ASSOCIATE

omobola_bakare@foakinrele.com

09095990074

OVERVIEW

Omobola Bakare is an associate in the corporate practice.

She is a Corporate Lawyer with fast growing experience in legal advisory, company secretarial and regulatory compliance practices across numerous sectors including Oil and Gas, Maritime, Employment, Shipping and Commercial sectors; with excellent client management skills and high-level professionalism at work and in all client-related dealings.

EXPERIENCE

• Providing Corporate and Commercial legal advice to high profile clients such as North of England P & I Association Limited, Jabi Lake Mall Development Company Limited, Northwest Quadrant Development Company Limited, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited. Scope of work includes:
  • Attending Annual General Meetings, Emergency General Meetings and Board Meetings; and advising on compliance with standards of proceedings at such meetings.
  • Ensuring clients compliance with respective regulatory bodies and sectoral industry Codes of Corporate Governance.
  • Ensuring that client companies regulatory filings such as annual returns, change of directors e.t.c are prepared and filed timeously with relevant authorities such as the CAC, SEC, FRCN, NEPZA.
• Preparing legal opinions on relevant legal issues such as recent changes in legislation affecting clients’ respective industries and advising on how such changes affect the clients. Recent engagements include:
  • Prepared a legal opinion for the Board of Directors of Solar Turbines (an international gas turbine service provider in the oil and gas industry), advising them on the legal implications of the suspension of an employee without recall.
  • Prepared a legal opinion for Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) which advised on the statutory propriety of the demand by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council for the payment of 10% freight charges.
• Participated as a member of legal team drafted by NIMASA to review and draft an amended NIMASA Act and for related matters.
• Litigating suits on behalf of high-profile clients across all superior courts of record, particularly the Federal High Court and National Industrial Court. Recent engagements include:
  • Represented North of England P & I Association Limited at the Federal High Court, Lagos in a suit involving a claim for damage to vessels.
  • Represented Solar Turbines in an action for breach of contract of employment instituted against the client at the National Industrial Court.

EDUCATION

Coventry University, LL.B (Hons), LL.M.

Nigerian Law School

Qualifying Certificate

ADMISSIONS

Nigeria

Adamu Usman advises on Banking, Finance and Capital Markets law, Companies law, general corporate matters, employment law, immigration law and taxation. He also focuses on corporate aspects of oil and gas work and leads both the Banking & Capital Markets and the Corporate law Groups. According to sources, “he is intelligent and thoughtful, and he really thinks about the political and practical issues of a transaction”. Chambers and Partners 2008.

Practice Group

Banking, Finance & Capital Markets, Energy & Natural Resources and Corporate law

Practice Focus

He has, over the past 24 years rendered comprehensive advice on various areas of the Nigerian economy including providing advice on Nigerian oil and gas legislation, tax legislation and pro-active discussion of recondite issues revolving around the operating and fiscal environment in the country, to various offshore corporations and multinationals, including those with local (Nigerian) subsidiaries.

In addition, he possesses vast experience in reviewing; collating and analysing legal documentation for various cross-border transactions, financing projects and international business merger and acquisition transactions, as well as creation, review and finalisation of specific and general form contractual documentation.

Admission

Nigerian Bar 1988

Publications

• Co-Author Country Contributor Banking Regulation Review 2010-2012 (Law Business Research)
• Co- Author Country Contributor “Getting the Deal Through” 2012 (Law Business Research)

Professional, Associations and Memberships

• Member – Association of Nigerian Business Lawyers

Education

Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (Nigeria) LL.B. (Hons.) 1987;

PARTNER

demola-akinrele@foakinrele.com

OVERVIEW

Ademola is a partner in the ‘Litigation and Arbitration Group’.

He has vast experience in litigation. He has built up a reputation in general litigation and arbitration matters. He has represented a variety of international clients in corporate and commercial disputes across the firm’s core practice areas particularly in telecommunications, oil & gas and banking.

