Ogbemudia Ifidon

A political science graduate, an information privacy professional (US), certified to practice law in Nigeria with over 25 years of varied and demonstrated foreign litigation and corporate commercial work displaying integrity, professionalism, empathy, compassion, and team spirit with a clear understanding of the importance of excellent service delivery tailored to meet clients' needs.

• Contract Review while at BBH, A&O, AT&Co., and IL at the relevant periods: Safeguarded internal and external requests on status of contracts. Managed contractual provisions and administered contract proposals. Governed the completed life cycles of clients' contracts. Handled and organized contract templates; obtained signatures on contracts. Developed and managed contract repositories. Reviewed, drafted, Oversaw and outsourced contracts (vendor agreements, non-disclosure agreements, distribution agreements, evaluation agreements, among others). Controlled and serviced contracts database. Rendered opinions and reviewed testamentary documents while retained by IL.
• Collaboration, Negotiation, Settlement and Team Player: As a team member, while at SS, I check the identification of visitors and employees to secure the premises and ensure that they are authorized to enter the premises and keep detailed records of visitors, their purpose of visit, and entry/exit times providing customer care services and ensuring security and compliance issues are duly observed by customers and employees alike.
• Acted as one of the executors of an estate by virtue of probate letters while at IL.
• Retained at inception of BBH in 2003 and subsequently by A&O in 2006, to provide the experience acquired from O&O in 1998-2003, to supervise and keep track of junior attorneys' time records as associate trainees and billing accordingly.
• Advised on financial matters while retained by AT&Co., a member of a team of transaction advisers to a series of N100 billion residential mortgage loans issued by several banks and secured by Federal Government Bond.
• While retained at BBH I co-managed an importation and distribution network of manufactured products negotiating and drafting contracts in an advisory capacity.
• Good Communication and knowledge of legal procedures: Provided commentary opinions on referred aspects of the provisions of Nigerian corporate and commercial law, taxation law, law of contract, land law, intellectual property law (copy right, trademark, designs, etc.) and pending court matters, helpful in the successful completion and execution of corporate transactions, such as, privatization and recapitalization of legal entities, including oil refining companies and public limited liability Urban Development Bank in Nigeria. Advised foreign and Nigerian corporate clients whilst supervising junior attorneys and ensured they performed their duties effectively and cross-functionally, and were solution-oriented.
• At A&O and IL respectively, I facilitated the registration of companies, filed and maintained corporate records, and liaised with Nigerian regulatory bodies regarding same, including the registration and protection of intellectual property rights.
• As a team member I advised on the recapitalization and conversion of private companies to public companies, listing shares on the Nigerian stock exchange and the subsequent public offers of shares while retained by A&O.
• I also conducted searches, prepared and filed instruments at the Nigerian lands registry, including obtaining the requisite governor's consent to perfect the client's title to land and rendered reports while with A&O.
• During my time at A&O, I advised private operators in Nigeria on the lease financing of vessels and aircraft, navigating municipal laws. My work also included legal counsel thereby facilitating foreign investment in Nigeria, securing necessary permits, registrations, and expatriate quotas, and ensured compliance.
• I managed litigation at BBH and IL, handling cases across various courts (Magistrate, State High, Federal High, and Appellate). My responsibilities included obtaining injunctions, prosecuting/defending criminal, civil, and intellectual property claims. This involved comprehensive legal research, document preparation (evidence, pleadings, briefs), discovery management, and liaising with internal/external parties to facilitate settlements. I also conducted pre-claim investigations, managed deadlines, and performed administrative tasks such as calendaring and file organization.
• While at O&O, (the only law firm at the relevant period DHL Nigeria Limited (DHL) engaged in Nigeria to appear as counsel in litigation), various claims were defended and prosecuted, I also advised the Department of Human Resources at DHL regarding labor laws related to employee retention, management, dismissal, termination, and retirement.