Head- Conveyancing & Real Estate
Winifred Wangari Gitao
Founding Partner,
wwgitao@merwinadvocates.com
Mombasa, Kenya
Winifred is a Founding Partner of the firm and heads the Conveyancing Department. She has been in legal practice for over 25 years with in-depth experience and knowledge in real estate, corporate and commercial and maritime law.
A holder of a Masters of Laws Degree from the University of Hull, UK, as well as an Honours Bachelors Degree in Law and Psychology from the University of Keele, UK; Winifred is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya holding of Post-graduate Diploma in Legal Studies from the Kenya School of Law. Her expertise is focused on banking and securities, conveyancing and project development transactions, leases and licenses. She also handles tribunal suits, and commercial insurance and Maritime litigation matters.
Winifred also practices in Probate and Estate administration matters, preparation of Wills and Estate management. She is a Certified Public Secretary, CPS (K) Holder experienced in her advisory capacity sitting in at Boards for several institutions, and as Company Secretary, maintaining the various statutory registers, filing and preparing statutory documentation.
Additionally, her experience includes acting for numerous Banks, Corporate institutions, Parastatals, Local and International Charitable and Profit-making organizations. One of the key highlights in her accomplishments was being a key Legal advisor on the governance and successful restructuring of a micro-finance institution in its transition into a Deposit Taking institution. She has also honed her expertise in Family and Children’s Law having represented hundreds of families before the court, on adoption, Guardianship and other family law matters.
Winifred has developed a track record of proven integrity and the myriad referrals she has receive bear witness to the fact she has created confidence with the boards with which she works, both locally and internationally. Winifred has served as a Trustee of the Board of Trustees of Seeds in His Garden Children’s Home registered as a Trust in Kenya and as a Member of the Board of Governors AIC CURE International Kijabe Children’s Hospital, currently Winifred serves the Anglican Church of Kenya as a lay reader at the Mombasa Memorial Cathedral, and also serves as Assistant Registrar for the Mombasa diocese
Head – Litigation & Alternative Dispute Resolution
Mercy Muthoni Nyaga
Founding Partner
mmnyaga@merwinadvocates.com
Mombasa, Kenya
Mercy holds a Bachelor of Law (LLB) (Hons) from The Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) and a Post Graduate Diploma from the Kenya School of Law. She is a practicing Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and a Partner in the firm heading the Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution department. She has vast experience in Litigation matters & ADR including but not limited to Mediation and Arbitration.
Mercy also has experience in high profile and public interest Procurement Matters and handled the same at the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board (PPARB) mostly representing the procuring entity hence well versed with the Procurement procedure, laws and regulations. She specializes in advising and representing clients in employment and labour disputes, constitutional & judicial (administrative) review, banking and commercial litigation, land disputes, public procurement, insolvencies, insurance law, debt recoveries, contract litigation, securities enforcement, negotiating out of court settlements.
She has worked with County Governments, County Assemblies and leading State Corporations in litigation claims. Her experience includes representing clients in the Court of Appeal, High Court, Chief Magistrates Court, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Public Procurement Administrative Review Board and Tribunals.
Additionally, she has experience with Corporate Governance Matters, Board Advisory, Statutory & Regulatory Compliance, Pension matters among many others.
She is also a Commissioner for Oaths and a Certified Secretaries (CS- I) Holder. Professional memberships include The Law Society of Kenya, Mombasa Law Society and the Advocates Benevolent Association.