BNLF Committee 2018 – 2019

1. Chair – Seye Aina
2. Vice Chair – Kayode Okenla
3. General Secretary – Juliet Benson
4. Membership Secretary – Dona Awano
5. Treasurer – Babs Akinyanju
6. Committee Member – Paul Esheyigba
7. Committee Member – Kash Balogun
8. Committee Member – Aji Ayorinde
9. Student Committee Member – Amina Tatari Ali

[Dona Awano was co-opted by the Committee on 26.7.18]

Special Interest Groups

• BNLF Women’s Network is led by the Chair, Seye Aina and 24 Foundation Members. Thanks to Stephenson Harwood LLP for hosting their launch event for International Women’s Day in March 2018. Thanks also to all those who contributed to our raffle draw during the event raising funds for the Mirabel Centre Lagos, (a centre for victims of rape and sexual assault).

 

• BNLF Immigration Law Network is led by members Kayode Okenla and Jennifer Obaseki. Thanks to No 5 Chambers, London for hosting the meeting of the network.

 

• BNLF Business Law Network is led by Kash Balogun – Thanks to Bircham Dyson Bell for hosting the Infrastructure Seminar. The network also organised a delegation of BNLF lawyers attending the Nigerian Bar Association’s Business Conference in Abuja from 27 – 29 June 2018.

 

• Engagement with Nigeria Group led by Prof Oba Nsugbe QC, (SAN), Seye Aina & Babs Akinyanju. BNLF received the NBA delegation for a Legal Services Mission to the UK. This was led by the NBA President, AB Mahmoud OON (SAN). Thanks to the Law Society, Solicitors Regulation Authority, Bar Standards Board, the Inns of Court, Peters and Peters and South Square Chambers for hosting round table meetings and presentations as part of the NBA’s work on regulatory reforms in Nigeria.

 

• BNLF Junior Lawyers Division led by members Aji Ayorinde and Tom Lawal – a formal launch event is set for January 2019.

 

• BNLF Family Law Network is led by Babs Akinyanju – A Family Law Seminar organised by the network will take place on 11 September 2018.

 

• BNLF networking and engagement – BNLF held a series of successful networking events in London. We also held our first event in Birmingham and thank the SRA for hosting the session on ‘supporting small firms to protect your business.’

Upcoming BNLF Events and Activities:

 

• BNLF Family Law Network launch event, Bircham Dyson Bell LLP, Tuesday 11 September 2018, 6pm – 9pm

 

• BNLF Annual Gala Dinner, Holiday Inn Bloomsbury, Friday 30 November 2018 at 6pm.

 

BNLF EVENTS & ACTIVITIES HELD FROM JUNE 2017 – JUNE 2018

JUNE 2018

5 June- BNLF introduce electronic voting for the election of members on to the Committee. Thanks to the BNLF Election team who ensured that voting for the BNLF election was a success.  We are very pleased to report the positive feedback about electronic-voting and that it was a quick and easy process.

5 June 2018 – BNLF AGM hosted by Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner

A presentation by Aidan Thomson, Partner at BCLP discussed the decision in

Okpabi & Ors v Royal Dutch Shell Plc & Ors.

 

27 – 29 June 2018

BNLF Members attended the NBA Section on Business Law Conference, Abuja.

Theme: Bringing Down the Barriers: The Law as a vehicle for Intra-Africa trade.

MAY 2018

21 May – BNLF team participated with over 10,000 others in the London Legal Walk supporting London Law Centre and our selected charity Africans Unite Against Child Abuse (AFRUCA). Our sponsored walkers completed a 10km walk around London. 

 

31 May – The inaugural Meeting of the BNLF Immigration Law Network was hosted by 5 Chambers London.

APRIL 2018

25 April – BNLF & the Solicitors Regulation Authority held a joint event. The theme was: ‘Supporting small firms to protect your business’ this was held at the SRA, Birmingham.

MARCH 2018

9 March – BNLF Women’s Network held an event to celebrate International Women’s Day and launch the BNLF Women’s Network. This was hosted by Stephenson Harwood.

