Written by Lisa Murimi
Advertisements flood our screens daily, but ads from law firms and medical practitioners are intentionally scarce.
Both professions are considered noble, and this exclusivity maintains the respect they’ve earned.
Adverts from doctors or hospitals were banned until 2011, a step taken to safeguard patient trust and prevent profit-driven motives.
The Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board Act was revised in response to physicians’ requests, allowing regulated hospital advertising that must adhere to ethical standards, objectivity, and truthfulness.
Lawyers, like medical practitioners, are forbidden from TV, radio, and billboard advertising. This aligns with the notion of law being a noble profession, akin to medicine.
Lawyers can, however, advertise in print media like newspapers, magazines, and journals. The restriction is meant to uphold the dignity of the legal field and prevent its transformation into a profit-centric industry.
Unlike products with guaranteed outcomes, legal cases’ results are uncertain, making advertising promises challenging.
A lawyer said in a past interview that the Kenya Legal industry was aligned to that of the UK where nobility was paramount.
“Kenyan law borrows a lot from the UK which considers law as a noble profession or a calling such as medicine. The laws were made to protect the nobility of the practice and discourage people from viewing it as a business,” he explained.
The emphasis on professionalism over business aspects ensures the integrity of both law and medicine, reinforcing their roles as noble callings rather than mere profit-making ventures.
