Jessica K. Maina

Jessica is a Principal Associate at ALN Kenya | Anjarwalla & Khanna and is a member of the Real Estate & Construction department. Her practice focuses largely on real estate law with experience in construction law and corporate and commercial law.

Jessica has experience representing local and international clients on a broad range of real estate transactions, including acquisitions, disposals, lettings, developments, real estate financing and property related corporate transactions.

• Law Society of Kenya

2015: Postgraduate Diploma in Law, Kenya School of Law

2014: Bachelors of Law (LLB), University of Nairobi

Jan 2022 – Date: Principal Associate, Anjarwalla & Khanna, Nairobi

Aug 2021 – Dec 2021: Associate, Anjarwalla & Khanna, Nairobi

Aug 2019 – Jul 2021: Associate, Dentons Hamilton Harrison & Mathews, Nairobi

Jan 2017 – Aug 2019: Associate, Bowmans (Coulson Harney LLP), Nairobi

Jan 2015 – Dec 2016: Pupil/Legal Assistant, Bowmans (Coulson Harney LLP), Nairobi

Aug 2014 – Dec 2014: Intern, Bowmans (Coulson Harney LLP), Nairobi

Jul 2014 – Aug 2014: Intern, Sidian Bank (formerly K-Rep Bank), Nairobi

• Acting for Sarit Centre in connection with leasing arrangements for the mall, including preparing the retail and office leases, liaising with tenants and their counsel, and stamping and registrations.
• Acting for Fleur Africa, a subsidiary of Global , in connection with its acquisition of agricultural properties in Naivasha, including undertaking detailed due diligence on the properties to be acquired, preparing and negotiating sale agreements with the respective vendor’s advocates and implementing an appropriate structure for the acquisition of the agricultural properties to comply with the Kenyan laws governing acquisition of agricultural properties.
• Acting for joint venture partners in connection with the MyTown Karen project, an urban commercial development in Nairobi, including drafting and negotiating the agreements for lease and leases for various tenants.
• Acting for Mi Vida Thika Road, in connection with the development of Amaiya, the second phase of its residential development within the larger Garden City mixed-use development, including the legal structuring of the development, preparing and negotiating all agreements for lease or agreements for lease and the long term residential leases. Acting for a leading urban developer in connection with the sale of commercial and industrial properties that form part of its large-scale mixed-use development, including drafting and negotiating the sale documentation, providing transaction advice, facilitating completion and the stamping and registration formalities.
• Acting for a client in a joint venture in respect of a residential development comprising over 1,000 apartments, including carrying out due diligence on the land, reviewing the development approvals, drafting and negotiating the term sheet, development joint venture agreement and ancillary transaction documents.
• Undertaking comprehensive legal due diligence for investors in real estate and as a part of M&A transactions.
• Advising real estate developers and purchasers on land control requirements in connection with agricultural properties, physical and land use planning processes, and real estate taxes, including stamp duty, capital gains tax, land rent and rates.
• Acting for various developers of retail and offices in connection with the leasing arrangements for the developments, including preparing and negotiating letters of offer, agreements for lease and leases.
• Advising pro bono clients in connection with land laws affecting various social impact initiatives and particularly in environmental and wildlife conservation.
• Drafting and reviewing various contracts which in connection with or ancillary to certain real estate transactions, including term sheets, share purchase agreements, joint venture agreements, loan agreements.
• Undertaking research and preparing legal opinions on a range of issues.