Our Expert Network

Barrow Consultancy maintains a curated roster of legal experts and country specialists across East Africa. Each expert has been vetted for their qualifications, in-country experience, and ability to produce work of the highest professional standard.

Fowzia Dahir Abdi

Director, Barrow Consultancy | Director, Ali & Barrow Solicitors | Somalia Country Expert | Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England & Wales

Fowzia Dahir Abdi is the Director of Barrow Consultancy and a qualified Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales. She is a Somalia country expert with over a decade of combined legal, academic, and advisory experience relating to Somalia. She holds first-hand, in-country knowledge of Somali political, security, and humanitarian conditions, gained through roles with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Mogadishu, Internews International, and as a postgraduate lecturer on the LL.M programme at Somali National University.

Fowzia has produced several independent country expert reports for use in asylum and immigration proceedings, covering conditions in Somalia including Al-Shabaab activity, clan dynamics, state protection, and internal relocation. She combines deep cultural and linguistic fluency as a native Somali speaker with rigorous legal training and academic research methodology.

She holds an LL.M in International & European Trade and Investment Law from the University of Amsterdam, an LL.B (Hons) from London South Bank University, and is accredited as a Supervising Senior Caseworker by The Law Society. Fowzia is fluent in Somali, English, and Dutch.

Key Areas:

Al-Shabaab: recruitment, territorial control & targeting of civilians
Clan dynamics & minority clan vulnerabilities
State protection & security conditions in Mogadishu
Internal relocation feasibility & safety
Humanitarian conditions, displacement & food insecurity
Cultural credibility assessments for Home Office proceedings
Human rights, rule of law & gender-based violence

Avv. Dahir H. Abdi

Director, Barrow & Co. | Practising Somali Lawyer | Somalia Country Expert, Legal & Governance

Avv. Dahir H. Abdi is a Director of Barrow & Co. and a practising lawyer in Somalia with over 40 years of continuous legal experience. Still actively practising today, Dahir is one of the most experienced legal professionals operating in Somalia, with an unparalleled understanding of the country's constitutional framework, legislative processes, and regulatory environment. He is a former Member of the Somali Federal Parliament and has served as Senior Legal Advisor to multiple government ministries, including the Office of the Prime Minister.

His career spans senior advisory roles at the Ministry of Family & Human Rights, the Ministry of Ports & Maritime Transport, the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, and the Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and the Rule of Law. He has also served as Chairman of the International Somali Lawyers Association (ISLA) in London.

Dahir holds a Bachelor of Law (LLB) from the Somali National University and postgraduate qualifications in legal advisory from Leicester University, UK. He is fluent in Somali, English, Italian, and Dutch, and serves as a bridge between Somali institutions and the international community.

Key Areas:

Constitutional law & federalism
Legislative drafting & parliamentary governance
Regulatory compliance & institutional reform
Maritime law & the Blue Economy
Political economy & stakeholder engagement
International agreements & treaty obligations

Tariq Suleiman

Country Expert, Kenya & Horn of Africa | Commercial & Migration Consultant | Independent Legal Consultant

Tariq Suleiman is a Kenyan-trained legal professional and country expert with a broad practice spanning commercial law, corporate compliance, property transactions, and migration advisory. He brings direct institutional experience as Legal Adviser to Mandera County Government and as retained legal adviser to Trocaire's Somalia programme, where he advised on employment law, NGO registration, and operational legal matters in a complex field environment.

Tariq has been field-deployed on USAID- and GCERF-funded programmes across Somalia, giving him practical knowledge of cross-border legal structures, Xeer customary law frameworks, and the regulatory landscape of the Kenya-Somalia border region. He advises corporate clients, foreign nationals, international NGOs, and public bodies on legal structuring, regulatory compliance, and cross-border matters.

He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Mount Kenya University and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law. Tariq is fluent in English, Somali (including Maay dialect), Swahili, and has working proficiency in Oromo.

Key Areas:

Kenyan commercial, corporate & property law
Migration & immigration advisory for foreign nationals
NGO legal advisory, registration & operational compliance
Kenya-Somalia cross-border legal structures & Xeer customary law
Government & regulatory compliance (county & national)
Country expert reports for UK immigration & asylum proceedings

Join Our Network

Are you a legal professional or country expert with deep knowledge of an East African jurisdiction? Barrow Consultancy is expanding its expert network across the region. We are particularly interested in experts covering Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Uganda, and Tanzania.

To apply, please send your CV and a brief summary of your expertise to admin@barrowconsult.com.

Who We Are Looking For

We are seeking qualified lawyers, academics, researchers, and country analysts with genuine in-country experience and a track record of professional work. We are particularly interested in experts covering Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Uganda, and Tanzania. We also welcome applications from professionals with experience in international development, capacity building, and justice sector programming.

What We Offer

As a member of the Barrow Consultancy network, you will receive access to instructions from UK and international law firms, corporates, and institutions, as well as opportunities to contribute to international development projects. We handle client relationships, invoicing, and administration, allowing you to focus on delivering expert work. You will also benefit from being part of a professional, curated network that enhances your individual credibility and visibility.

How to Apply

Please send the following to admin@barrowconsult.com:

Your CV or professional biography
A brief summary of your areas of expertise and countries covered
Details of any expert reports or witness experience
Two professional references

We review all applications and will be in touch within 14 days.

Our Expert Network