HB Advocates
Advocate · High Court of Kenya Criminal Litigation Family Law Children's Rights
Ian Wakiria Mwangi.
Litigation Associate · HB Advocates

The defender who sees the human behind every case - bringing courtroom tenacity and quiet empathy to criminal litigation, family law, and the lives that depend on both.

Criminal Litigation Family Law Children's Rights Civil Litigation Contract Law Pro Bono Advocacy Tax Administration Corporate Law Criminal Litigation Family Law Children's Rights Civil Litigation Contract Law Pro Bono Advocacy Tax Administration Corporate Law
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Years in Practice
Advocate, High Court of Kenya
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Matters Handled
Criminal, Family & Civil
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Pro Bono Matters
Access to justice, no fee
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Practice Areas
Criminal · Family · Civil · Corp · Contract
Litigation Associate · HB Advocates

"Justice is not an abstraction. It is the mother in the custody hearing, the accused in the dock, the child who cannot speak for themselves."

- Ian Wakiria Mwangi · Litigation Associate, HB Advocates
Professional Profile

I came to law because people in their most difficult moments - under arrest, facing divorce, fighting for custody of a child - deserve someone who does not just understand the rules but feels the weight of what the rules are being asked to decide. That conviction has shaped every aspect of my practice.

"I blend precision with empathy, crafting solutions that resonate with both law and humanity - because the best legal outcome is one my client can actually live with."

At HB Advocates, I anchor the firm's litigation mandate across criminal defense and family law - two disciplines that share a common thread: they are almost always the most consequential legal matters a person will ever face. In criminal proceedings, I carry cases from the first bail application through trial and sentencing. In family law, I guide clients through divorce, custody battles, matrimonial property disputes, and succession matters with the procedural precision these cases demand and the psychological sensitivity they require.

My work extends beyond the courtroom. I collaborate with the firm's transaction practice to identify and contain litigation risk before it crystallises, and I maintain a structured pro bono portfolio - representing individuals who cannot afford counsel in matters that carry real social weight. Pro bono is not an afterthought in my practice; it is the reason I became a lawyer.

Away from briefs and hearings, I approach legal problems the way I approach chess: strategically, patiently, and always thinking three moves ahead.

Current Role
Litigation Associate
HB Advocates LLP, Nairobi
Previous Firm
Legal Officer
Gichuru & Co. Advocates
Admitted
Advocate, High Court of Kenya
All Courts, Republic of Kenya
Approach
Precision. Empathy.
The two are not in tension.
Core Competencies

Law practiced with
conviction.



Criminal Litigation
Full lifecycle criminal defense - bail hearings, trial strategy, cross-examination, and sentencing advocacy across Magistrates' and High Courts.
Family Law
Divorce proceedings, matrimonial property, custody and access, succession - handled with legal rigour and the emotional sensitivity families in crisis need.
Children's Rights
Advocacy for children in custody disputes, juvenile criminal proceedings, and guardianship matters - giving voice to those who cannot advocate for themselves.
Civil Litigation
Commercial and private disputes, injunctions, enforcement proceedings, and alternative dispute resolution - from pleadings through to judgment.
Contract & Corporate Law
Drafting, review, and negotiation of commercial agreements; company formation, governance, and regulatory compliance for businesses of all sizes.
Pro Bono Advocacy
Structured free legal representation for those who cannot afford counsel - a core practice value, not a peripheral activity.
Career

Built in the
courtroom.