During the event a video was shown about the work of the Mirabel Centre in Lagos (a centre for victims of rape and sexual assault). A raffle draw held raised funds for the Mirabel Centre. 

Panel Speakers:

Sue Millar – Partner Commercial Litigation, Stephenson Harwood LLP

Edna do Rosário Martins – Strategic Business Change Director, Imperial College London

Toyin F Sanni – Group CEO, United Capital, Nigeria

Millicent Grant – President, Chartered Institute of Legal Executives

Ruona Iguyovwe OBE – Senior Specialist Prosecutor, Crown Prosecution Service

 

FEBRUARY 2018

 

8 February – BNLF Chair was a speaker at Reading University’s Careers Day event.

 

16 February – BNLF Treasurer attends Brighton University Law Society Ball

 

JANUARY 2018

16 January – BNLF Networking event at Rydges Hotel. Prince O. Williams-Joel launched his book “Compilation of Articles on Law & Property in Nigeria: Simplified.”

DECEMBER 2017

1 December – BNLF & NBA held a meeting at the Bar Standards Board followed by a visit to the Inns of Court.

1 December – BNLF Annual Gala Dinner at the Holiday Inn Kensington

 

5 December – BNLF Committee and members paid a courtesy visit to the new Nigerian High Commissioner HE George Oguntade CFR,CON (SAN).

NOVEMBER 2017

.

27 November- 1 December BNLF & NBA Legal Services Mission:

Theme: ‘A Review of the Regulatory Framework of the Legal Profession in Nigeria and the United Kingdom’. Roundtable discussions were held with the following:

 

• The Law Society
• Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)
• Inns of Court College of Advocacy (ICCA)
• The Legal Ombudsman
• All Party Parliamentary Group on Nigeria (APPG)
• Commercial Bar Association (COMBAR)- Africa Committee
• Bar Standards Board (BSB)

 

30 November – BNLF Seminar “Should I stay or should I go – Building a successful practice: UK or Nigeria?” hosted by Stephenson Harwood and chaired by Prof Oba Nsugbe QC, SAN, Pump Court Chambers. Speakers were:

 

• Carolann Edwards – Global Director of Learning & Organisational Development, Norton Rose Fulbright
• AB Mahmoud SAN – President, Nigerian Bar Association
• Kamal Shah – Partner, Stephenson Harwood LLP
• Jide Adesokan – Associate, Stephenson Harwood LLP
• Ben Uduje – Partner, Charles Anthony LLP (Nigeria) and Barrister, 42 Bedford Row
• Amina Oyagbola -AKMS Consulting & Partner at Oyagbola Chambers

 

    Topics discussed included:

• How to build a successful practice and reach your potential in the UK or Nigeria
• Comparing and contrasting the experience of lawyers in both jurisdictions
• Advantages and disadvantages of practice in UK or Nigeria
• Tips for success and career progression.

 

OCTOBER 2017

20 October – BNLF Networking event at Grange Hotel. Guest speaker George Hawkins, from the Solicitors Regulation Authority did a presentation on Cyber Crime.

 

SEPTEMBER 2017

1 September – BNLF held a Networking event at Doubletree Hilton Hotel – BNLF launched a skills survey for members and potential new members.

 

21 September – BNLF Seminar ‘Bridging the infrastructure gap: opportunities for investing in Nigeria’ hosted by Bircham Dyson Bell. Panel Speakers:

• George Etomi – Partner, George Etomi & Partners
• Daniel Magnowski – Senior Analyst for West Africa, Control Risks
• Yetunde Odedokun – Associate, FBN Merchant Bank
• Kash Balogun – Head of Africa team, Bircham Dyson Bell LLP
• Cecilia Akintomide – Independent Non-Executive Director, FBN Holdings

JULY 2017

21 July – BNLF held a Networking event at Doubletree Hilton Hotel – The new Committee met with BNLF members and invited guests.

JUNE 2017

5 June 2017 – BNLF AGM & Election hosted by Peters & Peters

18 – 20 June BNLF members attended the Nigeria Bar Association Business law Conference in Lagos. The theme: Law and Changing the Face of Legal Practice.