EXPERIENCE

• Represented Oando Plc in litigation and Arbitration
• Represented Airtel Nigeria Limited and Bharti Group in litigation and Arbitration
• Represented ExxonMobil Nigeria Limited in litigation and Arbitration
• Represented Ecobank Nigeria Plc in litigation and Arbitration
• Represented BG Exploration and Production Limited in litigation
• Represented Texaco Overseas (Nigeria) Petroleum Co. Unltd. (Topcon) in litigation
• Represented Bouygues S.A. in Arbitration

EDUCATION

• St Gregory’s College, Lagos
• Clifton College, Bristol
• University College, London
• University of Cambridge

ADMISSIONS

Nigeria.

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

• Senior Advocate of Nigeria (S.A.N)
• Described as “cerebral and focused”….“forceful and persuasive advocate” (Chambers & Partners).
• Merit Award for Distinction in Law Practice by the Law Society, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos,
• Recipient of Award of Fifteen Legal Practitioners of Distinction in Nigeria by Body of Nigerian Universities and Law School Students
• Former Secretary, Oxford & Cambridge Club, Nigeria
• Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, United Kingdom
• Former Commodore Lagos Motor Boat Club
• Director, Oando Plc
• Director, Danos & Curole Nigeria Limited.

MANAGING PARTNER

dolapo_akinrele@foakinrele.com

OVERVIEW

Adedolapo is a partner in the ‘Shipping, Aviation and Transport Transactions and Litigation Group’, ‘Energy & Natural Resources Transactions and Litigation Group’; and ‘Special Projects Group’. He is a leading authority on Shipping law and Energy and Natural Resources law. He is retained by several International Shipping Companies; P & I Clubs and International oil and gas companies. He is the author of a treatise on Nigerian Oil and Gas Law.

He has over 30 years experience in Maritime and Shipping Law Practice representing regulatory authorities such as the Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Nigerian Ministry of transport, the Bureau of public enterprises as well as the Shippers Council and Maritime Associations

He has a broad spectrum of representation of Clients ranging from non-contentious shipping transactional work to contentious work through the courts and by way of arbitration (under the UNCITRAL and ICC Rules).

Representation of Nigerian, West African, European, UK and US ship owners and Protection and Indemnity Associations

EXPERIENCE 

• Represented North of England P & I Club in litigation and Arbitration
• Represented The American P & I Club in litigation and Arbitration
• Represented The Skuld P & I Club in litigation and Arbitration
• Represented The West of England P & I Club in litigation and Arbitration
• Represented The Liverpool & London P & I Club in litigation and Arbitration
• Represented The Standard P & I Club in litigation
• Represented Den Norske Bank – DNB ASA – litigation, enforcement of ship mortgages
• Represented the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in litigation and regulatory oversight
• Represented Virgin Atlantic Airways in its establishment as the Nigeria Carrier and technical partner to Virgin Nigeria Limited
• Represented British Airways in regulatory and contractual matters in Nigeria
• Represented M&T Bank Corporation in its enforcement provisions under the Cape Town Treaty
• Represented CHC Helicopters deregistration of assets
• Represented FPG Amentum Limited in its enforcement of aircraft leasing interests in Nigeria
• Represented IATA in its regulatory oversight over the aviation industry
• Represented Export Development Canada in restructuring financing of assets and the enforcement of mortgages and resale of aircraft
• Represented BG Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited in its establishment, regulatory compliance, contractual/licence negotiations acquisition and operations in Nigeria
• Represented Svenska Exploration & Production Nigeria Limited in its establishment, regulatory compliance, licence acquisitions and operations in Nigeria
• Represented Oando Plc in its mergers and acquisition of oil licenses
• Representing Bumi Amarda Engineering Services Company in negotiations with the Nigerian government and the recovery and sale of its oil rig assets.
• Nigerian Country Consultant to Adam Smith International and the Nigerian Infrastructure Advisory (NIAF) on infrastructure projects

EDUCATION

• St Gregory’s College, Lagos,
• Clifton College, Bristol,
• University College, London
• University of East Anglia, Norfolk.

