Limited hearings, long adjournments, and restricted access to the courtrooms are some of the major effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the delivery of justice in Nigeria. These issues have changed judges’ and lawyers’ attitudes towards the use of technology. Only very few cases have been heard or filed remotely, but several legal frameworks have been adopted to make them work. The journey to full adoption will be slow but it has already started.
Olukemi Owolabi is an associate with the Dispute Resolution Group at Olajide Oyewole LLP.
Olukemi is actively involved in the firm’s litigation practice and represents / defends local and international clients in litigation proceedings across a wide range of sectors. She appears before the Federal and State High Courts and has equally appeared in other superior courts of record in Nigeria.
Notably, Olukemi is part of the team representing one of the largest ship-building companies in respect of several disputes it is having in respect of Engineering, Procurement and Construction work it had done in Nigeria through its subsidiary.
Olukemi has also been involved in providing general advisory services on a variety of transactions ranging from regulatory compliance, local content, debt recovery, free trade zone etc. She also assists clients in settling disputes out of court.
She is keen on providing practical and suitable solutions to meet the client’s specific needs.
Experience has included advising:
- As a team member, a multinational company in several litigation disputes against various parties regarding an oil and gas project valued at about $300,000,000.
- As a team member, a multinational company on the conduct of legislative investigation by the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on local content elements of the Egina Oilfield project.
- As a team member, a multinational company on the conduct of legislative investigation by the Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff into financial leakages and infractions within the import and export value chain.
- As a team member, a multinational company in winding up a Nigerian company in an effort to enforce a monetary court judgement worth US$22 million.
- As a team member, a multinational company in a civil suit filed against it for failure to provide employment to Nigerians under the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010 in connection with an oil and gas project valued at about $300,000,000.
- As a team member, a real estate company in defending a civil suit filed against it to recover the sum of N311, 616,060.07 allegedly owed to its contractor.
Professional Qualifications
- Barrister and Solicitor admitted with the Supreme Court of Nigeria (2017)
Education
- University of Ibadan, LL.B. (2015)
Memberships
- Member if the Nigerian Bar Association
- Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Nigeria Branch
We expect delays, long adjournments, extension of time and consideration of virtual hearings by the heads of courts.