Jeanette Gathoni Ngatia

Email: JNgatia@kapstrat.com
Position: Senior Associate
Practice Area: Immigration & Private Client | Real Estate & Property Management

Jeanette is a senior associate in the Corporate/Commercial department specializing in Private Client and Immigration law. Jeanette has a wealth of experience handling private client and immigration matters. Her work encompasses providing expert legal advice and guidance on matters related to creation of family and charitable trusts, estate planning, drafting of wills and other documents of a testamentary nature; advising on reorganization of asset holding structures and asset protection strategies; applying for probate and administration of estates (contentious and non-contentious matters); advising on restructuring of family businesses; providing guidance on tax implications related to estate planning, asset transfer and trust administration; providing specialist immigration advice encompassing a range of services covering work and entry permits, special passes, dependent passes and determination of citizenship status; advising on real estate and property matters and preparing documentation for various property acquisitions and disposals.

Jeanette also advises local and international not-for-profit organizations in Kenya on establishment, governance and compliance.

Her client portfolio comprises of local and foreign private clients; trusts; local and international corporate clients and local and foreign not-for-profit organizations.

• Made in Africa Newsletter (King & Wood Mallesons) March 2015 Issue 13 – Immigration in Kenya: Kenya’s New Security Law Impacts on Immigration Rules and Foreign Nationals.

• Offering expert legal advice and guidance on aspects of estate planning, wills and trusts.
• Advising on creation and termination of family trusts and charitable trusts – Advice includes preparation of tailor made trust documents, advice on tax implications, acquisition of property, management and compliance.
• Advising and guiding trustees on trustee’s legal obligations and fiduciary responsibilities, appointment and removal of trustees and trust administration.
• Drafting and advising clients on wills, trusts, powers of attorney, living wills/health directives and other documents of a testamentary nature.
• Guiding clients and applying for probate and administration of estates (contentious and non-contentious).
• Assisting with transmission of assets from estates to respective beneficiaries.
• Providing guidance on tax implications related to estate planning, trust administration and asset transfer.
• Advising clients on wealth preservation, restructuring of family companies, and asset protection strategies.
• Handling disputes that arise in relation to private client matters such as contested wills, estate litigation, trust disputes in conjunction with our litigation department.
• Drafting legal opinions and assisting with applications for various work/entry permits for individuals and corporate organizations.
• Offering general and specialized immigration advice on work permit procedures.
• Providing continuous assistance with various permit applications for foreign individuals, local and international corporate and not-for-profit clients including Nedbank Kenya, American Tower Corporation, Twiga Foods Limited, Tearfund, ESS Equipment, GSMA etc.
• Establishing not-for-profit entities including companies limited by guarantee, NGOs, societies and private and charitable trusts.
• Advising various local and foreign not-for-profit entities on compliance and governance with the appropriate regulatory body.
• Handling various conveyancing work including property acquisition/disposals and leases.