Tom O. Onyango, MBS

Senior Partner

“Senior partner Tom Onyango is one of the best lawyers in legal practice.”- The Legal 500 EMEA 2023.

Tom Onyango heads the Real Estate and Banking Team. He has a reputation for providing innovative, well-reasoned, and commercially sensitive advice to every client in his portfolio.

His core practice centers around financial services and real estate development. He has extensive experience in a wide range of real estate transactions, including offering advisory and due diligence services in major capital investments. He has advised developers on raising real estate development finance and advised financial institutions on the perfection of securities. He has also structured several large-scale real estate projects and has put together numerous innovative commercial property transactions including some award-winning projects. In addition, he advises many businesses in Kenya and sits on the boards of several companies.

A knack for astute legal interpretation and meticulous attention to detail has seen Tom carve a very distinctive niche in commercial real estate and conveyancing matters. Adding to previous accolades, he is ranked as a Recommended Lawyer in The Legal 500 EMEA 2023 Real Estate and Construction report.

Qualifications:

  • Global Executive MBA (USIU)
  • LLB (Hons.)
  • Diploma in Law (KSL)

Memberships:

  • Law Society of Kenya
  • East Africa Law Society

Key Matters

1. Ceytun Insaat Sanayi Ve Ticaret As

(A Turkish developer specializing in top-end real estate projects) its first smart home luxury apartment project in sub-Saharan Africa valued at USD 9.4 million (KES 1.3 billion).
Real estate developer in Kenya in a country estate gated community project valued at USD 8.7 million (KES 1.2 billion).
(A fintech) in a transaction that involved an acquisition of over five million shares (with an estimated value of USD 5.8 million) in a microfinance institution.
(A leading independent pan-African bank in Kenya and a member of Ecobank Transnational) in security documentation of a loan valued at USD 4.1 million (KES 554 million) extended to Mjengo Limited (one of East Africa’s leading FMCG companies).
A commercial bank in Kenya and a subsidiary of South Africa-based Absa Group Limited) in a lending transaction valued at USD 3.6 million (KES 486 million) to Sweeney Estates Limited. 
(The third largest Kenyan bank in assets) in connection with the perfection of securities valued at USD 3.6 million (KES 486 million).
(A construction company in negotiating a loan valued at USD 2.9 million (KES 392 million) from the Co-operative Bank of Kenya (an NSE-listed commercial bank) to finance the construction of 37 modern townhouses.
In advisory, review, and preparation of the transaction documents to effect the subscription of shares by an investor valued at USD 2.5 million (KES 338)
(One of the top financial services providers in East Africa) in the security documentation of a loan valued at USD 1.4 million (KES 189 million) extended to Tusker Mattresses (Tuskys (a Kenyan supermarket chain)) to extend its operations in the region.

Capabilites

Insights

LEGAL ALERTS

LEGAL ALERT: Reprieve for lenders as Court strikes down S.47 of the Land Laws (Amendment Act) 2016

See Article

LEGAL ALERTS

Is your Digital Lending Platform licensed? Review of the Central Bank of Kenya (Amendment) Act, 2021

See Article

LEGAL ALERTS

Salient Changes and Licencing Formalities under the DCP Regulations

See Article