2024 – Present
Litigation Associate
HB Advocates LLP · Nairobi, Kenya
  • Joined the firm's Litigation Centre to anchor both criminal defense and family law mandates, bringing a cross-disciplinary perspective that distinguishes client strategy at every stage of dispute.
  • Conducts first-chair advocacy in criminal proceedings across the High Court and subordinate courts, managing the full trial lifecycle from bail applications and pre-trial motions through verdict and sentencing.
  • Leads family law case management from initial consultation through decree absolute - handling divorce petitions, matrimonial property disputes, custody battles, and succession matters with documented procedural precision and client sensitivity.
  • Collaborates with Transaction Centre partners on litigation risk assessments in commercial mandates, bridging the firm's advocacy and transactional practices.
  • Manages a structured pro bono portfolio under the firm's access-to-justice programme, securing quality representation for indigent clients in criminal and family matters of material social impact.
  • Authors internal research briefs on emerging jurisprudence in criminal sentencing guidelines and children's rights - circulated across the litigation team to sharpen collective strategy.
  • Provides psychological and procedural coaching to clients navigating family proceedings, improving informed-consent quality at critical decision points.
January 2022 – 2024
Legal Officer
Gichuru & Co. Advocates · 5th Ngong Avenue, Nairobi
  • Developed a diverse practice spanning criminal litigation, family law, civil disputes, corporate advisory, and contract law - building the multi-disciplinary foundation that would define his career.
  • Represented clients in criminal cases from initial investigation through trial, constructing defense strategies that protected client rights and worked towards best possible outcomes.
  • Advised families through divorce, child custody, matrimonial property, and succession matters with both technical legal guidance and psychological support.
  • Assisted businesses with company formation, corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and M&A transactions, while drafting and reviewing commercial contracts and shareholder agreements.
  • Represented clients in negotiation and mediation sessions, developing strategies to achieve favorable outcomes while protecting clients' legal and financial interests.
  • Voluntarily provided pro bono legal services to individuals unable to afford representation, handling cases of significant social impact.
April 2021 – December 2021
Pupil (Prosecution)
Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions · Upper Hill, Nairobi
  • Conducted weekly legal aid visits to juvenile detention centres, providing representation and guidance to young offenders and advocating for legally appropriate outcomes.
  • Performed comprehensive legal research to support prosecutorial decisions, drafting charges, memoranda, and court submissions grounded in current precedent.
  • Contributed to the technical team that developed the curriculum and handbook for the newly rolled-out Post Graduate Diploma in Public Prosecution.
October 2019 – February 2020
Intern
Aayden Consulting Limited · Kilimani, Nairobi
  • Supervised the training of young entrepreneurs who were beneficiaries of World Bank grants under the Kenya Youth Employment & Opportunities Program (KYEOP).
  • Assisted in developing training materials and contributed to strategic planning and execution of entrepreneurship programmes.
June 2019 – July 2019
Attachee (Judiciary)
Kibera Law Courts · Nairobi, Kenya
  • Assisted supervisor in preparing rulings and judgements through research on current judicial precedent; analyzed ongoing cases and drafted sample rulings.
Education & Professional Development
Pursuing
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
The Institute of International Studies (TIIS)
Ultimo, New South Wales · 2024 – Present
Post Graduate Diploma in Tax Administration
Kenya School of Revenue Administration (KESRA)
Kenya Revenue Authority, Nairobi
Post Graduate Diploma in Law
Kenya School of Law
January 2020 – June 2022
Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
Catholic University of Eastern Africa
August 2015 – August 2019
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education
Meru School
January 2011 – November 2014
Practice Highlights

Work that
matters.



01
Criminal Defense
Full-trial criminal defense mandates at the High Court and Magistrates' Courts
Constructing end-to-end defense strategies - from bail hearings and plea negotiations to full trials - ensuring every client's constitutional rights are robustly protected at every stage.
02
Family Law
High-conflict divorce, custody, and matrimonial property proceedings
Guiding clients through Kenya's most emotionally complex legal terrain - contested divorces, custody battles for minor children, and matrimonial property disputes - with precision, empathy, and an unwavering focus on long-term outcomes.
03
Children's Rights
Juvenile justice representation and children in conflict with the law
From weekly legal aid visits to juvenile centres at the ODPP to ongoing representation of children in family and criminal matters - advocacy that places the child's best interest at the centre of every strategy.
04
Pro Bono
Structured access-to-justice representation in criminal and family matters
A portfolio of matters handled entirely pro bono - not as a residual obligation but as a deliberate practice pillar - providing full legal representation to individuals for whom justice would otherwise be inaccessible.
Beyond the Practice
Languages
English - Professional Swahili - Native
Bar Admission
Advocate, High Court of Kenya All Courts, Republic of Kenya
Interests
♞ Chess Swimming Travelling
Core Value
A commitment to justice - even when justice doesn't pay.
Ian maintains a deliberate pro bono practice across criminal and family law - representing individuals who cannot afford counsel in matters that carry real social consequence. This is not a line item on a CV. It is the value that animates everything else: the belief that access to quality legal representation should not be determined by a client's ability to write a cheque. At HB Advocates, this commitment is formalised through the firm's access-to-justice programme, through which Ian manages a structured portfolio of pro bono mandates alongside his paid practice.
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