Our History

Hamilton Harrison & Mathews is one of the oldest law firms in Kenya.

On 15th May 1901 Mr. Osmond Tonks a solicitor from England was enrolled in Kenya at Mombasa, and on 9th December, 1901 Mr. Allen an Irish solicitor was also enrolled at Mombasa.

On 1st December 1902 these two gentlemen were in Partnership under the name of “Tonks & Allen”.

Mr. George Hamilton (also an Irish solicitor) was enrolled on 14th May 1913 and joined B.G. Allen who was then practicing on his own at Nairobi. The Partnership of “Allen & Hamilton” was formed on 1st January 1916. On the death of B.G. Allen on 25th December 1920, Dr. Mathews another Irish solicitor came to Kenya and was enrolled on 8th March 1921, and in due course became a partner in Allen & Hamilton on 1st January 1923.

Harrison & Cresswell amalgamated with Allen & Hamilton on 1st January 1927 to form the present firm of “Hamilton Harrison & Mathews”. Harrison (the original “Harrison") was enrolled in Mombasa on 29th February 1904 to be followed on 17th May 1913 by Mr. Cresswell.  Mr. Harrison joined Harrison & Cresswell in 1921 being enrolled at Nairobi on 5th March 1921.

Hamilton Harrison & Mathews celebrated its centenary in 2002, and as the firm embraces another century, it has become a modern and well respected institution in Kenya and the region.

Some of the finest lawyers in the history of Kenya have spent part of their careers at Hamilton Harrison & Mathews.  These including Humphrey Slade (who was former speaker of the Kenyan National Assembly),  James Hamilton, who left us to become Chairman of the Law Reform Commission,  Gerald Harris, Jo Nyamu (who left us on becoming Judges of the High Court), David Roche and John Silvester.