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.
Tobechi Ogazi is a key member of the firm’s Dispute Resolution team. Tobechi has vast experience spanning through debt recovery, shareholder, employment, manufacturing, investment, land, building, infrastructure disputes and criminal matters.
Tobechi, as lead counsel and as part of a team, handles litigation, arbitration (local and international), mediation and negotiation on behalf of clients in various industries and sectors.
Experience has included:
- Advising and representing a multinational company at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission investigations on a criminal petition arising from the sale of one of its subsidiaries
- Representing expatriates at the National Industrial Court on disputes relating to the unlawful termination of their employment
- Negotiated and reached an amicable settlement on behalf of a multinational company on a dispute arising from the rehabilitation of a Nigerian refinery
- Representing, as part of a team, multinational companies in several suits at the High Court of Lagos State, Federal High Court, Court of Appeal and the London Court of International Arbitration on different but interrelated disputes arising from their partnership with some Nigerian Companies and their investment in the Nigerian Export Free Zone
- Representing shareholders of a Nigerian company at the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal on a dispute relating to improper management of their company
- Representing a foreign company at the Federal High Court in a suit to recover fees for the services it rendered to a Nigerian company
- Representing a Nigerian company at the High Court of Lagos State in a suit arising from the sale and disposal of some of its hydropower equipment
- Representing a foreign company at the Supreme Court on a dispute relating to illegal tax assessment by the federal government
Professional Qualifications
- Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria (2015)
Education
- Nigerian Law School, B.L (2015)
- University of Benin, LL.B (2014)
Recognition
- Chief F R A Williams, SAN Prize for the Overall Second Best Candidate in Property Law Practice at the Bar Examinations, 2015
Prior Experience
- 2019 to date, Associate, Olajide Oyewole LLP, DLA Piper Africa member firm in Nigeria
- 2018 to 2019, Associate, Lagos based law firm
- 2017 to 2017, Associate, Lagos based law firm
- 2016 to 2016, Counsel, Jos based law firm
Memberships
- Member of the Nigerian Bar Association
- Member of the Nigerian Institute of Management