The November 2025 Kenya School of Law (KSL) Advocate Training Programme (ATP) examinations have recorded a significant failure rate, with only 397 of the 1,834 students passing the nine-unit exams.
The Council of Legal Education (CLE) revealed that ATP 104 – Trial Advocacy recorded the highest pass rate at 97.49%, while ATP 105 – Professional Ethics had the lowest, at 25.38%.
This marks the third consecutive time ATP 105 has recorded the lowest performance, raising concerns about students’ grasp of professional ethics.
In the wake of the results, city lawyer Phannie Kwegah addressed the disheartened students, offering reassurance and guidance.
Speaking candidly, Kwegah shared her own challenging journey through KSL: "Relax, it’s not the end of the road, it’s just a bend. I got seven Ps at first sitting, resat two and passed one, then resat the last one and passed. Exhale and take a stab at it again. You’ll come over and realise you need more than those Ps to survive in this jungle. All the best. Your senior, who’s been down that road twice."
Kwegah’s words resonated with many students struggling to cope with the disappointment, emphasizing resilience and persistence over despair.
CLE officials, meanwhile, urged students to seek support and intensive revision in areas such as Professional Ethics, while highlighting the need for targeted interventions to improve overall performance in future ATP exams.
The massive failure has reignited debates on the preparedness of KSL students for legal practice, but Kwegah’s message reminds aspiring lawyers that setbacks are part of the journey to becoming competent practitioners.