A new documentary is set to chronicle the extraordinary story of Brian Mwenda, the self-styled lawyer whose deception captivated Kenya and shook its legal fraternity.
Titled The Lawyer, the feature-length film is directed by acclaimed Polish filmmaker Maciej Bochniak and produced by Warsaw-based Madants.
Already in production, the project has attracted attention at major industry platforms, including the Locarno Film Festival’s Match Me! programme and the Rome-based MIA Market.
The film follows Mwenda, a young man who rose from modest beginnings to become a celebrated figure in Kenya’s courts, winning high-profile cases, charming the media, and even securing a partnership at a prestigious law firm.
His meteoric rise came to an abrupt end when it emerged that he had never completed law school, allegedly forging his credentials and teaching himself law through YouTube tutorials and episodes of Boston Legal.
Bochniak described Mwenda’s story as “fascinating from the first moment,” praising the audacity and ingenuity of a man who “took matters into his own hands” to challenge a world that seemed out of reach. Producer Kinga Tasarek called it “a story so unbelievable it could be fiction, yet it is entirely true,” noting that the documentary blends crime thriller, courtroom drama, and moral inquiry.
The film promises a multi-layered portrayal, combining observational footage in Nairobi with archival material, interviews with Mwenda, his lawyers, clients, friends, and family, and reconstructions that capture the performative nature of his deception.
Mwenda’s saga made global headlines in 2023 after reports revealed he had been practising law on falsified documents. His alleged record of 26 court victories sparked debate, with some legal figures dismissing the claims as exaggerated.
Bochniak compared the story to the fictional world of Suits, emphasizing its drama, psychological complexity, and exploration of ambition, deception, and the blurred line between truth and performance. The Lawyer aims to capture not just the scandal, but the audacious human story at its heart.
