The Nigerian Blawg

Nigeria's first online legal education platform

Read More

Sports Law Tip

Lionel Messi, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo are among the highest paid footballers in the world, their skills and contracts made this possible. 

As a professional footballer or manager, ensuring the contract represents the best interest and value of the talent is essential to a successful career. 

Here are a few terms a football contract should adequately provide for - 

1. Contract Period

.

2. Players Obligations

.

3.Compensation

.

4. Advertising Activities

.

5. Participation in other sports

.

6. Doping

.

7. Match Manipulation

.

8. Transfer to another club.

.

9.Right to termination

.

10. Sports regulations; and

.

11. Dispute Resolution 

If you have any questions on football contracts or other forms of contracts. Send a Mail 

#aoclegal #footballlaw #lawyer #nigerianlawyer #legalnaija #sportslaw #sportslawyer #football #soccer #messi #ronaldo #neymar

Read More

Carol Ajie’s Narcissistic Melodrama: Interrogating her Motive | Prince I. Nwafuru

It was Frank D. Roosevelt who once said that “self-interest is the enemy of true affection.” Granted that in politics, the popular view is that interest is the only thing that is permanent and there is always an element of self-interest lurking beneath the surface of every supposedly altruistic action, however, such personal agenda should not be advanced to the detriment of others. Thus, whilst you cannot fault a person for pursuing his or her own interest, it has however, been recognized even amongst political scientists and philosophers that such psychological egoism should always give way to the greater good of the people and voters have been urged to suppress their self-interest in favour of general interest. And I add, such suppression of self-interest is even more appealing under a regime of a man whose policy thrust is “Putting You First.” 

Read More

IVF: Matters Arising: A Critique Of Evans V. United Kingdom |Emaediong ofonime akpan

1.0     Introduction

Few technologies arrive unannounced and few remain unchanged overtime. The development of techniques to facilitate the fertilization of human eggs or ova is no exception. The medical sector has not been let off the hook of the technological wave that has blown across nearly all sectors of human lives. While IVF is now recognized as an acceptable medical technique to combat the surging problems of infertility, it is still being considered relatively novel.  It is pertinent to not that the innovation of IVF has not met with the same response like other medical intervention like; vaccines and the like.  

Read More

NBA President, Paul Usoro SAN Reacts To The Kidnap Of A Member Of The Bar

Please find below the statement by the Honourable President on the kidnap of Barrister Adeola Adebayo.

1. Our Ikole-Ekiti Branch Secretary, Adeola Adebayo, was kidnapped on Saturday, 17 November 2018 at Erio, a small town in Ekiti State and today, he spends his eighth day in captivity even though a ransom amount was paid to his captorsfor his release last Thursday, 22 November 2018.  Adeola was driving from Osogbo with his wife and parents where they attended a social event when he was stopped and kidnapped. 

Read More

Event: BNLF Welcomes Young Lawyers In Lagos

The British Nigeria Law Forum (BNLF) welcomes you to the Nigerian launch of its Junior Lawyers Division (JLD)

Wednesday, 5 December 2018 from 1:30 pm to 4.30pm

The Sun Heaven Hotel, Plot 8, Onikoyi Lane, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Join us for an afternoon of networking and light refreshments in the company of colleagues from the UK and Nigeria. Find out more about JLD and BNLF and future opportunities from the following speakers:

Opening Address by George Etomi, Founder & Principal Partner, George Etomi & Partners

Introduction to the British Nigeria Law Forum, activities in UK/Nigeria and how to join BNLF by Seye Aina, Chair, British Nigeria Law Forum 

Information about BNLF Junior Lawyers Division, engaging with junior and aspiring lawyers in the UK and Nigeria and how to get involved by Aji Ayorinde, Co-Head, BNLF Junior Lawyers Division

Cross Border collaboration by Boma Ayomide Alabi OON, Founding Partner, Primera Africa Legal

Information on how to get involved in the Law Society's rule of Law and Human Rights programme by Lizzette Robleto de Howarth, International Programmes Manager, Law Society of England & Wales - opportunities 

This event is by invitation only and is kindly sponsored by George Etomi & Partners

RSVP  www.bnlf.org.uk

Read More

Right Of Adopted Child To Inheritance

This court decision holds that an adopted child has equal rights to share in the property of the adopted parents. 

