The global legal market assessor, The Legal 500 has ranked ǼLEX, a Nigerian commercial firm as Tier 1 in four practice areas in its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) 2020 rankings.
The firm stayed in the lead for Dispute Resolution; Energy and Natural Resources; Shipping and Transport; and Corporate, Commercial and Mergers & Acquisitions practice areas. Nine of the firm’s lawyers were recognised as being proficient and exemplary in their various areas as they were either ranked as ‘Leading Individuals’ and ‘Next Generation Partners’.
The firm’s managing partner, Theophilus Emuwa, was recognised as a Leading Individual in the Corporate & Commercial and Mergers & Acquisitions practice. He was described as a “tax specialist with longstanding experience in the oil and gas, shipping, aviation and manufacturing sectors”.
Soji Awogbade, FEI was also recognised as a ‘Leading Individual’ in the Energy and Natural Resources practice area, which was ranked Tier 1. He was described as “being knowledgeable about the development, supply and distribution of gas and power, and also the associated commercial, environmental and regulatory aspects of projects”.
Partner, Lawrence Fubara Anga, was recognised as a Leading Individual across three practice areas – ‘Banking, Finance & Capital markets’, ‘Corporate & Commercial and M&A’ and ‘Shipping and Transport’. His practice was recognised to span across commercial, regulatory advice and litigation in the aviation and maritime fields. Additionally, Akinloye Ajayi was recognised as a ‘Next Generation Partner’ in Shipping & Transport. He was recognised alongside Anga as professionals “who are dual-qualified to practice in Nigeria and Ghana, and are particularly active in cross-border Merger and Acqusisition (M&A) work in West Africa”.
The Corporate & Commercial and Mergers & Acquisitions team’s experience and skill were highlighted in key transactions, with partner – Chinyerugo Ugoji also ranked as a ‘Next Generation Partner’.
Funke Adekoya (SAN), who leads the Dispute Resolution practice, was ranked as a Leading Individual and described as “being highly regarded for her expertise in commercial and tax dispute resolution, with a focus on arbitration”.
Olanipekun Orewale and Davidson Oturu received strong recommendations and were ranked as ‘Next Generation Partners’ in Dispute Resolution. Orewale was recognised as being “actively involved in the representation of clients from sectors which includes financial institutions, multinational corporations and government agencies in matters concerning winding-up petitions, bankruptcy, debt recovery and corporate transactions at the high court and appellate courts in Nigeria” while Oturu was recognised as “the lead partner in intellectual property and TMT disputes”.
ǼLEX is a full service commercial and dispute resolution firm with 11 partners and over 60 associates. It has offices across West Africa – Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Accra. Its lawyers are qualified to practice in Ghana, Nigeria, New York, Texas, England and Wales.
ǼLEX was established in 2004 through the merger of the practice of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and three other leading commercial law firms in Nigeria. The merger established one of the largest and most diversified law practice in West Africa. The Legal 500’s EMEA guide provides research coverage in over 150 jurisdictions, and over 2,700 ranked law firms with updated, impartial, third party opinion on the leading law firms and lawyers in countries across the regions.
For 33 years, The Legal 500 has been analysing the capabilities of law firms across the world, with a comprehensive research programme revised and updated every year to bring the most up-to-date vision of the global legal market. The Legal 500 assesses the strengths of law firms in over 150 jurisdictions.