ADMISSIONS

Nigeria

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

• Senior Advocate of Nigeria (S.A.N)
• Clients praised his “excellent and thorough” research skills, which ensure that “even potential problematic areas are brought up on aviation and maritime-related Also, a practitioner who “knows his stuff” and is “always intent on providing a good service. (Chambers and Partners).
• Delegate Committee Maritime International (CMI)
• Member Editorial Board, Nigerian Maritime Law Journal
• Life Member Bentham Law Society, University College, London
• Member Editorial Board, Nigerian Maritime Law Journal
• Patron of the Oil & Gas Law Society of the University of Lagos
• Associate Editor to the Global Oil Gas & Energy Law Publications by T. W. Wälde (Jean Monnet Chair for European Union Economic and Energy Law).
• Appointed as the Consulting contributor to Prof. Piero Bernadini – Luiss University of Rome. – the ENI Encyclopedia of Hydrocarbons
• Author of a Practice Treatise titled “Nigerian Oil and Gas Law” endorsed by the Centre for Energy and Mineral Law and Policy, University of Dundee
• Board member of the Oxford Journal of World Energy law and Business (University of Oxford)
• Written numerous articles including Transparency in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry” Journal of World Energy Law and Business, Volume 7 (3) – Jun 30, 2014 and “The Current Impact of Global Crude Oil Prices on Nigeria An overview of the Nigerian petroleum and energy sector” The Journal of World Energy Law & Business, Volume 9, Issue 5, October 2016.
• Former President of the Lagos Polo Club
• Former Chairman of the Nigerian Polo Association
• Trustee of the Lagos Polo Club

Olumide has an impressive record as a trial and an appellate lawyer. He is thorough, responsive and has a genuine knowledge of all the legal issues involved in his field of specialisation.

He is often credited for promptly identifying the big issue in a case and getting on top of it. He is a partner in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution department of the firm and has been involved in a number of contentious commercial litigation and rendered legal advice and opinions on many aspects of telecommunications and corporate law. He has participated in various ICC, UNCITRAL and LCIA Arbitrations.

Practice Group

Litigation and Dispute Resolution.

Practice Focus

Olumide’s principal field of work is Commercial Litigation, Arbitration, Oil Pollution Claim, Product liability and Real Estate. He has a wide experience of arbitration across a wide range of business and industry sectors and has conducted both domestic and international Arbitration under all the major institutional rules.

He has done considerable work in multi-jurisdiction enforcement proceedings in the energy sector.

Admission

Nigeria

Professional Membership

International Bar Association;
Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitration (FCIArb) UK

ASSOCIATE

peter_ibe@foakinrele.com

+234-706-922-1592

OVERVIEW

Peter Ibe is an Associate in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice.

He regularly advises client on dispute resolution and has represented clients in superior Courts of record in Nigeria. Peter has also participated and rendered advisory services on Real Estate Transactions, Mortgages, Foreign Exchange, and tax claims.

EXPERIENCE

• Rendered legal advisory to a multinational company on the application of the Monetary, Credit, Foreign Trade and Exchange Policy Guidelines for Fiscal Years 2020/2021 and other applicable laws and regulations with respect to Foreign Exchange Transactions in Nigeria.
• Represented the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) at the Tax Appeal Tribunal, Lagos Division, in an appeal by Nigerian Agip and Oando over their tax assessment in respect of OML 125.
• Rendered legal advisory to a leading Nigerian Bank on the propriety or otherwise of placing a post-no-debit on a customer’s account.

EDUCATION

University of Nigeria, Nsukka. LL.B. (Hons) Law

Nigerian Law School

Qualifying Certificate

ADMISSIONS

Nigeria

ASSOCIATE

abraham_otene@foakinrele.com

08095703214

OVERVIEW

Abraham is an associate in the firm’s litigation and dispute resolution practice.