.

.

Learn & Share 

Case Law via @lawpavilion 

#inheritance #discrimination #childcare #adoption #law #legal #nigerianlawyer #nigerianblogger #nigerianblawg #legalnaija #lawpavilion

Read More

TIMI, the AI Companion For Every Young Lawyer

@LawPavilion is raising the bar with a new App to ease the work of young Lawyers, particularly new wigs. 

TIMI is Nigeria's First Artificial Intelligence Legal Assistant designed to assist lawyers with legal research, legal opinions, litigation, and legal drafting. With TIMI, a new wig will have access to the  LawPavilion Electronic Law Reports, LPELR (online version); be able to chat with TIMI on Civil Procedure and litigation Rules and also get assistance on precedent Forms and Agreement Templates.

Imagine the possibilities if you could draft an originating process, a motion or any other court process, without getting stuck or confused, when you chat with TIMI; she can give you a step-by-step guide on how to go about filing or drafting those processes. Also, she provides notes with legal authorities, to support Civil procedure principles. This quick and easy access would definitely aid legal research and collation of relevant data to draft processes.

There is no other application that guides a young lawyer this way. Follow @lawpavilion and you may be the first person to meet Timi 🙂🚀.

Read More

Paul USoro; Keeping His Promises To The Bar

I believe that the NBA, at the national level, is in need of urgent and far-reaching reforms if it must retain its relevance not only in the larger society but even to its members.  These reforms will at the minimum, achieve four significant and immediate goals, to wit; (a) enhance efficiency in the operations of the Association;

(b) engender confidence and trust amongst its members (or, as some would say, win back the confidence and trust of members who are disengaged);

(c) transform the NBA into a sustainable institution; and

(d) increase the moral equity of the NBA to enable it effectively influence required reforms in the justice subsector and remain a respected watchdog of the society.

Paul Usoro SAN

Reflections: Institutional Reforms For The NBA (Part 1)

Read More

False Advertisement and Vulnerable Persons in Nigeria (2) | Akpan, Emaediong Ofonime

Flawed and insignificant research propagated in advertisements amount to misleading advertisements. In the same vein, where an advertisement, is based on flawed and insignificant research or are contradicted by prevailing authority or research section 43(a) of the Lanham Act refers to such advertisements as false. In Alpo Pet Foods v. Ralston Purina Co.^[ii] the claimant brought a claim of false advertising against Purina whose adverts that its dog food was beneficial for dogs with canine hips dysplasia demonstrating that the claims was supported by test results conducted by Purina which showed that the methods used to conduct the tests were inadequate and the results could therefore not support Purina's claims. 

Read More

Disrespect for Orders of Courts: The Laker Airways Case and Some Lessons for Nigeria | Orji Uka

Donald J. Trump, the 45th President of the United States of America can be accused of a number of things, but disrespect for, or disobedience of, orders of court is not one of them. A very recent case in point is the no love lost between him and CNN’s Chief White House Correspondent, Jim Acosta which came to a head last week during a feisty press conference held by Mr Trump after the November 2018 mid-term elections. The saga culminated in the revocation of Jim Acosta’s White House press pass for allegedly using inappropriate force to resist a White House intern’s attempt to take a microphone away from him.

Read More

Legislative Intervention On Police Reform In Nigeria By The 8th Assembly | Legalnaija

The 8th Senate led by Dr. Bukola Saraki is definitely stamping its legislative authority by not only out-doing its predecessor assemblies but also by introducing dynamic and much needed legislation for the growth and development of the nation. The list of over 200 Bills passed by the Senate can be viewed here. 

However, one significant bill we would be tracking is The Bill for an Act to repeal the Police Act, 2004 and establish the Police Act (Amendment) Bill, 2018 (SB. 683).

Most certainly all Nigerians especially police officers agree that the Nigerian Police needs to be reformed as a matter of supreme urgency. Social Media calls with the hashtag #ReformNigerianPolice; #Reformsars and #Endsars have led to presidential executive orders on police reforms. 

