Advert

Akpata’s Templars, Baker McKenzie Hold Africa Trade Roadshow in Lagos

One of Nigeria’s leading commercial law firms, Templars (which, incidentally, is currently marking its 25^th anniversary) has taken this new global paradigm and the urgent imperatives it imposes, to heart, as evidenced in its activities, initiatives and engagements of late. One of those engagements is its partnership with the law firm of Baker McKenzie, one of the largest law firms in the world, with an extensive range of practice areas, and with over 70 offices in 47 countries on 5 continents, including its head office in Stockholm, the Swedish capital.

The Africa Trade Roadshow, an interactive seminar comprising presentations and a panel discourse, is one of such partnerships between the two law firms. Held on Tuesday, February 18 at the Four Points by Sheraton in Lagos.

The event began with a welcome speech by Olumide Akpata, in which he extolled the ‘impactful’ relationship between his firm Templars, and Baker McKenzie. He described the roadshow as timely and pivotal, considering the centrality of trade and commerce in international relations. The role of AfCTFA in bringing the issues of trade (not just in goods, but also in services) among African nations and entities to the front burner of discourse, Akpata said, cannot be over-emphasized.

Olumide Akpata, who was the immediate past Chairman of The NBA – Section on Business Law said much has been said, in various fora of discourse, about the need for Nigerian law firms to scale up and aspire to a more robust presence in the international legal marketplace.

He went further, “there is need for law firms to shed their local toga and its intrinsic paradigms, and embrace global best practices as well as enter into more profound and far-reaching collaborations and engagements with major global players within and outside the legal profession in order to be more competitive in the 21^st century interconnected marketplace of goods, services, information and ideas – especially now that the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) is set to fundamentally change the way business and trade are conducted on the continent.”

Also speaking, Mattias Hedwall, Partner and Global Chair, International Commercial and Trade at Baker McKenzie, described his firm as an insider when it comes to issues pertaining to trade within Africa and between the continent and the rest of the world – thanks to its extensive legal and advisory services to a wide range of public and private sector players across the continent. He advised Nigerians – in all economic sectors, and especially legal professionals – to maximize the opportunities the continental trade agreement offers, as well as seek innovative ways to mitigate the risks and challenges inherent in the enterprise.

One of the highlights of the event was a comprehensive and exhaustive analysis of current global economic, social and geopolitical trends as seen from the perspective of The Economist, one of the world’s most influential news magazines. Hermann Warren, Director of the Africa Corporate Network at the publication, took the assembled participants on a whirlwind tour of today’s world and highlighted the globe’s most important talking points – the US-China trade war; the never-ending Brexit conundrum; US-Iran tensions (in the aftermath of Gen. Soleimani’s assassination in January); the coronavirus epidemic; the debate on climate change; the changing direction of NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in the face of US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy shifts,); Sino-Russian relations; the battle for Venezuela; etc and their impact on the world economy – and especially on Africa’s developmental aspirations.

Warren’s illuminating presentation was followed by a panel discussion which explored the following key issues affecting trade across Africa:

• The aforementioned global geopolitical concerns – as highlighted by Mr. Warren of The Economist;
• Global and local legal/regulatory hurdles including sanctions, export controls, customs and excise, etc., and
• Perspectives on AfCFTA in relation to Nigeria.

Moderated by the aforementioned Mattias Hedwall of Baker McKenzie, the panel comprised of Prof. Jonathan Aremu of the department of international economic relations at Covenant University, Nigeria; Virusha Subban, a Partner and head of indirect tax at Baker McKenzie’s offices in Johannesburg, South Africa; her American colleague, Kerri Contini at Baker McKenzie’s offices in Washington DC, USA, where she is a Partner at the firm’s international trade practice group; Ijeoma Uju, a Partner at Templars, where she works with the corporate and commercial practice group; and Jesuseun Fatoyinbo, the head of trade at Stanbic IBTC Plc.

The panel discussion was followed by a spirited Q&A session in which participants expressed their concern over the vexed issues of protectionist barriers on the part of individual jurisdictions, security and corruption, among others – issues which the panelists, especially Prof. Aremu of Covenant University, who has actually helped in drafting a number of relevant trade protocols at both sub-regional and continental level) tried their best to address.

In separate conversations with newsmen, a number of the leading participants – including Akpata and Hedwall – described the event as part of efforts at both creating awareness among lawyers on the implications of the pan-African trade deal, as well as building the capacity of lawyers (including young wigs) and the institutions they represent to navigate the emerging legal marketplace in general, in a manner that ensures long-term success and impact.

See photos below:

Deji Sasegbon’s Latest Dictionary: Place your order now. Call:08076095047, 07036688678, 08035629991

   

-Advertisement-

Grab our latest Magazine, "Chief Wole Olanipekun, CFR, SAN, A man of wide horizons and deep intentions". Get your order fast and stress free.

For more details about Newswire Law&Events Magazine, kindly reach out to us on 08039218044, 09070309355. Email: newswiremagazine@yahoo.co.uk. You will be glad you did

Do you want to be heard, your events covered, your articles published, or need to advertise your products and services on our Blog and Magazine, reach out to us at Newswire Law and Events, you will be glad you did. For more details about our services, please call: 08039218044, 09070309355. Email: newswiremagazine@yahoo.co.uk