Rita Anwiri Chindah, ACIArb, AIDR
Rita is knowledgeable and skilled in Intellectual Property, Information Technology, and Alternative Dispute Resolution & Arbitration. With these combined skills, coupled with skills in corporate law, She helps client navigate today's dynamic legal and business environment.
An Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) Nigerian branch and a Masters Holder in IP & IT Law from the University of Derby, UK,
She is a podcaster host and blogger #IPSERIES and Speaker. She is the chief Convener the Intellectual Property Society of Nigeria.
She is the current PRO of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Port Harcourt Chapter, Pro-Term Secretary Young Members Group of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Port Harcourt Chapter.
Current PRO Young Lawyers Forum Nigerian Bar Association Port Harcourt Branch.
She was listed in the inaugural edition of ESQ Legal Practice Magazine as one of the leading Nigerian Women in Business Law.
Featured in the inaugural edition of the AllThingsIP Africa #Magazine
2021 Young Legal Professional recipient "Award of Excellence"
2020 WIPR Influential Women in IP Trailblazer!
https://bit.ly/WomenIP2020
Legal adviser for the Rivers State Musician Guild
Part of the committee that drafted the Rivers State ICT Policy
Spoken at various intellectual property events both physically and virtually
#intellectualpropertylawyer #Arbitrator #IPWomen2020 #Podcaster host and blogger #IPSERIES #creativeentrepreneur
Egeonuigwe Uchechi
Uchechi Egeonuigwe is an experienced legal professional with over 7 years’ experience in the legal profession. She is currently an Associate at Brown Rudnick LLP, New York, USA, in the firm’s Bankruptcy & Corporate Restructuring Practice Group. Uchechi represents creditor groups, investors, equity holders, and individual borrowers in all aspects of restructuring stressed and distressed companies.
Uchechi is a client-focused lawyer who meets the demanding challenges posed by extremely complex and difficult legal issues with thoughtful analysis and judgment. Prior to joining Brown Rudnick, Uchechi served as the judicial law clerk to the Honorable William T. Thurman, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Utah and the judicial extern to the Honorable Maureen A. Tighe, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Central District of California.
Uchechi has been recognized by The New York Law Journal as a 2021 'Rising Star'; named a 2021 NextGen Emerging Leader by the Corporate Counsel Women of Color’s (CCWC); received the 2021 “On the Rise – Top 40 Young Lawyer” award from the American Bar Association; named to the Lawyers of Color 2020 Hot List, which honors the nation’s rising stars excelling in the legal industry; and honored by The Best Lawyers in America© as a "Ones to Watch" for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law in 2021 and 2022.
Uchechi is a 2021 participant in the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges (NCBJ) Next Generation Program and in 2018 the NCBJ selected Uchechi as a Judge Uchechi maintains an active pro bono practice through her work with Lawyers Alliance and New York Legal Assistance Group. She was honored by The Public Counsel, the nation’s largest pro bono law firm, with the William J. Lasarow Award. The award, named fo-r the Honorable William J. Lasarow (retired), recognizes the outstanding contributions of attorneys who volunteer pro bono services to provide access to justice for individuals and families.
Uchechi is deeply committed to diversifying the legal profession and creating opportunities for students and attorneys that are traditionally underrepresented in the profession. In part because of this leadership, she has been recognized as the 2021 recipient of Brown Rudnick’s Elizabeth A. Ritvo Award for her sustained commitment and exceptional contributions in furtherance of equity, inclusion, and diversity at Brown Rudnick and beyond. She also serves as a mentor with the American Bar Association’s Section of Litigation’s Judicial Internship Opportunity Program and is a member of the Honorable Tina Brozman Foundation for Ovarian Cancer Research (Tina’s Wish) junior advisory board.
Uchechi serves on the board of The Brown Rudnick Charitable Foundation, which provides educational resources to underserved communities in New York. She is also an active participant in Brown Rudnick’s recruitment and mentorship initiatives and serves on the Firm’s Associate Liaison Committee.
Busola Bakinson
Busola is an experienced and seasoned legal professional with over 10 years’ experience under her belt in the legal industry. Currently, she is a Senior Associate in the Intellectual Property Practice of the Olaniwun Ajayi LP. She provides general legal support and advice in all aspects of this practice area, including Trademarks, Patent, Industrial Designs and Copyright matters. She lays emphasis on IP prosecution and enforcement in various African countries and effectively handles the IP portfolio of local and international corporations.
Prior to joining Olaniwun Ajayi LP, she was a Senior Associate/Deputy Sector Head (Intellectual Property, Technology, Media & Entertainment) at Jackson, Etti & Edu.
She attends and participates actively in many international leadership/IP-themed conferences, organized by the major IP organizations worldwide, such as International Trademark Association (INTA), China Trademark Association (CTA), World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
She was the past Co-Chair of the Africa & Middle East Subcommittee Region of the Public and Media Relations Committee of the International Trademarks Association (INTA).
Busola Bakinson graduated from University of Lagos with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree and was admitted into the Nigerian Bar in 2010.
AYOYINKA OLAJIDE-AWOSEDO, MCIArb
Ayoyinka is a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators UK and the International Bar Association. She has served as the Publicity Secretary for the Capital Markets Solicitors Association and is an active member of the Section on Business Law of the Nigerian Bar Association serving on the Conference Planning Committee of the Section.
Ayoyinka’s main practice areas are corporate/commercial law and corporate finance. She advises clients both local and international regularly on multi-billion Naira transactions. She represents AARNDALE as company secretary and legal advisor on the Boards of various companies both private and public and regularly advises on the incorporation of companies, regulatory compliance, corporate governance and corporate restructuring with regard to shareholding and Board membership.