However, the 8th Assembly seeks to achieve more far reaching results by the #PoliceReformBill sponsored by Senator Bala Ibn Na’allah, (Kebbi South). The #PoliceReformBill came up for first reading on the 30th May, 2018 and second reading on the 10th July, 2018. While on 12th November, 2018; The Bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Police Affairs.

The Bill seeks to deliver the much needed legislative intervention required to amend the Nigerian Police Act; which has been in existence without any form of amendment since 1979. Most certainly the current law is out of date and not in line with current national realities.

Some of the strategic provisions of The Bill include an amendment to the functions of the police; where it provides that; 

The functions of the #PoliceReformBill shall include:

I.Creating and establishing a functioning system that can easily detect crimes, apprehend offenders and effect proper punishment of perpetrators within its jurisdiction.

II.Creating a safer environment for Nigerian citizens using a new policing structure that will ensure the protection of the rights and freedom of Nigerians.

III.Make room for more collaboration between the police and citizens and communities they protect.

Other critical provisions of The Bill will also include provisions such as;

I.Prohibition of a Police Officer from being the prosecutor in any matter that said officer participated, this is to help promote justice and allow for a free and fair trial.

II.Prohibition and criminalization of drinking while on duty.

III.Establishing an authority responsible for the collection of complaints from Nigerian citizens against police officers, ensuring more competent service for the police.

IV.Ensuring that the police officers are held accountable for every action taken, particularly in the areas of arrest and detention of persons.

V.The Nigerian Police will no longer be referred to as the Nigerian Police Force.

VI.Provision of bail for any citizen arrested without a warrant, ensuring that such person are not allowed to be kept in detention for more than 24 hours without being charged to court.

Most certainly when this Bill becomes law it would lead to the growth in expertise and operations of the Nigerian Police.

Legalnaija

Photo Credit - Twitter.com/NGRSenate 

Read More

Style Focus: Mrs. Mfon Usoro

The legal profession like we all know is very conservative. From their mannerisms and style of dressing, lawyers are trained to always appear modest and decent. For lawyers who like to express their style through dressing, finding creative ways to look stylish without breaking the code is always an interesting journey. 

In focus today, is a very successful and amazing Nigerian lawyer who despite her conservative profession continues to appear with so much elegance, style and grace every time she attends a function. 

Be it a gathering of friends, a state function, a board meeting, an annual conference, a legal proceeding or a formal dinner, Mfon Usoro oozes so much style, female lawyers need to learn the tricks from her. 

Mrs Mfon Usoro, an internationally acclaimed expert in transport laws and project finance is the Managing Partner of the firm, Paul Usoro & Co.; her deep knowledge of transaction and commercial practice makes her highly recommended by both domestic and international organisations. 

She leads the firm’s team in maritime, aviation, project finance and energy matters actively participating in complex domestic and cross-border transactions. Under her supervision, the firm’s transaction team provides first-in-class legal advisory services to satisfied clients in the private and public sectors cutting across diverse areas.

As a pioneer Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), she set the administrative landscape of the Agency in motion; in compliance with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act 2007. 

Mrs. Mfon Usoro is happily married with an adoring family and her husband, Mr. Paul Usoro SAN is currently the President of the Nigerian Bar Association. We look forward to seeing her grace more events in her usual elegant fashion. 

See more photos below -

                                 

Legalnaija 

Read More

Dear property investor,

Dear property investor, under the Registration of Title system, anyone who has rights in landed property, either as owner or mortgagor must register their rights with the land registry. .
.
This allows a purchaser to discover from a mere inspection of the register whether the vendor has the power to sell the land and whether or not there are interests on the land that may be investigated.
.
.

The property register contains detailed description and gives other information of the property that is registered while the proprietorship register contains the name, address, and description of the registered owner of the property. It also contains cautions, inhibitions and restrictions affecting the right of the proprietor to dispose the title.
When buying property it is important you do the following:

i. Inspect the property with the vendor to ensure that is what you agreed on.
ii. Insist on collecting a copy of the land certificate from the vendor. The land certificate contains the particulars by which the property will be identified at the lands registry.
iii. Employ the services of a lawyer who would investigate at the land registry whether the purchaser has the power to sell the property.

