NBA-SECTION ON BUSINESS LAW
SBL Governing Council Hosts Comrades’ Supper
The SBL is one of the specialist sections of the NBA, set up to enhance the professional development of Nigerian commercial lawyers and raise the level of business law practice in Nigeria. Through its 19 Committees, the Section organizes conferences, seminars, trainings and formal and informal interactions for its members and stakeholders. Indeed the SBL’s annual conferences continue to serve as the convergent point and professional event for policy formulators, regulators, corporate bodies, emerging market investors, legal practitioners, members of the Bench and business persons.
The NBA – Section on Business Law chairman, Asue Ighodalo, expressed with great pleasure as he welcomes friends and learned colleagues, to an evening of informal comrades’ supper hosted by the Council of the Section on Business Law. The truly delighted chairman on behalf of the SBL, thanked guests and members that inspite of their extremely busy and punishing schedules they found time to honour the invitation. The evening was a rare privilege to break bread, rub shoulders and exchange ideas with distinguished brethren and bosses.
Since January 2012 when the SBL got its second wind, the Governing Council, first chaired by Gbenga Oyebode MFR of Aluko and Oyebode, and his predecessor, Asue Ighodalo of Banwo and Ighodalo, has focused on stabilizing the section, bringing back old members, winning new members and re-establishing the good focus of the NBA – Section on Business Law. The utmost task of the section now is to raise the bar and assure the true value of membership to all members and to also support the leadership of the NBA to attain some of its objectives and continue to impact the larger society. Over the next two years, the focus would be to pay particular attention to improving Continuing Legal Education (CLE), establishing better relationships and interfacing with industry regulators (the CAC, CBN, SEC, DPR, NERC, CPC, etc) and influencing policy formulation and law making to guarantee a more enabling business environment in our society.
As part of there capacity enhancement program, the Governing Council of the NBA-Section on Business Law have set up a committee dedicated to training, chaired by Dr. Adeoye Adefulu of Adefulu & Odujinrin, and Tolulope Aderemi, a Partner at Perchstone & Graeys as the Vice Chairman. The Committee has begun the process of identifying the training needs of SBL members, particularly the young lawyers, and is designing the required curriculum. Hopefully in the near future, that Committee can emerge as a dedicated SBL training school. SBL is also discussing with the Law Society of England and Wales on possible training programs.
The chairman exudes the unrelenting and tireless contributions of the Business Day Law Editor, Theodora Kio-Lawson, who is the chairperson, SBL Research and Publicity Committee. The Committee is responsible for the production and circulation of online law publications, newsletters and business law journals on contemporary legal and business issues. He said the first edition of the SBL Aggregator, an online newsletter, was circulated two to three weeks ago to members, corporate counsel and key stakeholders. The SBL have received an amazingly impressive feedback.
Some Committees have continued to be very active. He said. The Energy and Environment Committee held its maiden edition of the “Law Friday Series” on September 12, 2014 at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. It was a good turnout. The Maritime Committee also held a seminar with the theme – “Wet Cargo International Oil Trade Transactions and Shipping: Key Things To Know” on November 18, 2014 at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. On the 2nd of December 2014, Francis Chuka Agbu, SAN stepped down as the chairman of the Travel Tourism and Hospitality Committee. This was at the Hospitality Roundtable organized by the committee with the theme – “Opportunities and Threats in the Hospitality Industry in Nigeria”. At the seminar, Okey Egbuchu of Consolex Legal Practitioners was nominated as new chairman of the committee. A day after, 3rd of December to be précised, the Law Society of England and Wales, in collaboration with the Section on Business Law, organized a one-day training programme on Contract Drafting at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. Also at the Radisson Blu Hotel, the Mergers, Acquisitions and Corporate Re-Organization Committee organized a Seminar on Private Equity in December 10, 2014. These events attracted lawyers and other professionals from various business sectors, key industry regulators and various other stakeholders.
The chairman, Asue Ighodalo, who earlier promised to improve commercial law practice in Nigeria through monthly programmes and seminars from all the committees of the SBL asked learned colleagues to take steps to enhance SBL’s value proposition. He said it is imperative that the council seek for counsels’ support. “We hope to reach out to many more and receive feedback, quietly or publicly, on what you expect the SBL to be doing and how best to organize the Section,” he said.
See photograph of Spotted personalities at the Comrades’ Supper.
