Efemena Iluezi-Ogbaudu

Personal Bio

Job Title: Legal Practitioner

Areas of Expertise: Arbitration,Mediation

I am a Nigerian-qualified lawyer (common law) with 4 years PQE in commercial litigation and arbitration. I have a flair for disputes arising out of complex commercial contracts and a keen interest in the interrelationship between public international law and international arbitration.

In my four years of active practice, I was a Dispute Resolution Associate at a leading commercial firm in Lagos, Nigeria and worked in a small commercial disputes team within the firm. As such, I had the rare opportunity to take on responsibilities beyond my years, leading hearings in smaller cases and acting as second/third chair even in the most complex cases.

I have considerable experience in lending and finance disputes, energy disputes (particularly petroleum contracts), and intra-corporate disputes. I also have a growing interest in construction disputes. I have acted in ad hoc and institutional arbitrations under the ICC and UNCITRAL Rules and in arbitration-related court proceedings, especially in the annulment and enforcement of awards before Nigerian Courts.

In addition to my work at the firm, I served as an Adjunct Lecturer at the Nigerian Law School where I taught the mandatory Corporate Law Practice module between 2017-2018, and as Interim Coordinator/Secretary at justice reform not-for-profit, the Justice Reform Project from 2019 until 2021. For me, positively affecting my society is just as important as attaining professional excellence. Consistent with this, I have been and continue to stay committed to the development of legal education and justice sector reforms in Nigeria.

I have earned numerous recognitions for my work, most notably being a finalist for the 2020 Future Award Prize for Lawyers and the Most Promising Newcomer (Private Practice) Prize at the 2020 Africa Legal Awards.