By Editor.
All is set for this year’s prestige awards for outstanding legal luminaries of Nigerian descent, who have demonstrated capacity and unquantifiable contributions to the legal space both within and outside Nigeria in their esteemed professional endeavours, judging from their duty posts.
According to the organisers of the one-day event, ESQ Legal Blitz, the awards ceremony will be held at the Landmark Event Centre, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos on Friday, November 1, 2019. The Red Carpet will open by 4pm and the ceremony proper will kick off by 5pm prompt.
Tagged the ‘2019 Nigerian Legal Awards’, this year’s awards will recognise a host of legal luminaries at this biggest legal event of the year and important contributions of eminent legal icons, lawyers and firms who have contributed to the development of business law in Nigeria and who are leaving behind lasting imprints on the fabrics of Nigerian law.
Among the awardees for the Special Award category for 2019 Nigerian Legal Awards is the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, (SAN; GCON), who will be recognized for his invaluable contribution to the development of business law in Nigeria especially through his landmark contribution towards the attainment of the milestone of Ease of Doing Business, the promotion of transparency, ethics and good governance in Africa’s biggest economy.
According to the organisers, Prof. Osinbajo has contributed immensely to the development of law in Nigeria both at the international level as an academic, democrat, legal practitioner, and the Vice President of Nigeria.
His contribution towards reshaping the lives of young Nigerian lawyers, according the group, will be recognised at this year’s Nigerian Legal Awards.
In the same vein, Dr Sandie Okoro, Senior Vice-President and General Counsel of the World Bank Group, will be recognised at the same awards ceremony for her tremendous contribution to the development of diversity and inclusion in the global legal community.
An amazon with Nigerian descent, Sandie has made her indelible footprint in the global legal space and today, sits on the Board of the World Bank as Senior Vice-President and General Counsel, the group acknowledges.
Other awardees at this year’s event include: Abimbola Ogunbanjo, President of the National Council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange and Managing Partner of Chris Ogunbanjo LLP; Mrs. Cecilia Akintomide, OON, of the Independent non-Executive Director of FBN Holdings and former Vice President Secretary General of the African Development Bank, Sola Adepetun, founding Partner of one of Nigeria’s most reputable firms, Adepetun Caxton-Martins & Segun (ACAS-LAW) and Chairman, Board of Directors, Standard Chartered Bank and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Edo State, Professor Yinka Omorogbe.
Others are the former National Secretary to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and Managing Partner of Doyin Rhodes-Vivour, Mrs. Adedoyin Rhodes-Vivour, (SAN), and Mr. Olumide Akpata, a former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law (NBA/SBL) will be all be honoured at this year’s Nigerian Legal Awards event.
The ESQ Nigerian Legal Awards will also recognize the important contributions of law firms who have moved the African continent with their legal arsenal.
To celebrate the ingenuity of the various law firms, the recognition has been split in various categories including Law Firm of the Year, Managing Partner of the Year, Banking and Finance, Oil and Gas, Dispute Resolution, Private Equity, Real Estate and Construction, Capital Market and Intellectual Property, among others.
Of note also, is the honouring of 40 of under 40 Rising Star lawyers who have been making giant strides within the Nigerian legal space.
The Nigerian Legal Awards which is convened by ESQ Legal Blitz is the only platform projecting the achievements of legal players within Nigeria’s thriving business law community.
The awards represent the beacon of honour and prestige on the achievements recorded in the Nigerian legal industry.
Among the guests expected at this year’s event are; a team from the World Bank, the African Development Bank, Senior Advocates of Nigeria, CEOs of multinationals, supranational and international corporations, captains of Nigeria most prestigious institutions and other eminent personalities.
