The organisers of the Nigerian Legal Awards have announced the shortlists for the 12th edition of the Nigerian Legal Awards. The award is scheduled for Sunday, 6th November, 2022 at the Landmark Event Centre, Oniru, Lagos.
Speaking with journalists in Lagos, Lere Fashola, Organiser of the Awards, stated that this year’s award received nominations from well over 60 law firms and corporate In-House Legal Departments out of which the shortlists have been made. The next step will be the review and selection of the winners by a panel of Judges headed by Cecilia Akintomide, Former Vice President of the African Development Bank and includes Heads of African Practice Groups of International Law Firms in UK, South Africa, US, Canada and Europe. Among the judges are Kamal Shah, Head of India and Africa at Stephenson Harwood LLP, Kem Ihenacho, Head of Africa Practice Group at Latham and Watkins LLP among others.
ESQ Nigerian Legal Awards celebrates the important contribution of lawyers to businesses. Over the years, the award has become an important recognition of achievement for lawyers, and the quantity and quality of entries received annually indicate that the accolades are valued highly by the industry.
“All over the world, there are similar respectable ceremonies that grant prizes but this offer another flavour as it is specifically for Nigerian lawyers and because most Nigerian firms are playing at home, in front of their public, their audience, their clients, their colleagues, their neighbours, their bosses, the acknowledgment is even greater.”
“At ESQ, we are the first witnesses of change, innovation, and continuity in the legal profession in Nigeria. As we stick very closely to the new trends in the market, we are able to see before anyone else and spot the new “kids on the block”, see how the “old guys” are doing in their traditional areas of practice or in new areas in which they are developing and see what innovations the new players are bringing to the game as well as the influence of the diaspora in the market.”
“However, this acknowledgment is not only local. Nigeria’s international resonance results in greater exposure for the participants.”
The ESQ Nigerian Legal Awards will honour outstanding law firms and legal professionals in Nigeria and in the diaspora. The Award reflects pre-eminence in key transactions, practice areas, and achievements over the last twelve months, including notable work, strategic growth, excellence and innovation in client service, advancement in technology, and contribution to the legal profession at large. The award is based on the legal deals or unique contributions to legal business in Nigeria within a period of twelve months. The award will recognize and honour novel deals/transactions across different sectors and the In-House team as well as the law firms who were involved in structuring the deals.
With a potential of over 1,000 participants, the ESQ Nigerian Legal Awards dinner attracts the ones who count in the legal sector. The Award night, which is a glittering event of class and colour, will gather the biggest names from the legal world and it provides a unique networking opportunity.
The ESQ Nigerian Legal Awards represents the first and the most prestigious category of Legal Awards in the history of the Nigerian Legal business. It is organised by ESQ Trainings Limited, Publishers of ESQ Legal Practice Magazine, and has been endorsed by the Nigerian Bar Association, the British Nigerian Law Forum, and the Nigerian Lawyers Association (US).
These categories include: Corporate Services, Corporate Governance and Compliance, Employment, Immigration and Incentives, Energy and Natural Resources, Financial Institutions Advisory, Infrastructure Finance and PPP, Intellectual Property, International Trade, Litigation, Dispute Resolution & Risk Management, Mergers & Acquisitions, Private Equity, Privatization & Public Procurement, Real Estate, Tax, Telecommunications, etc.
The finalists for the various categories of the Award are listed below:
Practice Based Category
Aviation team of the year
Bloomfield
Stark Legal
Dispute Resolution team of the year
Alliance Law Firm
Bloomfield Law Firm
DLA Piper Africa
DOA
G Elias
Solola & Akpana
J-K Gadzama LLP
Famsville Solicitors
BRIDGEFORTE ATTORNEYS
Royal Heritage
Udo Udoma & Belo Osaige
Insolvency team of the year
Alliance Law Firm
Royal Heritage
Aluko & Oyebode
Law Firm of the Year (Mid practice)
Bloomfield
DOA
Solola & Akpana
AO2LAW
Wigwe & Partners
Managing Partner of the Year (Small practice)
Ayobamidele Akande (Stark Legal)
Saadatu Hamu Aliyu (Hamu Legal)
Similoluwa Fashanu (BFA & Co)
Oil and Gas team of the year
Bloomfield Law Firm
Detail Commercial Solicitors
G Elias
Olaniwun Ajayi
ODUJINRIN AND ADEFULU
Regional Law Firm of the Year
J-K Gadzama LLP
Messrs Orbs and Sceptres P.