She is currently advising one of the largest prominent media and entertainment groups in Nigeria on obtaining debt and equity financing from a private equity firm and the corporate restructuring of its various entities. She acts as legal advisor to a corporate real estate development company with respect to the divestment of its US$100 million asset. She is company secretary and legal adviser to an international fintech company – assisting in the incorporation of its Nigerian entity and advising on running its operations in the Nigerian market. She advised and assisted a foreign mobile communications company in acquiring its communications licence. She was part of a team that advised a foreign online retail store on its direct investment and entry into Nigeria.
Prior to joining AARNDALE, Ayoyinka worked at a leading law firm in Nigeria in the Corporate and Commercial and Banking and Finance departments and at Linklaters LLP in London with the Project Finance and Capital Market teams.
Ayoyinka led a due diligence team and advised a Nordic bank with respect to its acquisition of a local microfinance bank. She has also advised a European development bank (as lender) on a 7-year US$20 million Unsecured Subordinated Convertible Facility to a Nigerian Bank. She was an active member of a team that advised on the acquisition of a US$120million majority stake in Nigeria’s largest switching company.
Akorede Habeeb Lawal
Akorede is the Assistant National Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Principal Counsel of A.H. Lawal & Co (Habibi Chambers), a thriving law firm in Asaba, Delta State.
Mr. Akorode Habeeb Lawal has prosecuted several cases of note at the various superior courts of records and he has taken special interest in brief-writing, election petition (particularly its procedures) and matters that border on the interpretation of the Constitution and other statutes.
He graduated from University of Ilorin in 2009 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2010. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants-Nigeria and an Associate Member of the Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered).
Tomilola Tobun
Tomilola is an experienced legal practitioner with over 9 years’ experience in the legal sector. Currently, she is a Senior Associate at Perchstone & Graeys and she leads the Corporate Practice Group of the firm. Tomilola offers practical and ingenious solutions to businesses with a view to helping them identify the inefficiencies in their corporate, employment & tax structures as well as guiding them through growth and sustainability.
Prior to joining Perchstone & Graeys, she was a Senior Legal Associate at WFO Roedl & Partner and an Associate at Funmi Roberts and Co. Her transactional experience cuts across Corporate Restructuring, Mergers & Acquisitions, Corporate Governance, Finance & fundraising (for Startups) and Employment advisory.
Tomilola has vast commercial experience and her excellent analytical skills are a value add to any client. She holds a Master of Laws (LLM) degree from University of Pretoria and she was admitted to the Nigerian Bar in 2010. She is also an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN).
Walter Rugbere
Walter Rugbere is a legal practitioner with over 12 years’ experience in advising and handling corporate transactions, corporate governance issues, regulatory compliance, and complex commercial litigation.
He is currently the Head, Legal & Integrity – Nigeria & Ghana and serves as a Director on the Board of ABB Nigeria, a multinational Power and Automation Company. Before he joining ABB Nigeria, he served as the Legal Counsel of Northwest Petroleum & Gas Co. Ltd and an Associate at Banwo & Ighodalo where he was a member of the Corporate/ Commercial team responsible for providing legal advisory services on a wide range of issues such as project financing, corporate restructuring, corporate financing and perfection of titles.
Walter has advised several international and local clients on cross-border transactions covering project financing, regulatory and compliance issues, corporate governance, copyright and trademark laws.
He holds an LL. B from the University of Benin, Edo State and LL.M (Masters in Law) in Energy, Environmental and Natural Resources Law from the University of Houston, Texas, USA. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2009.
VICTOR SAMUEL
Victor Samuel is an experienced Legal Professional with over 8 years’ experience within the Legal profession. He is currently a Senior Associate at Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie Law Firm and a member of the firm’s banking and finance, energy, projects and infrastructure teams. He advises international and local clients on structuring and financing diverse infrastructure projects; syndicated lending transactions; and debt restructuring.
At Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie, Victor was a crucial part of the team that advised Daystar Power Group in connection with a multimillion-dollar debt financing from Sunfunder Inc. for the expansion of its solar power projects for commercial and industrial energy users. He also recently advised the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on its Nigerian Energy Support Programme, which involves providing legal advisory services regarding the Nigerian electricity supply industry, as well as fostering investments in the renewable energy, energy-efficiency and rural electrification sectors in Nigeria.
Prior to joining Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie Law Firm, he was an Associate at Detail Commercial Solicitors and Animashaun, Animashaun & Associates. He also had a brief stint in public service as a state counsel at the Ministry of Justice, Nasarawa State.
He got his LLB degree in 2012 from Enugu State University of Science and Technology and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2013.
Tumi Bello
Tumi is an experienced Legal professional who has extensive experience in the Banking Sector as a Legal Officer. She is currently a Legal Officer at Sterling Bank, a post she has held since 2013.
Prior to joining Sterling Bank, she was also a Legal Officer at the now defunct Intercontinental Bank Plc. Tumi is highly skilled in Legal activities related to the Banking sector, Legal Advice, Risk Management and International Law.
She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Lagos and she was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2006.
Tomisin Ojuawo
Tomisin Lagundoye is an experienced legal professional who is highly skilled in Mergers & Acquisitions, Capital Markets, Corporate and Commercial Law. She is the current Head of Legal at Renaissance Capital, a leading emerging and frontier markets investment bank, providing access to over 50 markets across the globe with operations in Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and North America.
Prior to joining Renaissance Capital, she was an Associate and Senior Associate at Banwo & Ighodalo. She also spent some time at Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie as an Associate.
She is also skilled in Legal Advice, Legal Advice, Legal Writing and International Law. She holds a Master of Laws (LLM) degree from The University of Texas School of Law and she got her Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from The University of Ibadan.