How desperation inspired me to start my law firm

Beryl Adhiambo Ooko is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya operating a Law consultancy under the name Adhiambo Ooko & Associates Advocates. This is her story on how she began her law firm:

I am the sole managing director in my law consultancy that offers comprehensive strategic policy drafting, organisational solutions, legal compliance and consultation systems for corporates, local and national civil societies, and not-for-profit organisations. My business’ unique factor is that it ensures organisations are fully compliant with the ever-changing legal and policy systems and that their governance is structured in accordance with their capacity. Many small and medium NGOs overlook their legality because it is not their strong forte.

I started my consultancy business in 2022 out of desperation and limitations. I had failed my bar examinations more than three times and this disabled me from securing employment for more than five years, excluding two years post Covid-19. As you know, the legal profession is competitive and preferential to lawyers admitted to the bar. My consultancy started with one client (an NGO), which needed registration and from that successful service, I was continuously consulted and referred for the same.

Also read: The weight of being a firstborn son

The capital needed was the deposit for the registration, which is God’s luck on my side. Since I am service-based, the funds received are calculated after service provision. Therefore, funds received in my office account are considered after expenses. The legal field is male-dominated and experience-preferred. Many clients overlook my pitch and service because I am still young in the consultancy spectrum or they offer low-paying deliverables. I have had clients deliberately ask far-reaching questions to disqualify my experience. But this does not deter me in any way. I still walk through those doors with confidence and poise.

I have never been employed, based on the criteria needed for employment. I have been unofficially established in a law firm for my internship, but that ended in 2020. Not everyone is cut out for entrepreneurship, which is okay. Some individuals feel confined in employment. However, I advocate for flexibility, for those in employment especially. They can try a hand in business and decide from the outcome. I mean, if you have never failed, then you have not tried anything new.

Being an amateur in business and a first-generation entrepreneur, I had never handled more than Sh50,000 at a time. I did not grasp the idea of separating client money and my individual money; they were all being deposited in one bank account. This led to mixing of client funds, paying expenses without monitoring, not budgeting ahead and falling short when it came to performing the actual service. One time, I had to sit down with the finance person in one of my client’s office, to make sure they paid the amount they claimed to pay, because my bank account was not reflecting the amount they were saying. Only to find out they had actually paid.