Joseph M. Were is a lawyer, having graduated with a law degree from the University of Nairobi in 1996 and earned his Diploma from the Kenya School of Law in 1998. He was admitted to the bar on 12th March, 1998. He holds a Master of Arts, International Trade from Ajou University, South Korea.
Mr. Were has served as a Legal Officer at Gateway and Madison Insurance Companies, as State Counsel at the Hon. Attorney General's Office, and, since 1st July 2004, as a Magistrate with the Judiciary, rising to the rank of Chief Magistrate. He currently serves at Ruiru Law Courts.
Mr. Were has also trained extensively locally and abroad, earning a Senior Management Certificate from the National University Singapore (NUS), Legislative Drafting (Sir William Dale College, University of London), Senior Leadership Development Program (SLDP) from the Kenya School of Government (KSG) and more recently Project Planning & Management (PPM) also from Kenya School of Government. Mr. Were is a Certified Public Secretary (CPS) and was honoured by the President of the Republic of Kenya with the Order of the Moran of the Burning Spear (MBS).