If Peter Muindi were a Cat, I doubt he would be alive. Curiosity would have claimed him long ago. When you meet the outgoing publishing editor of the Strathmore Law Review, one thing that immediately stands out is his endless curiosity. Peter considers himself a lifelong learner, a mindset he credits to his mentor, Dr Jim McFie, a respected lecturer and long-time Director of Strathmore University’s School of Accountancy (SOA) and to the spirit of openness and humility that has guided every decision he has made.

Finding Purpose in Law

Peter’s path to law was anything but straight. His journey is like the World’s Toughest Roads documentary series on YouTube, where you never quite know whether you’ll reach your destination, but you have to keep moving forward regardless.

As a high school student at Sunshine Secondary School, Peter was captivated by how lawyers think, argue, reason and influence public discourse.

“I would watch MPs with legal backgrounds initiate motions and debate them in Parliament and think, ‘I would want to reason like that MP,’” he recalls. “That’s when I realised law might be calling me.”

But life had other plans. After high school, Peter was set to study Electrical and Electronics Engineering abroad, in Singapore, and had even begun preparing for the Scholastic Assessment Test (SATs). In early 2020, the first COVID‑19 case was reported in Kenya, and subsequent travel restrictions forced him to reconsider his plans. Encouraged by his parents to stay closer to home, he enrolled at Strathmore University, initially pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) at the Strathmore Business School

“If I’m staying in Kenya,” he thought, “I might as well do a course that unlocks a lot more impact for my community.”

Business, however, was not really his calling. During his CPA studies, a Business Law unit reignited his fascination with law. The unit’s perspectives, its impact on commerce and policy and its role in justice were impossible to ignore for someone with an underlying passion for law.  Peter, therefore, requested a transfer to Strathmore Law School (SLS), a decision that would change everything.

At SLS, Peter found his true purpose. From serving as the Publishing Editor of the Strathmore Law Review, one of the best student-led law reviews in Africa, to standing before judges in international moots, he brought his A-game to every opportunity.

“The SLR and mooting really shaped me academically and as a person, to be honest,” he reflects. “You learn how to think, argue persuasively and find cases that can either build or break your argument.”

At SLS, Peter worked under mentors like Allan Mukuki, the SLS Partnerships Director and mooting coordinator, who pushed him to excel as a researcher and orator, an experience Peter says continues to sharpen his intellectual curiosity. The same curiosity that would definitely have claimed him if he were a cat.

“At SLR, we amplify authors’ voices,” he explains. “Beyond editing, we help them interrogate  the law, challenge assumptions and sharpen arguments that produce real institutional impact.”

Alongside Mark Gitau and Zayn Aslam, Peter co-organised the SLR@10 Symposium, a milestone event that honoured ten years of publishing  African legal scholarship. The event brought together distinguished scholars and institutional leaders, including Prof Luis Franceschi, Assistant Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations and Founding Dean of Strathmore Law School.

Preparing for the Real World

Peter credits Strathmore’s approach, especially Work-Based Learning (WBL), for preparing him for life beyond the classroom. His internships at KPMG, one of the world’s Big Four audit and advisory firms and CIPIT (Centre for Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law) gave him a glimpse into professional life and helped him connect theory to practice.

“You could see what the workspace really looks like,” he says. “It’s one thing to learn the law, it’s another to apply it in real scenarios.”

He recalls December 2024, a month he says he’ll never forget. Peter was juggling the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, the world’s largest and most prestigious moot, bringing together law students from across the globe to argue complex international law cases, the same month Peter was also editing SLR Internal Review and interning at CIPIT, all while being selected to represent Strathmore at the African Mining Legislation Atlas (AMLA), an initiative by the World Bank’s Legal Vice-Presidency..

(Peter was part of the team that represented Strathmore University at the Jessup Moot in Washington, D.C., where they reached the Quarterfinals and were recognised as Strathmore University’s Best New Team, coached by Allan Mukuki and Mishael Wambua.)

“Everything came at once,” he laughs. “But that season taught me a lot.” Peter says, counting off on his fingers, a skill he probably picked up while trying out CPA: “Resilience, time management, prioritisation and the power of teamwork.”

Taxation and Thought Leadership

Peter’s curiosity and confidence led him to publish a thought leadership piece in the Business Daily on Kenya’s Finance Bill 2025. A really great feat for a student, especially given how sensitive discussions about finance and taxation can be among politically aware Kenyan youth, especially the Gen Z.

“We had already studied tax law,” he explains, “so I had an idea of what impactful fiscal policy could look like. My goal was to make sure people understand where their taxes go. Basically, to make law and policy accessible to everyone.”

He attributes the piece to the guidance and encouragement of his mentors at KPMG, who challenged him to translate technical tax knowledge into accessible thought leadership. While he cannot mention all of them here, he is especially grateful to Peter Caxton Kinuthia, Tax Partner at KPMG East Africa, who also delivered the keynote address at the SLS Class of 2025 Leavers’ Gala Dinner.

Peter assisted in planning the KPMG Africa Venture Summit, an initiative of KPMG Private Enterprise that convenes stakeholders across Africa’s business landscape, including startups, SMEs, venture capitalists, private equity funds and policymakers. 

The Power of Exposure and Service to Society

Peter believes that international exposure is essential for young lawyers.

“In a globalised world, your competition is not limited to Kenya,” he notes. “You log into your computer and see a student in the developed nations building something at midnight. We are all learning and competing at the same stage.”

For him, global experiences, from mooting to research collaborations, sharpen skills and cultivate empathy and grace.

“International exposure opens you up to challenges and opportunities,” he says. “You start appreciating the work others are doing  and the challenges they face.”

When it comes to community service, Peter says this is personal for him. Born and raised in Matuu, he has seen how education transforms lives.

“Most of my community work is in teaching,” he explains. “Education gives people skills. It brings them closer to opportunities. For me, it’s about shaping the next generation and showing them what’s possible.”

“Do It Scared”

When asked for advice to current SLS students, Peter answered, “Do it scared, because you miss all the chances you don’t take.”

It’s a phrase he picked up from Fiona Mwaura, a former classmate and a current Graduate Assistant at SLS. This philosophy has carried him from BCom classes to international moot courts, from editing journals to publishing national op-eds.

In the next decade, Peter hopes to be admitted to the Kenyan Bar, pursue his master’s degree and collaborate with the government and private sector on high-level platforms to shape policy and opportunity in African trade and commerce.

“It’s all about keeping an open mindset,” he says. “Learn from those ahead of you, engage your seniors and keep growing.”

For Peter Muindi, learning is a way of life. In his own words, “We may not have everything figured out, but as long as we are learning, we are moving forward.”

Article by Evans Ijakaa