At HARLEM, we prize relationships over profits and are truly enamoured of the robust synergy among our lawyers, staff and third parties
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Babatunde I.G. Lawal, Esq., LL.B, B.L, LL.M, MCIArb., MNIPR, FCAI
Principal Partner/CEO
- Member, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
- Member, African Arbitration Association (AAA)
- Member, International Bar Association (IBA)
- Member, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR)
- Member, Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators (NICArb.)
- Member, International Chamber of Commerce, Nigeria (ICC)
- Fellow, Institute of Corporate Administration (FCAI)
Babatunde, an alumnus of the Polytechnic of Ibadan, bagged a degree in Law of the Ogun State University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, after successfully completing a Diploma-in-Law before he proceeded to Obafemi Awolowo University, Osun State, and graduated summa cum laude with a Masters degree in Law following his being called to the Nigerian Bar. He later trained to join the membership of both the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.
Babatunde’s vast experience and redoubtable skills in the general law practice and, profoundly, in the corporate sector extend to a variety of areas, including dispute/conflict resolution, government & community relations, contract negotiations, crisis management, corporate/commercial matters, real estate law as well as site acquisition (SAQ). He also has sufficiently cogent experience with confronting Immigration issues, general grievances and drafting commercial agreements and leases.
Prior to founding HARLEM, Babatunde cut his teeth on the profession, working in the Litigation unit of Chief Bon Nwakanma, SAN & Co. in Owerri, Imo State and continued in active legal practice in the Law firm of Alhaji Y.A Agbaje, SAN (with Mr. Akeem Agbaje as the then Supervisor) at Agbaje, Agbaje & Co. Legal Practitioners in Ibadan.
Babatunde ventured into the Corporate practice terrain in 2004 and garnered a handful of awards for consistent hardwork and religious commitment to excellence while in the employ of the multi-national telecommunication companies, receiving accolades so numerous enough to give electronic calculator severe circuit trouble, and rated as a Solid Performer during his entire career as an in-house Counsel, cutting across all areas of Regulatory/Compliance, ADR/Arbitration, Litigation, Real Estate, Lease Negotiations/Renewals & Drafting, Crisis Management, Recovery cases as well as Community and Government relations (not a small task!).
Babatunde’s unique personality and his adept writing skills have enshrined him in the hearts of the firm’s clients. Popularly known as ‘Bigg Laww’, and for doing as he promises, Babatunde also enjoys writing, blogging and spending quality time with his family.
e-mail: biglaw@harlemsolicitors.com
* Phone: +234 8033852360/9169989236
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Kola Fatoye, Esq., LL.B, B.L, LL.M, Notary Public
Chair, Litigation Group
- Member, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
- Notary Public
Kola earned his Law degree summa cum laude from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, and called to the Nigerian Bar over two decades ago. He also bagged his Masters degree in Law (LL.M) from Obafemi Awolowo University.
Kola started his legal practice in the law firm of Alfred Okupon in Benin City, Edo State, where he acquired significant experience which gave him broad exposure to a variety of civil and commercial litigation matters, before he moved to Agbaje, Agbaje & Co., where he set the foundation for a trenchant success -spanning over 11 years- garnering a great deal of experience representing clients in litigation and maintaining a robust appellate practice while allowing for synergy between the lawyers, staff and third parties to be as optimal as possible.
Relying on his focused, tenured and consistent leadership in the Litigation Group, Kola has pursued multiple cases to favourable verdict for clients and represented a wide spectrum of clients in diverse matters raging from Wills, Probates, Corporate/Commercial Litigation, Employment & Labour, Civil and Criminal Litigation to high-exposure cases involving government-linked conglomerates, corporations and private high net worth individuals. He is also a Notary Public.
During his personal time, Kola likes reading and travelling.
e-mail: kola.fatoye@harlemsolicitors.com
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Precious Azubuike, Esq., LL.B, B.L.
Associate
- Member, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
- Associate, Chartered Institute of Arts Management & Professionals
A graduate of Rivers State University, Rivers, and 2018 First Class Graduate of the Nigerian Law School, duly called to the Nigerian Bar, Precious comes to HARLEM with an extensive leadership and razor-sharp legal expertise garnered from C & P Attorneys, Abuja, where she cut her teeth on the profession prior to joining HARLEM Solicitors.