Do you have any questions? Send a DM #property #propertylawyer #law #nigerianlawyer #legalnaija #AO&Co.

Read More

Ways Of Promoting Collaboration Between Employers and Members of Staff | Legalnaija

In order to achieve company goals, it is paramount for employers to effectively communicate their vision to employees. Also, important is the provision of welfare to employees, for this seeks to encourage employee output and wok delivery. To achieve the above, it is important there exists  a forum that encourages collaboration between workers and employees. In this post, I will be considering 2 platforms of promoting and fostering a collaborative environment between employers and employees. Both are Trade Unions and Joint Consultative Forums.

Read More

False Advertisement and Vulnerable Persons in Nigeria (1) |Akpan, Emaediong Ofonime

False advertisement^[ii] is any advertising or promotion that misrepresents the nature, characteristics, qualities or geographic origin of goods, services or commercial activities.  An advert that is false contains false statement of fact about the advertiser's product or another person's goods, services, or commercial activity. Such advert deceives and has the potential to deceive a substantial portion of its targeted audience. The deception in the advert is also likely to influence the purchasing decisions of its audience. False adverts contain statements that either results in or is likely to result in injury to the consumer.

Read More

Legalnaija IP Tip

Is your invention patented? 

Read More

Proliferation of Arms - Insecurity to Lives and Property | Paul Usoro SAN

Dear Sir/Ma,

1. Barely a week ago, precisely on Sunday, 04 November 2018, hoodlums rained bullet shots at the car of the past Chairman of Auchi Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (“NBA”), Mr. A A Atemoagbo, along Auchi-Benin Road, near Ehor, in Edo State, in an attempt to halt him.  Mr. Atemoagbo survived the attack, albeit with injuries and greatly traumatized, but not so, his wife, Joan, who was killed by the assassins’ bullets.  Mr. Atemoagbo was returning from a Convention of the Jehovah’s Witnesses that held in Benin and, in his Honda CRV car were his wife, their young child and one other passenger.  Mr. Atemoagbo’s car was indeed stopped by the hoodlums and he was kidnapped and only released days later after the payment of the specified ransom amount.

Read More

Legalnaija Law Tip

Dear Employer, are you satisfying your obligations to your employees? 

#employmentlaw #legalnaija #law #legal #blawg #blog #learn #nigerianlawyer #employee #employer

Read More

IP Protection For Artists

Dear Artist👩‍🎨 After putting so much effort into your beautiful piece of art, it is essential that you protect your masterpiece by ensuring you register for copyright protection.

Copyright law protects the creative expression of Ideas. Any creative work that has been fixed in a tangible medium of expression, such as paper, software, or film, and that can be reproduced or otherwise communicated exactly is automatically protected by copyright law. Examples include art, songs, movies and writings. The digital world is boundless and to protect a copyright, an artist may have to use digital watermarks on their creations and put up a copyright notice on the web page where your work is displayed.

Do you have any questions on how to register for a copyright? Send us a mail.

#copyright #art #intellectualproperty #paintings #photography #artist #artistsofinstagram #creatives #artwork #artlovers #artx #artxlagos2018 #nigerianlawyers #artlawyer #nigerianart #royalvisitnigeria

Read More

How To Catch A Judgment Debtor

When a court gives monetary judgment in favour of a creditor, an avenue to ensure the money is recovered is through the process of a garnishee proceedings. 

This is a judicial process whereby a judgment creditor can recover such debt owed to the judgment debtor. For instance, if Mr. A gets a judgment against Mr. B, Mr. A can ask the court to help collect Mr B's money from Mr C (a bank) who in turn owes Mr. B money. 

Usually Mr C in this scenario can be Mr B's bankers. If you ask any further questions on this topic, kindly send a DM or mail. 

#law #legal #corporatelaw #garnishee #commerciallaw #blog #blawg #nigerianlawyer #lagoslawyer #nigerianblawg #debt #debtrecovery

Read More

IP ABC—Does a database enjoy copyright protection in Nigeria?

