DETAIL makes history by organizing and hosting Nigeria’s First Ever Counsel to Counsel Forum (Interactive Session Between In-house & External Counsel)

NIGERIA’S FIRST EVER COUNSEL TO COUNSEL FORUM
Detail Solicitors dared the “never been done” syndrome and invited Nigerian lawyers to a formal parley between External Solicitors and their Inhouse counterparts. What did we intend to achieve? We thought such a forum would encourage participants to: share mutually beneficial ideas; relax and bond; sponsor similar events; and network.

The build up to the event was interesting and challenging. We had the bullish lawyers (both in-house and external counsel) say – “lets do it, its novel”. The bears amongst them retreated – it would serve no useful purpose they thought. Come 28th of April we had 41 in-house counsel and 35 external solicitors. After the event we spoke to every single participant and the feedback was all positive. We have captured a few:

Israel Aye – In-house Counsel, Shell
“This is the best event I have attended in Nigeria”

Adeola Diete Koki, In-house Counsel from Citibank
“It was very useful and we are already implementing some of the things I learnt. One major one was being more courteous to external counsel”

Martins Ogbolu, In-house Counsel, V-Mobile
All the participants we sent said it was well organized, extremely interactive and rich in content. I was also glad it dealt with the issue of compromise by In-house counsel.

Chief Bolaji Ayorinde SAN, B. Ayorinde & Co
“I note that you aptly tagged it “First” Counsel to Counsel Forum”. It follows that there has to be a second”

Gbenga Oyebode MFR, Aluko & Oyebode
“You definitely achieved all that you set out to achieve. The major challenge is to sustain the effort”

George Etomi, Chair, Section on Business Law, Nigeria Bar Association.
“It was a good event. We encourage more of such events, as lawyers need to come out of their shells”

One of the highpoints of the forum was when Ayuli Jemide of Detail Solicitors threw a challenge to In-House Counsel to start a Nigerian Corporate Counsel Forum and this challenge was taken up by Sesan Akinsanya, Head of Dispute Resolution at Shell. We are pleased to announce that a steering committee for the Corporate Counsel Forum was born immediately after the event headed by Sesan Akinsanya of Shell. To join or for more information email us info@detail-solicitors.com

Download Communique for Counsel to Counsel Forum
View photographs