Endowed with a cast-iron ability to craft effective strategies and facilitate constructive agreements, Precious excels in the intricacies of Legal Research with significant strength and mastery of Maritime Law, Intellectual Property, Mortgages, Real Estate and Leases, Brokerages, Conveyances, etc. She is an intelligent, dynamic, highly motivated and passionate learner whose daily interactions with clients have availed her the opportunity to maintain enviable, lasting customer relationships, great professionalism and work ethics. She is equally an ambitious team member with a sensuous nose for details and unquenchable thirst for success and client satisfaction, which redounds to our firm’s practice in terms of the efficiency which she inevitably brings to our business.
Precious has acquired several professional trainings and certifications such as HIPAA for Business Associates and Strategic Business Planning aside from being awarded a Diploma in Human Resource Management. As a key member of the firm’s Corporate/Commercial practice group, Precious constantly advises clients in disputes relating to labour and employment matters, real estate and general corporate, commercial/regulatory matters.
Precious enjoys reading, writing, researching and engaging in light physical exercises as a firm believer that balance is the key to a healthy lifestyle.
Phone: +234-9169989113/8094907777
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Akintunde Omotoso, Esq., LL.B, B.L.
Associate
- Member, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
A graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State of Nigeria, and duly called to the Nigerian Bar in 2020, Akintunde brings a unique fusion of business savvy and legal expertise garnered from Olalekan Ojo (SAN) & Co, from where he established and founded Broadway Legal, a Corporate/Commercial Law Firm located in Ibadan, 0yo State.
Full of creative energy, calm resilience and great persistence, Juwon, as he is fondly called, joined the HARLEM team with renewed hardihood, great professionalism and unimpeachable work ethics, continuously maintaining an active litigation caseload and significant mastery of different aspects of the legal practice, making him red-hot and passionate about litigation and Corporate/Commercial practice.
Akintunde has, over the years, gained significant strengths in Corporate/Commercial Transactions, high-conflict civil and commercial litigation and set a textbook example of success drafting of real estate documents, researching litigation matters, easing individuals’ worries with unbelievable ease and top quality ‘on-call’ legal solutions. He combines analytical precision with creative processes, matched with his robust ability to encourage bold commitment and unrelenting hard work within the team.
Akintunde loves singing, reading, writing and researching during his leisure time.
Phone: +234-9169989110/8182403775/8033852360
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Grace Kalu, Esq. LL.B, B.L.
‘Of Counsel’
- Member, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
Grace graduated magna cum laude (Top 5%) with a Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of Uyo and also graduated with a First Class from the Nigerian Law School while emerging as the 7th Overall Best Student, with three awards to her name.
Having cut her teeth in the legal profession at the time-honoured law firm of Aare Afe Babalola, SAN & Co., Grace has been suitably groomed and adequately equipped to handle complex legal issues with minimal supervision. Constantly craving for success over the long haul, Grace is an ambitious team member with a sensuous nose for details and unquenchable thirst for client satisfaction, arriving HARLEM with a high volt of Corporate/Commercial and Litigation experiences as well as a demonstrable expertise in dispute resolution through litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), leveraging on her deeply entrenched commitment towards addressing the broader policy and institutional barriers which confront litigants in pursuit of ADR.
A remarkably protean thinker, Grace has acquired certifications in Copyright from the Harvard Law School, Intellectual Property from World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and Digital Marketing from Google, among others. She is a bundle of creative, goal-oriented and problem-solving skills, blessed as she is with great wit, intelligence, keen sense of proactive pre-planning and forward-looking resourcefulness.
Grace loves reading, researching, writing and watching movies in her spare time.
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Timilehin Olalusi, Esq., LL.B, B.L
Executive Associate
- Member, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
Timilehin received her Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) Degree from University of Ibadan, graduating cum laude before being duly called to the Nigerian Bar.
She is an industrious lawyer whose unquenchable desire for excellence and perfection has contributed to delivery of top-notch services to our Clients, combining analytical precision with creative processes.
Timilehin enjoyed an illustrious career with Kunle Kalejaye, SAN & Co. from where she joined HARLEM with a high volt of trial experience, tremendous courage under fire and strong professional values, bringing a broad perspective and skill set to bear on producing excellent outcomes, as she perfectly understands both the immense pressure and responsibility of ownership as well as the massive, intense rush of entrepreneurialism.