Question 

My name is Yakubu Jang, an investment advisor and consultant in Nigeria. I publish a monthly investment e-newsletter The Yaks Investment. The Yaks Investment publishes up-to-date information on incentives in Nigeria available to investors. Apart from that, what our subscribers find most valuable about the newsletter is access to our comprehensive and up-to-date database of Agrotech & Fintech Businesses and Venture Capitalists in Nigeria. This database is accessible through a URL link which directs readers to the page where the database is electronically stored. In over 3 years, this database has greatly made The Yaks Investment newsletter become well known amongst both local and international private-equity investors with an eye on the Nigerian market.

Read More

Create Your Future Workshop Friday Giveaway

We are giving 5 young lawyers the opportunity to attend the CREATE YOUR FUTURE WORKSHOP organized by GreySage Consulting. 

Each young lawyer will learn -
1. How to build a Community that supports your law practice;
2. What you must do before starting a practice in Nigeria;
3. How to cultivate a Personal Brand that supports your career and;
4. How Nigerian lawyers can leverage content in a digital world.

To be one of the 5 lucky winners -

A) You must be following @Legalnaija on Facebook; Twitter & Instagram
B) You must show a commitment to attend the event; and
C) post a comment telling us why you deserve to be one of the 5 lucky young lawyers. The comments with the highest likes win 

Don't miss this opportunity to grow your legal career👌🤗👍

Read More

Study UK Exhibition, Lagos - December 2018

                         

Are you considering an international education? Are you thinking of getting an MBA, undergraduate or postgraduate international degree?

Do you live in Nigeria's Southwest region? Yes?

---

Join us in November 2018 as the British Council in Nigeria invites you to the second edition of the Study UK Exhibition.

The details for this November/December batch of exhibitions are as follows:

1. Uyo - 27 November 2018 at Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort (formerly Le Meridien Hotel). 9.00am to 4.00pm

2. Abuja - 29 November 2018 at Sheraton Abuja Hotel, 9.00am to 6.00pm

3. Lagos - 01 December 2018 at The Zone Tech Park, Gbagada Expressway, beside UPS office, Gbagada, Lagos, 9.00am to 6.00pm

The UK is a top study destination with world-class institutions. Three of the top ten universities in the world is UK institutions. The UK is also home to many high-quality further education colleges and boarding schools. Whatever your level of study, the UK offers you a multicultural learning environment with rich traditions and beautiful cities and countrysides.

Prepare for a great future by joining representatives of UK institutions in Lagos this December. Get first-hand guidance and information about courses, fees and scholarships.

To register log on to the British Council NG. 

Read More

Advertisers Liability in Nigeria and the Eco-Contort Principle | Akpan, Emaediong Ofonime

1.0     Introduction

The first victim of advertisement suffered the lack of redress solely because the liability regime in existence was heavily laden with the caveat ‘buyer beware.’ This caveat reads thus; ‘….but the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden…….God has said you shall not eat it, neither shall you touch it …’ [ii]  This caveat may be said to have allowed the advertiser act with reckless abandon, transferring in whole, the liability of his actions on the consumer’s inability to adhere to warnings. It leaves out the question of the consumer’s ability to understand such warning and re-enforces the advertiser as king who has usurped the powers of the consumer.

Read More

Here Are 7 Reasons Why Young Lawyers Must Attend the ‘CREATE YOUR FUTURE’ Workshop – GreySage Consulting

As the legal profession welcomes an influx of new starry-eyed wigs estimated at about 4,000 every year, their chances of securing juicy opportunities in existing law firms are few and far between. The labour shortfall in addition to the worrisome number of disillusionment among young lawyers is a burden that GreySage Consulting, a Lagos-based legal seeks to bear.

With hands on approach, GreySage Consulting has teamed up with experienced and dynamic attorney, Akinyemi Ayinoluwa, for exclusive an session with young lawyers. The session is scheduled for December 7th, 2018, in Ikeja, Lagos.
Willing participants will leverage an opportunity to learn to create career enhancing tips. With keen understanding of the dynamics of the terrain as a professional who has continued to make a huge impact, Akinyemi will beam his lazer on four important topics areas:

1. How to build a Community that supports your law practice;
2. What you must do before starting a practice in Nigeria;
3. How to cultivate a Personal Brand that supports your career and;
4. How Nigerian lawyers can leverage content in a digital world.

