WE CAN HELP
We offer a full range of legal services to our diverse clientele from our office located in the city of Lagos. Our broad client base ranges from local and national businesses to national corporations as well as private individuals.
Our firm is involved in corporate/commercial law practice. Our clients are representatives of a wide cross-section of industrial and commercial interests. We have advised numerous business concerns in all phases of their operations including the initial choice of operating entity – sole proprietorships, joint ventures, partnerships, corporations through financing decisions, diversification efforts, reconstructions or mergers and dissolutions. We also provide company secretarial services and our expertise extends to the various disciplines that bear upon basic corporate decision making – securities, accounting, taxation, and regulated industry law.
The successful resolution of disputes depends upon the clear identification of client’s objectives and upon striking a balance between the purposeful conduct of litigation and careful and sensitive negotiation. We are continuously engaged in commercial dispute negotiation on behalf of our clients. Our approach towards every dispute is practical and result-oriented. When circumstances dictate, our litigation department acts forcefully and effectively in protecting our clients’ rights by pursuing every available legal remedy. We recognize, however, the value of a well-timed settlement and endeavour to resolve disputes in the best interest of our clients.
Most of our firm’s litigation practice arises from a general representation of our clients, in particular, with contractual disputes arising from agency relationships, the supply of goods and services, property related matters (including construction and building contract disputes) employment disputes and infringement of intellectual property rights.
Our firm engages in various aspects of property law including the preparation and perfection of leases, tenancy agreements, assignments, transfers and mortgages, and in obtaining governmental consents and approvals incidental to these transactions. We are experienced in investigating and deducing title, registrations titles, preparing building leases and agreements, and contractor-finance contracts. When the situation dictates, we also handle land litigations, compensation claims and land dispute settlements.
Our firm recognizes the importance of the protection of intellectual property rights. Protecting ideas, concepts, operating plans and know-how can become a difficult challenge for many businesses. We work with clients to ensure the safekeeping of internal business operating information, product or service information, works of authorship and advertising including trademarks, and trade names.
We counsel and represent clients on obtaining and protecting copyrights and trademarks, and also prosecute and defend patent infringement cases. More particularly, our firm engages in all aspects of patent and trademark services including searching, filing and prosecution, patent and trademark surveillance and opposition as well as transactional work, licensing, franchising and joint ventures. We are considerably experienced in this branch of the law, combining our expertise with organizational efficiency to achieve desired objectives.
Our firm is experienced in the preparation and perfection of all forms of security and financial documentation for banks and other financial institutions including consortium and individual loan agreements, mortgages, bills of sale, guarantees, debentures, debenture trust deeds, chattel mortgages, equipment leases and debt rescheduling documentation.
We are vastly experienced in understanding and servicing the needs of international clients looking to initiate or expand their Nigerian operations and work closely with them in fashioning and implementing suitable market entry/penetration or repositioning strategies, whether through local agency representation, local subsidiary start-up, acquisition or joint venture.
Our firm also advises on Nigerian laws and procedures relating to foreign investment and regularly files applications for requisite foreign investor and immigration approvals, pioneer status and other investment incentives. We help our clients resolve trade disputes in and out of court or in arbitration or mediation, and assist in dealings with governments and their agencies.
In addition to advising on Nigerian laws and conducting litigation or arbitration, our firm is able to obtain swift advice on foreign law and to pursue legal or arbitration proceedings when applicable.
Our firm provides representation for business, charitable and individual clients in federal, state and local taxation. Our services include advising on petroleum taxation matters and the tax aspects of mergers and acquisitions, sale of shares and assets. We act on behalf of public and private companies and partnerships in dealing with the tax implications of commercial transactions and advising on the structuring of new ventures and other relevant matters.
Our firm provides representation and advice on every aspect of the oil and gas industry and is involved in providing consultation and advisory services on tax implications, obtaining necessary consents for assignments of leases and negotiating and preparing related contracts. We advise on licensing in accordance with Nigerian petroleum legislation, and insurance in the Oil and Gas Industry.
We also assist clients with the negotiation and preparation of various oil industry agreements, e.g. Petroleum Joint Ventures, Joint Operating Agreements, Memoranda of Understanding, Production Sharing Contracts, Risk Service Contracts etc. We represent clients before court proceedings, inquiries, hearings, tribunals etc. Our experience in this area has often involved representing clients in inquiries into environmental impact assessments.
Our firm provides comprehensive legal service to ship owners, their local agents or representatives, shippers, charterers and marine insurers. Advice can also be provided in respect of marine enquiries or claims relating to general average and salvage. We have litigation experience in cargo loss and damage claims involving ship arrests and also in jetty and pipeline damage claims involving ship detentions by government authorities.
In addition, we offer advice and assist in the establishment of shipping companies or shipping agencies with or without foreign participation particularly with regard to the registration requirements of the regulatory authorities.
Our firm’s awareness and understanding of the profound and rapid developments in the global arena of telecommunications and information technology has greatly enhanced our participation in this sector of the Nigerian economy. Particularly, the deregulation of the Nigerian telecommunications sector in 1992 has given us several opportunities of advising on issues relating to the restructuring and privatization of the telecommunications industry.
We are able to advise on the regulatory requirements governing the entry into Nigeria’s telecommunications sector, the establishment of telecommunications businesses, obtaining of relevant permits, the government’s position on both national carriers and zonal operators and the negotiating and drafting of relevant agreements.
Our Lawyers are knowledgeable in advising on the legal framework and contractual components relating to the establishment of emergency power plants to arrest power outages in the short term and in the long-term development of independent power projects for sustainable power generation in Nigeria.
We are well placed to advise new entrants to the industry on corporate regulation start-up requirements, as well as on other requisites relevant for business compliance within Nigeria’s prevailing regulatory regime.