Olufemi Awodele

2002 (E&W)

2013 (N)

Public access: Yes

Conduct of Litigation: Yes

Qualifications: LLB (Hons), LLM (Masters), PG Diploma in Law, B.L
Call: 2002, Gray’s Inn (Barrister)
Call: 2013, Supreme Court of Nigeria (Barrister and Solicitor)
Public/Direct Access Qualified
Permission to Conduct Litigation
Principle Areas of Practice: Employment Law, Commercial law, Family Law, Criminal Proceedings.

Femi is an experienced and dually qualified legal practitioner in the UK and abroad. He has been in the Legal Orbit for almost three decades. Having acquired a law degree (LLB (Hons)) and a Masters Degree in Entertainment Law (LLM), he worked in the Commercial Disputes Group of the major International Law Firm, Richards Butler, where he dealt with high value matters with multi-jurisdictional elements for corporate clients. This laid a foundation for handling complex commercial transactions and disputes. He edited the firm’s Newsletter in the areas of Intellectual Property, Copyright, Defamation and Media law. Femi also obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Professional Legal Skills at the Inns of Court School of Law, City, University of London, and was called to the Bar by the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn in London. Femi is admitted to the rolls of the Supreme Court of Nigeria as a Barrister and Solicitor. This dual qualification provides a broad and well-rounded perspective as an international lawyer who is well positioned to deal with complex matters.

In the jurisdiction of England and Wales, Femi is regularly instructed to act in heavyweight employment law cases with multifaceted issues such as race discrimination, disability discrimination, unfair dismissal, wrongful dismissal, constructive dismissal, protected disclosures (whistle blowing) and the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations.

In civil/commercial matters, Femi constantly deals with cases of significant contractual complexities. He is well versed in the law of contracts and conflict of laws issues where the applicable law in certain commercial contracts is often obscured.

Femi is also a Matrimonial Financing expert, who provides expert advice and representation in Family law matters, where he consistently deals with complex concepts of Financial Remedies in contentious divorce proceedings.

Allied with his practice of law in the courts of the United Kingdom, Femi has expanded the ambits of his work as an international lawyer beyond these shores. He worked with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources in Nigeria, where he advised on Oil and Gas Law and Environmental Law in relation to the remediation of Hydrocarbon polluted areas of the Niger Delta. This was predicated upon the recommendations of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), and in collaboration with organisations such as Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), Ecological Fund and the IOCs (International Oil Companies) such as Shell. Femi advises Oil and Gas companies on a myriad of commercial matters including Gas Processing Agreements, Oil Mining Licenses, future proof strategies, and the volatility of the global oil economy and its impact on oil companies.

Femi is qualified to accept instructions on a direct access basis and is registered with the Bar Council’s direct access directory.

Femi presently has a varied international practice in the areas of employment law, commercial law, family law, oil and gas law, and criminal law. Further details of these and some notable cases are below:

Employment

Femi gets instructed to appear in Employment Tribunals in different parts of the UK in cases involving Unfair Dismissal, Constructive Dismissal, Wrongful Dismissal, Disability Discrimination, Race Discrimination. He also deals with cases involving Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment), and complex concepts of protected disclosures (whistle blowing), and anonymisation.

Civil/Commercial

Femi deals with complex commercial and contractual cases between corporations, and between individuals and corporations. Some of these include breach of contract in Gas Processing Agreements (GPAs), Corporate Insolvency (regarding the administration and liquidation of companies and the Statutory Order of Priority as it relates to the distribution of realisable corporate assets). He also drafts and gives advice on shares transfers and partnership agreements. Femi has also been instructed to appear in the High court in disputes relating the navigation of the British inland waterways by mooring vessels.

Family

Femi has handled many disputes in the family courts, some with multi-jurisdictional complications. As an expert in financial remedies, he continues to advise clients on their legal rights in relation to the division of matrimonial assets. Femi also deals with other aspects of family law in complex divorce proceedings in the High Court. These include disputes about contact between parents with parental responsibility and children, Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) certification, Non-Molestation Orders, and Restraining Orders. Femi is also experienced at drafting watertight pre/post nuptial agreements which ultimately shorten the lengthy of divorce proceedings, thereby saving the parties from potentially high legal costs.

Criminal

Femi appears in the Crown Courts and the Court of Appeal. He has an exclusively defence practice spanning the full range of criminal conduct; including Sexual Assault, Rape, Grievous Bodily Harm, Identity Fraud, Possession of Drugs, Criminal damage, Fire Arms, and various offences under the Theft Act, such as robbery, burglary and handling stolen goods. Having had a brief prosecutorial stint, Femi has the knack for understanding and anticipating the opponents’ perspective.