Akinyemi, having studied industry trends and the effects of globalization, revealed 7 reasons why young lawyers must attend this workshop;

1. Participants will get the right information to help plan the next 2 - 3 years of their professional life.
2. Participants will be assigned a step-by-step guide of what to do to advance secure and rapid professional development.
3. Attendees will be given assigned time-bound tasks to apply all that was thought at the seminar.
4. Immediately after the workshop, all attendees will be housed in an exclusive mentorship program for a month.
5. All attendees will get the rare chance to brush up their skills and knowledge on the latest trends in the legal profession. The knowledge gained will help them leapfrog over and above their peers.
6. Attendees will be thought the value of building a powerful network.
7. Attendees will be acquainted with entrepreneurial skill set, a Do-It-Yourself approach to career development, and creating a prosperous and fulfilling work life.

To book a spot, at a ridiculously affordable fee, click on the link below, or send an email to greysagelaw@gmail.com or call +2349098028375.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScRlu1dM0guZyPWwlUbFhPQTnxe0yJ9ZC0XFqRtrBWoyXLJSw/viewform
About GreySage Consulting

GreySage Consulting Ltd. is a new consulting company headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. The firm is dedicated to empowering practitioners in the Creative and Legal industry, via trainings, seminars, advisory services, industry-specific events, mentorship, and Network events.

Read More

Love Your Lawyer Day 2018

Today, 2nd November,2018 is the WORLD LOVE YOUR LAWYER DAY 2018 (1st Friday in November) and we are sending love to all the amazing Lawyers out there. 

The collage is not enough to fit everyone into as there are so many lawyers who do such amazing jobs and our finest regards go to all of them. 

Why not send a shoutout to your lawyer right now as well + can you name all the lawyers in the pic 🙂😀.. Goodluck and never forget #lawyersrock
#loveyourlawyerday #loveyourlawyer #loveyourlawyerday2018

@fozadoza @flow_ry_der @dmediationlawyerist @atibaomoba @aanuadedire @chi_legal @elthon.partners @constructionlaw.ng @oluyimika @legalsolutionswithtosin @oalnigeria @tomilolavanna @legallyengaged @alexandervuu @strictlylawbiz @unorthodoxlegal @realpathlawyer @realorji @lydiaaguesq @thechisolu @adavizealao @femi_gbede @dipoajayi_elawyer @insta_lawyers @paulusoro @senatorihenyen @abimbolafakeye

Read More

Law Enforcement Agencies And Debt Recovery| Eberechi May Okoh

“It is important for me to pause and say here that the powers conferred on the EFCC to receive complaints and prevent and/or fight the commission of Financial Crimes in Nigeria pursuant to section 6(b) of the EFCC Act does not extend to the investigation and/or resolution of disputes arising or resulting from simple contracts or civil transactions in this case... Alas! The EFCC is not a debt recovery agency and should refrain from being used as such[1]”. Per Sidi Dauda Bage, J.S.C

The Supreme Court recently delivered a judgment[2] which touched, among other things, on the role of the Nigerian police and other law enforcement agencies in debt recovery. 

Read More

Exploring The Freedom Of Information Act, 2011 As A Tool For Holding Government And Public Institutions Accountable | By Henry Chibuike Ugwu

INTRODUCTION:

How much does a Nigerian senator earn as monthly salary? What are the allowances such a senator is entitled to? How many Nigerians know the amount of money spent on the health of the President annually? Can you state with certainty the total amount of money recovered from corrupt public officials so far by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)? What is security vote and how much is a Nigerian governor given as security vote? Are Nigerians afforded a breakdown of the expenditures of such security votes by Nigerian governors? Sadly these are some of the many questions that Nigerians cannot answer about the government and its agencies. They are questions that require many months of exercise, prayers and strategy to commence the voyage of discovering their answers irrespective of the fact that they involve public servants and public funds, and which information ordinarily should be easily accessible by all Nigerians.

Read More