Why choose Dentons Hamilton Harrison & Mathews?

At Dentons Hamilton Harrison & Mathews we will help you fulfil your potential and mould you to become the best you can be. Upon joining us, you will be involved in an array of challenging matters, working for exciting clients in a number of practice areas.

During your pupillage training programme, you will spend time in the Commercial, Corporate and Real Estate as well as the Dispute Resolution and Litigation departments. In addition, you will spend some time in Business Development to learn more about the law firm as a business and in Professional Support to learn how we develop our precedents and run the training programme. We have a long history of retaining many of our pupils who go on to establish a name for themselves in their chosen area of speciality.

We offer a rich learning experience and an environment in which people can grow.

What we are looking for

The Firm prides itself on having created a culture of being a cut above the rest since 1902, and we groom our lawyers to stand out from the crowd. Academic success and experience are important factors when assessing suitability, but it is just as important that you fit in with our dynamic firm culture. We are looking for people who are:

How can you highlight your personality traits? Take advantage of your personal statement as part of your application to bring out highlights of how you have handled yourself in a crisis, or how you have shown your leadership skills in a positive or negative environment. If you are invited to an interview, do not be afraid to speak up, be yourself and really let us get to know you.

What does the Firm do to support you?

Our lawyers receive continuous training to equip them for long-term career growth. Training ranges from sector-specific training to soft skills such as networking, business development and building a social media presence.

You will have regular performance appraisals with your supervisors to assess and assist in your development. This does not stop when you complete your pupillage as the Firm will continue to provide training and support for our lawyers throughout their tenure.

Is Dentons Hamilton Harrison & Mathews the right place for you?

• Are you interested in being part of the largest law firm in the world with more than 10,000 lawyers globally?
• Are you keen to be a part of high-profile projects?
• Do you want to participate in litigation before all courts and key tribunals like the Tax Appeals Tribunal and the Public Procurement Administrative Review Board?
• Are you ready to handle responsibility from day one?
• Can you build and nurture relationships both internally and with clients?
• Do you have the desire to constantly learn and improve yourself?

If you answered “yes” to all questions, then what are you waiting for? 

For information on the application and selection process, please see below.

Entry Requirements

Whether you have studied at a local university or abroad, we look forward to meeting you. The minimum entry requirements are:

• LLB degree from a Kenyan or foreign university with Upper 2nd Class Honours and above
• KSCE – B+
• A-Level – AAA grades in any subjects.

How to apply

We want all our pupils to start training as soon as they have completed their LLB. We have a July/August intake every year and interviews are usually held in May. We are unlikely to consider applications received after 30 April.

Applications close:

• 30 April 2025 (for the July/August intake)

For students who are studying abroad we will conduct interviews in August and successful candidates will begin in September.

Stage 1

Application

• cover letter;
• curriculum vitae, highlighting any relevant work experience and extracurricular activities;
• personal statement on why you are the best candidate to work at Dentons Hamilton Harrison & Mathews (not longer than one A4 page); and
• copies of certificates and transcripts.

All applications for pupillage should be addressed and sent to:

Lorna Mainnah
Dentons Hamilton Harrison & Mathews
Delta Office Suites
Waiyaki Way
P.O. Box 30333 - 00100
Nairobi

A soft copy of your application should be sent to: careershhm@dentons.com

Stage 2

Shortlisting

If you pass the screening at the application stage, then you will be notified and invited to a first round interview which will take about 20 minutes in total.

Stage 3

First round interview

We want to get to know you. This interview will be conducted by one or more partners and a senior associate and may include a presentation.

Stage 4

Assessment day

Candidates who are successful after the first round interview will be invited to an assessment day. This a full-day assessment which will be comprised of:

• Research into a legal problem. You will get a number to pick from.
• Presentation of your findings to partners and associates in an interactive session. 
• A tour of the office and an introduction to the Dentons Hamilton Harrison & Mathews team.
• A question and answer session with associates and pupils. 

Stage 5

The offer

You will be notified on the outcome of your assessment within fourteen (14) days of the assessment day.