We recently sat down with Senior Associate Ken Gitahi to ask all the burning questions …
When did you start at Sierra Legal? 1 February 2018.
What were you doing before Sierra Legal? I was a senior lawyer at another top tier boutique corporate law firm in Melbourne.
What do you do with your time when you aren’t advising on M&A deals and reviewing contracts? Generally running around after my 3 very energetic kids (ages 7, 5 and 3). Given the current Covid-19 lockdown in Melbourne, however, I have not been doing much running around after the kids (which I’m not complaining too much about). The home-schooling, on the other hand, has been the biggest test of patience I have ever had to endure. Bravo to all the teachers out there.
What was your first job? Door-to-door sales/collections for a not-for-profit in Perth. Tough gig, especially in the WA summer, and we had to be in full suits too! Needless to say, I didn’t last long, BUT some “good” came from it (see the answer to the next burning question).
What was the first thing you bought with your own money? A first generation X-box console!!! It was quite the momentous occasion when I walked into that EB Games store and plonked my hard earned $$$ from the aforementioned door-to-door sales/collections job. I used to be quite the gamer in my younger days. Not so much now though, sadly, principally due to the 3 very energetic kids previously referred to.
What was the last book you read? ‘Too Much and Never Enough’ by Mary L. Trump PhD. I’m about to start reading ‘Disloyal’, A Memoir by Michael Cohen. There’s a theme here clearly. I am fascinated by US politics in the Trump era particularly in the current lead-up to the November 2020 presidential elections. Australian politics, by comparison, is quite uneventful, for which I am incredibly grateful. Long may that continue!
Favourite place? Masai Mara National Reserve. Google it!
Favourite food? Kenyan-style chapatis. Google them!
Least favourite food? Anchovies. Licorice a close second. Pickles, too. Can’t. Stand. Them. #dontgoogleoreatthem!
Best advice you have received?
“There’s still time to change the road you’re on” – (advice received from Led Zeppelin)
“You gotta fight for your right to party” – (advice received from Beastie Boys)
Other articles you may be interested in
Pre-Transaction Conduct and Liability for Misleading and Deceptive Conduct
Two recent decisions reinforce that liability for misleading and deceptive conduct under the Australian Consumer Law can arise well before binding transaction documents are signed by the parties. If your business issues tender documents, information memoranda or due diligence materials, this article is relevant to you.
Read More.Planning to Sell? How a Share Sale Became a Forced Exit — and What Every Seller Should Learn From It
They set out to sell part of their stake in Melbourne Airport. They ended up losing all of it. If you hold shares in a company with a shareholders' agreement and you're planning to sell those shares, there are clauses that could cost you far more than the deal you're trying to do — and a recent court decision shows exactly how.
Read More.Sierra Legal Named Australia's Most Innovative Corporate & Commercial Law Firm for 2026
Sierra Legal has been named 'Most Innovative Corporate & Commercial Law Firm 2026 – Australia' at the APAC Legal Awards, run by APAC Insider. It's a reflection of the work that happens behind the scenes every day across M&A, corporate transactions and commercial legal matters.
Read More.