on.

Adil Dentons

Mr. Khawaja is the Managing Partner at Dentons Hamilton Harrison and Mathews. Dentons have described him as one of the most prominent attorneys in Kenya having solved complicated land problems and has regularly advised on eco-conveyancing for clients in the tourism industry and the Kenyan government.

In 2018, Dentons, the world’s largest law firm, merged with Hamilton, Harrison & Mathews (HH&M), which is among the largest law firms in Kenya. This merger made HH&M part of Dentons Africa.

“This combination with a truly high-quality Kenya firm gives us an even stronger presence in East Africa and will further allow Dentons to pursue its strategy to become a pan-African law firm that reaches more of Africa than its competitors,” said Elliott Portnoy, Global CEO of Dentons.

HH&M has associated with Dentons for over 10 years. It has been ranked the third-largest law firm in Kenya to have the most partner headcount.

Adil KCB

Adil Khawaja is well-known by business associates and corporations for his legal expertise. This has seen him get appointed to board positions by various companies. He is the current chairman of KCB Insurance Agency Limited and also the chairman of KCB Bank Kenya Limited. Additionally, he is a board member of Al Futtaim Automotive- CMC Motors Group and Kenya Power Company Limited.

Adil Khawaja Foundation

Adil Khawaja runs a non-profit foundation that actively deals with Pro Bono cases and community involvement. He is the founding member of this foundation.

Here is what he has accomplished:

1. 2004-2013, Honorary Warden Kenya Wildlife Service.
2. 2005-2009, Member of the National Environment Council under the National Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act.
3. 2006-2011 Board of Trustees Friends of Conservation. A non-profit wildlife conservation organization.
4. 2007-2011, Law Society of Kenya Committee seconded to the Judiciary, Committee responsible for the renovation of the new Commercial Courts at Milimani.
5. 2007-20010, Law Society of Kenya Elections Scrutineer.
6. 2011- 20014, Appointed Board of Trustees Kenya Wildlife Service. Chairman of the Human Capital and Finance Committee.

Adil Rhino Charge

In 2018, Mr. Khawaja got an invitation to be the new Rhino Ark director, which he gladly accepted. Rhino Ark is a charitable organization founded in 1988 conservation in Kenya.  Adil and his team Car 44, which included Mario Brigetti, Jameel Sheikh, Abid Khawaja, Nelson Lekamisi, and Massimiliano Brigetti clinched the Third Highest Cash Sponsorship after raising Ksh.16,217,000.

In 2019, Adil Khawaja’s team, AK-44 of Car 44 won The Victor Ludorum award; an award that considers the charge distance and fundraise. The team was able to fundraise Ksh. 17,000,003, which was the second-highest fundraising team.