Solola & Akpana
Banking and Finance team of the year
Advocaat Law
Aelex
Alliance Law Firm
Bloomfield Law Practice
Detail Commercial Solicitors
DLA Piper
DOA
Jackson, Etti and Edu
Olaniwun Ajayi
Odujinrin and Adefulu
SOLOLA & AKPANA
Udo Udoma & Belo Osaige
Energy and Power team of the year
Aluko & Oyebode
Detail Commercial Solicitors
G Elias
Hamu Legal
Olaniwun Ajayi
SOLOLA & AKPANA
Udo Udoma & Belo Osaige
Grey Chapel
Intellectual Property team of the year
Aelex
Aluko & Oyebode
DOA
G Elias
Jackson, Etti and Edu
Olaniwun Ajayi
Law Firm of the Year (Small Practice)
Stark Legal
Hamu Legal
EDOIGIAWERIE AND COMPANY LP
BFA & Co Legal
Media and Entertainment team of the year
Alliance Law Firm
BFA & Co Legal
Bloomfield Law Practice
Practice Administrator of the Year (Large Practice)
Nana Dare (G Elias)
Practice Administrator of the Year (Mid Practice)
Funmi Olayinka-Emmanuel (Wigwe & Partners)
Shipping and Maritime team of the year
Bloomfield LP
Foundation Chambers
Capital Market team of the year
DOA
Aelex
Alliance Law Firm
Aluko & Oyebode
Bloomfield Law Practice
Detail Commercial Solicitors
Hamu Legal
Olaniwun Ajayi
G Elias
Grey Chapel
Wigwe & Partners
Labour and Employment team of the year
Aelex
Bloomfield
G Elias
Jackson, Etti and Edu
Olaniwun Ajayi
Famsville Solicitors
Royal Heritage
Managing Partner of the Year (Large Practice)
Dr. Adeoye Adefulu (Odujinrin & Adefulu)
Merger & Acquisition
Advocaat Law Practice
Aluko & Oyebode
Bloomfield
Detail Commercial Solicitors
DLA Piper
DOA
Jackson, Etti and Edu
Olaniwun Ajayi
Royal Heritage
Udo Udoma & Belo Osaige
Private Equity team of the year
Aluko & Oyebode
Detail Commercial Solicitors
DOA
G Elias
Jackson, Etti and Edu
Udo Udoma & Belo Osaige
Telecommunication and Technology team of the year
Adovcaat Law Practice
Aelex
Bloomfield Lp
Detail commercial Solicitors
DOA
Stark Legal
Olaniwun Ajayi
Aluko & Oyebode
Corporate and Commercial team of the year
Alliance Law Firm
Famsville
Bloomfield LP
DOA
Detail Commercial Solicitors
Solola & Akpana
BRIDGEFORTE ATTORNEYS
Immigration team of the year
Bloomfield Lp
Famsville Solicitors
Jackson, Etti and Edu
Law Firm (large practice)
Advocaat law Practice
G Elias
Udo Udoma & Belo Osaige
Aluko & Oyebode
Managing Partner (Mid Practice)
Adeleke Alex-Adedipe (DOA)
Esosa Omo-Usoh (Solola & Akpana)
Uchechukwu Valentine Obi, SAN (Alliance Law Firm)
Oladele Oladunjoye (Grey Chapel)
Uche Wigwe (Wigwe & Partners)
Mining team of the year
Aluko & Oyebode
G Elias
Real Estate and Construction team of the year
Aluko & Oyebode
Bloomfield Lp
Detail commercial Solicitors
Stark Legal
Solola & Akpana
DLA Piper
G Elias
Jackson, Etti and Edu
Famsville Solicitors
Grey Chapel
Royal Heritage
Wigwe & Partners
Corporate In-house Category
General Counsel of the Year
AYOKUNLE AYOKO (Berger Paints Nigeria Plc)
Blessing Adedokun (Northwest Petroleum and Gas Company Limited)
Irene ROBINSON-AYANWALE (Nigerian Exchange Limited)
Capital Market and Investment
Nigerian Exchange Limited
Infracredit
UBA Capital
Stanbic IBTC Capital
Corporate Governance
JCS CLIENT SERVICES 2. DCSL
Corporate Restructuring
JCS CLIENT SERVICES
DCSL
Energy and Power
Eko Electricity Distribution Plc
Daystar Power Group
Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company Ltd
Abuja Electricity Distribution Company Ltd
Infrastructure
IHSTowers
Julius Berger
Media and Entertainment
Ebony Life Media
Film One
Multichoice
Channels TV
Oil and Gas
Shell Companies
Oando
Seplat Petroleum Development Company
Total Nigeria
Telecommunication
IHSTowers
MTN
AIRTEL
Mainone Cable
Phase3 Telecom
This year’s edition of the award promises to be exciting and outstanding as more law firms will be participating at the event and lots of notable personalities will also be in attendance. The 12th ESQ Nigerian Legal Awards will be held on Sunday, 6th November 2021 at Landmark Event center, Oniru Lagos.