An inveterate people person, Timilehin has also garnered cogent experience in Intellectual Property and the Capital Markets, among others. She joined HARLEM as a lawyer of exceptional stamp and a valuable asset to our team providing tenacious, client-oriented legal services. To say that she displays a powerful drive for progress and client satisfaction in these areas is to say that Albert Einstein knows his sums!
In her free time, Timilehin loves listening to music, reading and writing.
e-mail: timilehin.olalusi@harlemsolicitors.com
Phone: +234-8182403775/8033852360
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Favour Awemakinde, Esq., LL.B, B.L
Associate
- Member, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
Favour is a graduate of Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo State, and was duly called to the Nigerian Bar.
Adept at conducting in-depth legal research, preparing briefs and providing invaluable insights on complex corporate/commercial matters, Favour is a systemic and Protean thinker, an invaluable addition to HARLEM’s handling of all transactional matters and procedural issues. Her dogged determination and unmatched professionalism are the main ingredients of her uniqueness while her problem-solving skills are a major asset.
In her B-suite role as an Associate at HARLEM, she brings a holistic approach, being irrevocably committed to employing a ‘big picture’ assessment in the handling of Clients’ specific situations while breaking down silos and building strong bond and collaboration with the entire team.
Driven by a business-goals oriented approach, Favour’s character is very large as is her intelligence, professionalism and skill. It is also helpful that her fixation with always winning, which is inextricably intertwined with care and respect, is also her motivation for helping Clients navigate through faster and sustainably, rather than having them spend both their time and money still stuck in the middle!
Favour’s hobbies include reading, singing and listening to music.
e-mail: favour.awemakinde@harlemsolicitors.com
Phone: +234-9090041104/8033852360
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William Oyeniyi, Esq., LL.B, B.L
Associate
- Member, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
William graduated from University of Lagos, and was duly called to the Nigerian Bar. Full of creative energy, he joined HARLEM with great professionalism and unimpeachable work ethics in tow, making him an excellent team member for roles that require an admixture of legal insight and business acumen.
William articled at Adelaja Oguntimirin & Associates and cut his teeth in the legal profession at Swiss Attorneys, where he learnt to go beyond problem-solving skills to using design-thinking to build enduring legal practice methods that harness available diverse cross-functional insights and perspectives. He is blessed with significant strengths in drafting legal documents, researching litigation matters, ADR issues and Corporate/Commercial issues, including Intellectual Property. He also designs lasting solutions in areas of Wills & Probates, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Mortgages.
A stickler for accuracy, William is credited with being a committed lawyer and a valuable asset to our team providing tenacious, client-oriented legal services and working very hard to ensure that clients’ interests are represented and their legal rights, properly protected.
William enjoys walking 18 holes on a golf course during his leisure and anytime his busy schedules permit him to golf.
email: william.oyeniyi@harlemsolicitors.com
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Jadesola Esan, Esq., LL.B, B.L
Associate
- Member, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
Jadesola bagged a Second Class Upper Bachelor of Laws Degree from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, before being duly called to the Nigerian Bar, also graduating with a Second Class Upper.
As a linchpin of HARLEM’s Dispute Resolution practice group, Jadesola brings an exceptionally strong commercial and business perspectives to her legal advice, constantly advising and representing clients in disputes relating to real estate, labour and employment, corporate and commercial matters.
Quick of wit, Jadesola is blessed with a rare knack for ingenious creativeness, bringing a high level of professionalism and an enormous capacity for dedication and enthusiasm to bear on her duties and relationship with clients while leveraging on her practice model which believes that the substratum of legal representation is to build an integrity based on mutual trust by putting clients first. While Jadesola’s practice in HARLEM is ultimately driven by client needs, she is the team’s main point of contact on ADR matters, Cyber Law, Regulatory & Compliance Issues, General Mediation as well as Governmental affairs.
Her interests outside of legal practice include listening to music, travelling, reading and writing.
