Osaro Eghobamien, SAN

Osaro Eghobamien, SAN, is a founding and the Managing Partner at the firm, where he spearheads the Litigation & Alternative Dispute Resolution, Capital Markets, Banking & Finance, and Private Client & Wealth Management Practice Groups.

Admitted to practice in England and Wales in 1989 and Nigeria in 1991, Osaro was recognized for his significant contributions to the legal profession with the prestigious rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 2008.

A fervent advocate for bridging gaps in Nigeria’s financial regulatory sector, Osaro consistently engages with the international community. He has collaborated closely with international financial experts on subjects such as secured credit transactions, asset-backed securities in securitization, bonds, and liquidity facilities. He is a strong proponent for the amendment of relevant laws to foster a supportive legislative framework for financial innovations.

His expertise has been instrumental in shaping Nigeria’s financial landscape. Osaro participated in the review of pending Bills organized by the Project Management Office of the FSS 2020 and was a key driver in the successful signing into law of the Secured Transactions in Movable Assets Act 2017. His contributions, and those of the firm, were recognized by His Excellency, the Executive Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2015-2023), Professor Yemi Osinbajo, for assistance rendered to the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) in securing Nigeria’s 24-point elevation in the World Bank’s Comparative Analysis of the Ease of Doing Business Index.

Osaro’s prolific background has provided him with diverse market experience, significantly expanding his knowledge base. This is notably reflected in his Oil & Gas practice, particularly in interpreting the physical regime in deep offshore crude disputes. He has successfully represented numerous parties in a plethora of arbitral proceedings on this subject matter.

A seasoned strategist, Osaro combines insights from his entrepreneurial ventures (erstwhile catering business) with his extensive legal practice. He applies this unique blend to his roles on various boards, including the Convention on Business Integrity (CBI), Diverse Motors, and Cellulant Nigeria Limited, providing sterling leadership and governance.

He possesses a deep understanding of common law, which he applies to create innovative structures for High Net-worth Individuals, utilizing the dynamic concept of private trusts for wealth management and to support complex financial structures. Notably, he represented the interest of a beneficiary in one of Nigeria’s most significant Trust cases, involving complex disputes arising from the device of companies to beneficiaries under a trust, with suits commencing in 2012 and 2016 and traversing through the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court on preliminary issues.

Osaro is a passionate and founding member of the Justice Reform Project (JRP), driven by an unwavering desire to reform Nigeria’s administration of justice system. This commitment earned him a position on the prestigious National Judicial Council (NJC), where he sits as a Senior Advocate representing the Bar Association.

In his spare time, Osaro has a penchant for studying biographies and engaging in long-distance races, having completed five 42km marathons to raise awareness for justice delivery system reforms.

In 2019, under his leadership as Managing Partner, the firm received an award from Legal Era, an Indian Legal Media Group, in recognition of its innovation, legal finesse, and accomplishments.

Education

• Nigeria Law School, BL (1991)
• Inns of Court School of Law (Lincoln’s Inn), BL (1989)
• Queen Mary College (University of London), LL.B (1988)

Memberships

• Vice Chairman, Convention on Business Integrity (CBI)
• Member, Lagos State Trust Law Reform Committee
• Member, Mortgage Implementation Committee of the Financial System Strategy (FSS 2020)
• Chairman, Sub-committee to review proposed amendment to the Asset Management Corporation Act and proposed Bill for a regulatory framework for Securitization and Asset Backed Securities on behalf of the Legal Implementation Committee
• Member, Nigeria Bar Association
• Member, Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria
• Member, National Judicial Council
• Member, Justice Reform Project

Selected Transaction Experience

• Part of the legal team that successfully defended the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal and the Supreme Court.
• Defended the interest of the State-owned oil Corporation, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), in an arbitration instituted by an International Oil Company (IOC).
• Provided expert evidence in a matter instituted by IOCs regarding a multibillion-dollar arbitral award against a State entity at the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York.
• Represented the interest of the Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources in a renewal of an oil mining lease in Nigeria’s largest oil block, successfully convincing the court of the Hon. Minister’s discretionary right to refuse such renewal.
• Represented the interest of an IOC in a domestic arbitration concerning a Crude Handling Dispute between two IOCs, specifically bordering on the misapplication of the allocation factor between the parties.
• Currently defending the interest of an oil & gas firm in a suit instituted by another oil servicing firm for the recovery of alleged storage fees due under a Crude Handling Agreement (“CHA”).
• Advised a client in the building and construction industry on the purported termination of a Mining and Quarry Services Agreement, currently subject to litigation exceeding N3 Billion.
• Advised an ex-Nigerian international footballer on the propriety of instituting a class action on behalf of retired ex-internationals with debilitating muscular injuries/atrophy, aiming to facilitate a policy thrust for their welfare.
• Liaised with an Indian-based law firm to conduct legal due diligence on behalf of the state-owned oil corporation concerning pending investigations and/or proceedings against the Sandesara Group in India and Nigeria, advising on the scope and likely impact on the Group’s Nigerian assets.
• Conducted a comprehensive audit of litigation files for the Ministry of Justice of Edo State, providing government advisory on case management strategies, crime dynamics and control, and methodologies for enhancing justice administration in the State.