He focuses on representing clients in complex multisectoral disputes as well as advising local and multinational corporations on the most efficient strategies for dispute prevention and resolution. His areas of interest cut across oil and gas, intellectual property, labour and industrial relations, banking, insurance and real estate where he routinely represents clients at both the trial and appellate courts.

He is also developing competence in corporate/commercial transactions where he is routinely attached to the corporate/commercial department of the firm.

He is an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators.

EXPERIENCE

• Part of the team advising MTN on its proposed shareholder offering.
• Part of the team advising DLM Trust Company Limited acting as trustees in the Primero BRT Securitisation SPV PLC’s bond issue.
• Representing Ecobank Nigeria Limited in several employer-employee related disputes at both trial and appellate courts.
• Part of the team representing the trio of South- Trust Bank, Import-Export Bank of the United States of America and Private Export Funding Corporation at the Supreme Court.
• Represented Federal Inland Revenue Service in tax appeals at the Tax Appeal Tribunal
• Part of the team representing the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission at the Court of Appeal in a challenge of its regulatory powers by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Commission.
• Advised Kaddas Oil Field Services and Trading Company (KOSTCO) on the most effective model for dispute resolution in its commercial relations with its client.

EDUCATION

University of Nigeria, Nsukka, LL.B. (Hons).

Nigerian Law School

Qualifying certificate, First Class Honours.

ADMISSIONS

Nigeria

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

• Director-General’s Prize for First Class students.
• Best Graduating Student, Nigeria Law School (Kano Campus) 2018/2019 session.

ASSOCIATE

doherty_taiwo@foakinrele.com

08134768544

OVERVIEW

Doherty Taiwo is an associate in the dispute resolution practice.

His expertise includes arbitration, mediation and general litigation practice. He routinely advises on labour matters, banking, intellectual property, regulatory compliance, corporate governance and real estate. He also advises on the negotiation and drafting of legal documentations in various areas of law practice.

EXPERIENCE

• Counsel in arbitration between top class oil & gas companies engaged in a dispute over a joint venture agreement.
• Counsel in arbitration between top engineering and construction firms.
• Advised a first-class bank on the assimilation of its non-core banking assets which run capital market, asset management and investment banking businesses with its commercial banking license.
• Advised a top-rate oil and gas firm on possible constructs for the acquisition/ownership structure of a vessel meant to operate in the Nigerian oil and gas sector under the Local Content Act and Regulations made pursuant thereto as well considerations under the Cabotage laws in Nigerian.

EDUCATION

University of Ilorin LL.B. (Hons)

Nigerian Law School

Qualifying Certificate

ADMISSIONS

Nigeria

ASSOCIATE
adewale_sontan@foakinrele.com  
08028515511

OVERVIEW
Adewale Sontan is an associate in the dispute resolution practice.

His expertise ranges from labour, banking, commercial law, regulatory compliance, and dispute resolution. He routinely handles litigation proceedings involving financial institutions and government agencies, debt recovery, commercial and labour matters.

EXPERIENCE

• Counsel in various litigation proceedings involving financial institutions, their debtors, ex-employees, and government agencies.
• Advised a financial institution on the propriety of placing a post-on-debit restriction on a customer’s account when served with a motion for injunction on the account.
• Advised a financial institution on transacting with customers who engage in lottery business in view of the conflict between the federal and state governments on which tier of government can legislate on lottery.
• Advised a financial institution on transacting with the account of a statutory corporation in situations where the director occupying the office recognized in the mandate changes.

EDUCATION
Olabisi Onabanjo University, LL.B. (Hons).

Nigerian Law School
Qualifying Certificate.

ADMISSIONS
Nigeria

AWARDS & ACCOLADES
Best graduating student of 2015/2016 Session, Faculty of Law, Olabisi Onabanjo University and getting seven prizes on the convocation ceremony.