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Practice Manager
Omowonuola is a graduate of Linguistics from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and a holder of Masters Degree in Linguistics from University of Ibadan. She is endowed with enormous problem-solving abilities and strong command of office technologies, making her a promising asset for enhancing our firm’s internal operations. She joined HARLEM from Breez F.M., Akure, after having worked as Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Ibadan where she set a textbook example of success at the Center for General Studies Department with practice management skills and cutting-edge background as well as an in-depth understanding of the need to build good rapport and integrity based on mutual trust by putting clients’ concerns first.
At HARLEM, Omowonuola provides custom-tailored solutions to a wide spectrum of office administration activities, ranging from paralegal functions, document review and planning of schedules to editing of significant portions of legal materials. With her sabre-sharp intelligence and focussed, tenured and consistent dedication, she is the lead on efforts to resolve issues bordering on complex-search queries, importing and exporting data, computational analysis, document-reviewing tools and identification of privileged documents. She is equally proficient with communication and influencing skills and works efficiently and resourcefully to meet clients’ needs.
Omowonuola is a self-motivated paralegal with a strong sense of analytical thinking and unbendable passion for problem-solving, an avid reader, decorated with an art of sportsmanship. She enjoys building productive experiences through reading, writing, travelling and seeking new adventures.
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Specialist, Business Development
Peace is a cum laude graduate of Wesley College, Ondo State, arriving HARLEM with a robust and tailored knowledge of Business Strategy and Marketing. She is adept at managing expectations and prioritising tasks based on business risks and strategic improtance, her intuition and truth-telling fairness being the main ingredients to her unique abilities.
Peace’s banking experience has adequately prepared her for the undoubtedly pivotal role in strengthening the firm’s practice models through cast-iron business initiatives and entrepreneurial ingenuity designed towards more attractive, tremendous potential growth opportunities and improvement of the bottomline. She is an eloquent speaker, humble, creative, diligent, resourceful and works efficiently to meet the dynamic needs and requirements of our growing clients base from time to time.
Our critical analyses of Peace depend on our seeing her as a linchpin of any organization craving for success over the long haul. Relentless drive for progress and perfection imbues her while a burning aspiration to build an enduring legacy anywhere she works always remains her leitmotive. She is a die-hard foodie who enjoys cooking while trying a potpourri of new cuisines and recipes.
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Executive Assistant (Corporate Support Services)
Blessing Abimbola is a 2019 Graduate of University of Lagos. Being an ardent believer of achievement of the best results through alternative resolution strategies, she provides practical telephonic support and straight-forward assistance in promoting relationship with our Corporate Clients while ascertaining and trouble-shooting any issue being experienced by them.
Constantly craving for success over the long haul, Blessing is an ambitious team member with an unquenchable thirst for client satisfaction, blessed, no doubt, with eclectic mix of Client Relationship Management and Client Acquisition, arriving HARLEM with an overwhelming passion for corporate oversight, research and development, corporate governance and internal support systems. She came on board with impressive credentials as an optimistic, resourceful, result-oriented and a valuable asset to our team providing tenacious, client-oriented legal services while working very hard to ensure that clients’ interests are represented and their legal rights, properly protected.
To say that Blessing is blessed with a powerful drive for progress and client satisfaction is to say that Albert Einstein knows his sums! Her lofty ideals and expertise on the job have endured intact since she came on board. These lofty ideals have inevitably provided sizable clientele base for HARLEM and consistently defined the Firm’s self-identity. Forthrightness, honesty and truth-telling fairness are her credos and with a firm whose watchword promises ‘Honest Advice, Proactive Strategies’, she finds herself in her element.
In her leisure, Blessing loves travelling and watching films.
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Toluwalope Ajibare, B.Sc.
Administrative Manager
Kezia, as she is fondly called, is a Second Class Upper Graduate of University of Ilorin, Kwara State, and an intelligent, dynamic, highly motivated and passionate team member. After her NYSC programme, she had a great and fulfilled career with different organizations where she garnered cogent experience in effective customer service relationship, office administration and requisite skills to meet strict deadlines and also, providing solutions to meet challenging business needs.
Kezia is analytical and detail-oriented and possesses a sabre-sharp and tailored competence in Client Relationship Management, Cross-Functional Team Collaboration and Client Relationship Building. She is our lead efforts in coordinating, planning and providing support in our daily operational and administrative functions even as we forge ahead in our sustained efforts towards providing tenacious, client-oriented legal services.
In her leisure, Kezia enjoys singing, travelling and watching films.
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