Abayomi Awotunde

Admitted to the Nigerian Bar, 2001.

Education:

• Yomi attended University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria where he obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Law in 1999. He proceeded to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, Ile-Ife where he obtained a Master’s Degree in 2005 with speciality in Legal Drafting and International Economic Law.
• BL.

E-mail:

• 2002 – 2003 – Associate – AYO ADESOLA & ASSOCIATES;
• June 2003 – September 2007 – Associate – ADENIJI KAZEEM & CO;
• October 2007 to November 2010 – Senior Associate in ADESANYA & AKISANYA [Barristers, Solicitors and Notaries Public];
• December 2010 – Associate Partner – ROCKVILLE & CO.

An astute litigator, Yomi has extensive hands-on experience in all aspects of commercial, civil and criminal litigation including Arbitration and other forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution. He has handled several key matters from inception up to the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Yomi also specialises in commercial transactions, with a focus on Real Estate and Venture Development. In line with this, he has participated in the negotiation, drafting and review of several financing, merger and take-over documentation for clients in the telecommunications and oil and gas sectors.

• Represented numerous clients including First City Monument Bank, MRS Oil and Gas Limited, Northwest Oil and Gas Limited and UNIC Insurance in contentious and non-contentious matters spanning Commercial litigation, Land and Property Matters, Banking, Insurance liability claims, International Law and Appeals;
• member of a team that advised and represented the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) in a landmark case against the Federal Government of Nigeria where it was determined that the Union have the right to go on strike;
• Defended and prosecuted several cases on behalf of NITEL including a N100 million suit instituted by one of its vendors;
• Represented and defended Horizon Offshore Nigeria Limited and Horizon Offshore Cayman Island in several cases that cut across oil and gas, offshore pipe lay and pipe bury issues and successfully defended a major case of veil piercing which would have affected its shareholders adversely;
• Advised a real estate investor on a major land acquisition, financing and development of a property of 1000 hectare(approx) in Mowe, Ogun State;
• Advised a consortium led by Omni Ventures Limited in the acquisition of the entire operations and undertakings of Mobitel Limited. This included, due diligence investigation into Mobitel Limited; negotiation and documentation of the sale/purchase agreements; advised on and negotiated the resolution of all pending cases against Mobitel.
• General Tax Administration: Represented various Onshore and Offshore clients in resolving issues raised in best judgment assessments, Petroleum Profit Tax Assessment, Company Income Tax, Personal Income Tax, Capital Gains Tax and sundry tax queries raised by the Federal and States Revenue Services;
• Advised and Represented high profile clients on immigration matters; procuring expatriates’ quota, Temporary Work Permits (TWPs), CERPAC cards and general regularization of expatriates’ status.

• Nigerian Bar Association.