Gathemia t/a Gatheru Gathemia & Company Advocates v Abdul Waheed Sheikh and Abdul Hameed Sheikh as Trustees of the Sheikh Fazal Ilahi Noordin Charitable Trust (Environment and Land Miscellaneous Application E186 of 2024) [2025] KEELC 7702 (KLR)
The bottom line
#A Nairobi court dismissed a law firm's attempt to throw out a KSh 50 million legal fees bill, ruling it was filed on time because the clock starts from the last payment made.
What this practically means
#Executive summary
#Key legal issues
#Whether a retainer agreement existed between the Respondent and the Applicant
No retainer agreement existed between the Respondent and the Applicant as claimed by the Respondent.
The Respondent did not furnish the court with a copy of the alleged retainer. Although correspondence suggested a monthly fee arrangement, no written agreement signed by the client as required by Section 45 of the Advocates Act was produced. The court associated itself with the Muriithi Kireria decision on what constitutes a retainer and found that, absent evidence of a written and signed agreement, no retainer existed.
Whether the two Bills of Costs should be consolidated
The two Bills of Costs shall not be consolidated and shall be taxed separately.
Although the Bills relate to the same subject property, the instructions in this matter related to compulsory acquisition of part of the property while those in Misc. Application No. E187 of 2024 related to renewal of a lease by way of transmission. The two sets of instructions dealt with different issues, and consolidation would not facilitate efficient disposal.
Whether the Advocate-Client Bill of Costs dated 10th September 2024 is statute barred
The Bill of Costs is not statute barred; it was filed within the six-year limitation period.
Under Section 4(1) of the Limitation of Actions Act, actions founded on contract may not be brought after six years from when the cause of action accrued. The Respondent did not deny effecting a payment to the Applicant in October 2022, which was the last payment. Time therefore began to run in October 2022, and the Bill filed in September 2024 was within time.
Legal principles established
#- A retainer is a contract between an advocate and client for provision of legal services; its existence can be evidenced in writing or by conduct, and must satisfy the elements of a contract including consensus ad idem.
- The essence of consolidation is to facilitate efficient and expeditious disposal of disputes and not to confer advantage on the party seeking it.
- An advocate-client relationship is contractual and governed by the Limitation of Actions Act; claims for fees must be brought within the statutory period.
- For limitation purposes, time begins to run from the date of the last payment on the fees, not from the date of formal demand.
Court orders
#- 1.Dismissal of the Respondent's Notice of Motion dated 27th January 2025 with costs.
- 2.The Applicant's Advocate-Client Bill of Costs dated 10th September 2024 be placed before a Taxing Officer for taxation.
- Jurisdiction invoked
- Article 162(2)(b) of the Constitution (Environment and Land Court) — Advocate-Client Bill of Costs taxation
Key timeline
#Practical implications
#Frequently asked questions
#Cite this brief
#Cite this brief
Caselaw, "Gathemia t/a Gatheru Gathemia & Company Advocates v Abdul Waheed Sheikh and Abdul Hameed Sheikh as Trustees of the Sheikh Fazal Ilahi Noordin Charitable Trust (Environment and Land Miscellaneous Application E186 of 2024) [2025] KEELC 7702 (KLR)", Case Analysis (2025). ELC Misc. Application E187 of 2024. Source: https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/judgment/keelc/2025/7702/eng@2025-11-10
Suggested citation format for research notes or client memos. Always verify the original judgment before relying on any point.