At the Chambers and Partners 2022 Africa Awards, Banwo & Ighodalo emerged as the Nigerian Law Firm of the Year as well as Funke Adekoya emerging as the Nigerian Lawyer of the Year.
Chambers and Partners, a reputable international legal services and practitioners ranking agency made the announcement at a ceremony held in London on January 13, 2022.
The awards recognise law firms and practitioners and their pre-eminence in separate jurisdictions and regions, and reflect achievements on a 12-month preceding year basis including outstanding work, impressive strategic growth and excellence in client service.
The five Nigerian law firms shortlisted and considered at the Africa 2022 awards were: Aluko & Oyebode; Banwo & Ighodalo; Jackson, Etti & Edu; Olaniwun Ajayi LP; and Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie.
Each year, Chambers & Partners selects the cream of the crop from amongst the top-tier law firms in each jurisdiction for scrutiny and consideration in the Law Firm of the Year Category; based on a transparent appraisal and assessment of the innovative, outstanding, and complex transactions worked on in the preceding year by each of the shortlisted firms.
In announcing the Award winner, Chambers and Partners said of Banwo & Ighodalo:
“One of Nigeria’s most established law firms, Banwo & Ighodalo is recognised in this year’s awards after another impressive showing across multiple practice areas. Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, the firm is acknowledged as an institutional heavy weight in areas ranging from project and development finance to M&A and intellectual property. In Banwo & Ighodalo, clients can rely on an extremely well-respected bench of lawyers, featuring a combination of experienced senior leaders and exciting up-and-comers.”
Commenting on the award, Mrs. Ayotunde Owoigbe (a partner in the firm) said:
“We are extremely delighted at the recognition of our Firm by Chambers, as we are mindful of the levels of painstaking research and integrity, which underline the work that Chambers does across the world… We thank our clients whose business, repeated and new, validate who we are… We thank our team members as we know that our people will always be the bedrock of our successes, and we thank all our stakeholders and friends.”
The four Nigerian lawyers shortlisted and considered at the Africa 2022 awards were:
- Funke Adekoya – ǼLEX
- Dan Agbor – Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
- Yinka Edu – Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
- Asue Ighodalo – Banwo & Ighodalo
In announcing the Award winner, Chambers and Partners said of Funke Adekoya:
“This year, Funke has been described as an “extremely well-respected arbitrator” and a “superstar in Nigeria.” She continues to represent clients at all levels of the Nigerian judicial system, including the Supreme Court, and boasts a particularly enviable following of clients in the oil and gas sector. As well as being an outstanding commercial litigator, Funke is a founding partner of her firm and admitted as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.”
