The Foundations: A Legal Education Rooted in Uganda

My legal journey began in Uganda, where I pursued my education and was later enrolled as an Advocate. The Ugandan legal system shaped my foundational understanding of law, advocacy and justice. However, when I transitioned to Kenya, where I am originally from, I quickly realized that practicing law in a country where I had no professional networks posed a significant challenge. Despite my qualifications, navigating the Kenyan legal space as an "outsider" was not easy.

Finding My Feet in Kenya’s Commercial Legal Space

Eventually, through persistence and resilience, I carved out a space for myself in Kenya’s private commercial legal practice. Like many lawyers, I gravitated toward corporate law, largely drawn by the perception that this is where financial stability lies. Just as I was beginning to thrive in this space, I came across an opportunity that shifted the entire trajectory of my career: the Africa Climate Legal Fellowship Program (ACLFP).

A Calling from the Coast: Applying for ACLFP

Coming from Kilifi on Kenya's coastline, a region already grappling with the harsh impacts of climate change. I was drawn to the ACLFP not just as a career move, but as a personal mission. Our communities face erratic weather and threats to livelihoods. I applied to the program with the hope of expanding my knowledge and using the law to create real impact on the ground.

Crossing Over: From Corporate to Public Interest Litigation

My placement was at Greenwatch, a non-profit legal organization dedicated to environmental protection through public interest litigation, Advocacy and Empowerment. The shift from boardrooms and courtrooms to grassroots legal work was not simple. I was transitioning from a world of commercial transactions to the deeply human and urgent fight for environmental justice.

Thankfully, Greenwatch made this transition not only smooth but deeply fulfilling. The work environment was empowering, inclusive and mission-driven. I quickly found myself immersed in litigation, advocacy and community empowerment, work I never imagined myself doing but which now defines who I am as a lawyer.

The Greenwatch Experience: Learning, Leading and Growing

At Greenwatch, I have had the honor of being involved in high-level workshops and technical working groups, including consultations led by the Uganda Law Reform Commission and other key stakeholders. These platforms have allowed me to contribute meaningfully to the review of environmental laws and policies.

Through Greenwatch, my network in the climate justice and environmental law space has expanded significantly. Some notable milestones include:

• Serving as a Committee Member on Environmental Law at the East Africa Law Society.

• Being featured in the Summer 2025 edition of the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW) Advocates Newsletter.

• Admittance to the Oxford Climate Society’s School of Climate Change.

• Participation in the Climate Reality Leadership Corps Training held in Nairobi, where I had the privilege of meeting and posing for a photo with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, a global climate icon.

• Selected as a 2025 Fellow of the Headway Institute of Strategic Alliance (HISA), a global fellowship that took place in Oxford, United Kingdom in August, 2025.

Greenwatch has also provided me with the opportunity to represent the organization in both local and international meetings. One of the most memorable was my first-ever visit to the United Kingdom, where we were invited by our partners to discuss a collaborative case centered on environmental protection and climate justice.

No Regrets, Only Purpose

Do I regret leaving corporate law for the nonprofit world? Not at all.
What I do now gives me a profound sense of purpose. I’m using the law not just to close deals, but to defend communities, preserve ecosystems and uphold intergenerational justice.

I owe a great deal of this fulfillment to Greenwatch. The organization didn’t just provide me a desk; it provided me a mission. My transition from corporate legal practice to environmental public interest litigation has been made seamless, intentional and transformative.

A Thank You and a Call to Action

I am deeply grateful to the Africa Climate Legal Fellowship Program for opening this door and to Greenwatch for walking with me through it. The fellowship journey is incredibly enriching, covering everything from law to climate science, finance to security, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the climate crisis.

As the recent ICJ Advisory Opinion rightly emphasizes, the climate emergency is a challenge that demands action from all sectors, all professions and all people. Through this journey, I’ve come to understand that we each have a role to play—and mine is clear.

 I hope my journey inspires other legal professionals to consider how their skills can serve not just clients, but the planet.