Dr. Faith Simiyu
Board member
Dr. Faith Simiyu is a co-founding partner in the law firm ofSimiyu, Opondo, Kiranga & Company Advocates (SOKLAW)and an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya. She is also aCommonwealth PhD alumna of Cardiff University’s School of Law and Politics, where she conducted doctoral research—funded by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID)—focusing onhealth and human rights.
Her academic qualifications include:
(i) aMaster of Laws (LL.M.) in Commercial Lawfrom Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands;
(ii) aBachelor of Laws (LL.B.)from the University of Nairobi; and
(iii) aBachelor of Education (Arts)in English and History from Kenyatta University, Kenya.
Dr. Simiyu has overfifteen (15) years of experiencein legal practice, regulatory compliance, governance, policy development, and institutional strengthening. A key professional milestone is her establishment of AfricaHealth Lawwhere she serves as Founding Director. Through Africa Health Law, she leads theTRAM initiatives—Training, Research, Advocacy, and Mentorship—which advance health and medical law, human rights, governance, and strategic and public interest litigation across Africa.
She has consulted extensively for local, regional, and international organizations, including theWorld Health Organization (WHO), Network for Adolescents and Youth of Africa,African Council for Distance Education,Privatization Commission of Kenya, Law Society of Kenya, and theWater Services Regulatory Authority, among others. Her consultancy portfolio encompasses legal and governance audits, policy and legislative drafting, capacity building, professional training, field-based evidence generation, and policy advocacy, all aimed at advancing health and human rights outcomes.
In academia, Dr. Simiyu lectures at higher education institutions in Kenya and internationally, specializing inhealth law, human rights, and commercial law. This includes teaching at Cardiff University in the United Kingdom as well as Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). Her pedagogy integrates moot courts, role plays, and practitioner-led seminars to cultivate practice-ready graduates. She has served as theFounding Chairperson of the Department of Private Law at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), where she co-pioneered the establishment of theJKUAT Law Journal, theJKUAT Law Student Newsletter, and theAnnual JKUAT Law Student Mentorship Forum. Through these initiatives, she has mentoredhundreds of young lawyers, facilitating access to internships, externships, and broader professional development opportunities.
Overall, Dr. Simiyu’s professional journey reflects a steadfast commitment toaccess to justice, philanthropy, the promotion of health and human rights, and the mentorship of the next generation of African legal professionals. She aspires to further strengthen collaborative research, teaching, and capacity-building initiatives that integrate rigorous scholarship with practical engagement, with the ultimate goal of creating sustainable, grassroots-level impact for future generation.