Oil and Gas Law

Drafting and reviewing agreements between International Oil Companies (IOCs), host governments and agencies, involving large complex and risky investments. Also writing opinions and giving advice on the impact of the dynamics of political considerations and influence on oil and gas agreements. In addition, Femi has been involved in the Renegotiation of International Petroleum Agreements often with a view to balancing the competing variables of stability versus flexibility, and how these impact upon the validity of and/or absence of Renegotiation clauses and community obligation commitments by IOCs. He also advises on the concepts of adaptation provided by the laws applicable to International Petroleum Agreements. Furthermore, Femi has advised and provided legal guidance to Oando Logistics and Services Ltd and Oando Trading, DMCC, on employment and contractual matters.

Immigration law

Femi has represented numerous clients at different stages of the Immigration Process. Femi’s Immigration practice encompasses all areas of immigration law including First and Upper Tier tribunals, and judicial review in the High Court.

Notable Cases in Employment law

Dr G I v Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. [Appeared for the Applicant. (Whistle blowing, Unfair Dismissal, Unfair deduction of wages)].

R Garuba v Maximus UK Services Ltd. [Appeared for the Applicant. (Disability Discrimination, Unfair Dismissal)].

Daniel Skoczylas v London General Transport Services Ltd. [Appeared for the Applicant. (Unfair Dismissal)]

S Skyers v Transport for London (Appeared for the Claimant. (Race Discrimination, Unfair Dismissal, Victimisation)]

M Brewah v ICTS UK Ltd [Appeared for the Claimant. (Race Discrimination, Unfair Deduction of Wages)].

Gawda v Edo Restaurant [Appeared for the Respondent. (Unfair Dismissal, Wrongful Dismissal and Race Discrimination)].

Notable Cases in Civil/Commercial law

Canal River Trust v Michael O’Connor/Andrea Nicholson

Continuity Healthcare Services Ltd v Warwickshire County Council

D S v Lloyds Banking Group

Fiote Ltd v Manna Capital Partners (Instructed on behalf of a third party seeking to vary the terms of an International Freezing injunction; Investment of hedge funds and shares, Freezing Injunction to the tune of £360,000)

Mercy Derinto v Joanne Kim Rolls (as Trustee in Bankruptcy)

Saad Khedher v Arik International (Conflict of Laws, Breach of Contract, Wrongful Dismissal)

O v O/ Monnix Ltd v O (Appeared for the Claimant; Commercial Transaction involving the importation of Goods from China)

Notable Cases in Family law

E G v A B (Financial Remedies, Division of assets deemed to be “matrimonial assets”)

S O O v S M J (DNA, Parental Responsibility, Contact, s 8 Children Act 1989, Specific Issues Order for change of surname)

P v P ( Financial Remedies, Division of Matrimonial Assets)

C Mc Q v K S at The PRFD (FDR, Cross Border Contact Dispute, Multi-Jurisdictional issues with Related and Extant proceedings in the US)

M R v D C (Contact Dispute, Non-Molestation Order)

Notable Cases in Criminal law

R V AS (Conspiracy to Defraud) Alleged £7 Million Pounds Mortgage Fraud

R V MA (Alleged Joint Enterprise; To commit Robbery (London Riots)

R V JV (Sexual Assault)

R V DS (Fire Arms, Fraud)

R v QM (Court of Appeal)

R V MA

R v AI (ABH)

R v MS and 9 others (Football Fans charged with Racially Aggravated Chanting)

R v HR (Appeal to the Crown Court [Attempted Kidnap and Assault])

R v RS and Others (Conspiracy to Commit Fraud by placing Metal plates in cash machines)

Notable Cases in Immigration law

SC v Secretary of State for the Home Department (Judicial Review at the High Court)

HH v Secretary of State for the Home Department (Judicial Review at the High Court)

MS + others v Secretary of State for the Home Department; (Appeal against the deportation of a Syrian woman who was the target of “honour killing”).

J C v Secretary of State for the Home Department (Appeal against the Deportation of a Gay African man)

Overseas courts and jurisdiction

Femi is admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria:

He has established Chronicles Chambers, Chambers of Olufemi Awodele in the Central Business District Area of Abuja in Nigeria. This is a vibrant set of Chambers located in the heart of Nigeria’s Capital, and also has an operational presence in Lagos and Port Harcourt. Chronicles Chambers has a working synergy and strategic alliance with Great James Street Chambers. Chronicles Chambers is on the list of firms to be instructed by numerous corporate organisations including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), Pipeline and Product Marketing Company (PPMC), Nigerian Army, Access Bank Plc, and Oando PLC.

Further International Dimension

Femi has further developed a keenness for Cross-Border International Disputes arising from monies owed to indigenous African firms by established Western Companies. He successfully brought an action and obtained permission from the Queens Bench Division of the High Court to serve proceedings outside the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom on Crompton Greaves Ltd at its headquarters in India.

Memberships

The honourable society of Gray’s Inn
Employment Law Bar Association
Criminal Bar Association
Nigerian Bar Association
British Nigerian Law Forum
Nigerian Gas Association

Other Interests

Reading, Fitness, Art, Karate, Style and lifestyle.

Languages

Yoruba, Kalabari

Criminal Law

Extradition

Regulatory Law

Immigration Law

Family Law

Public Law & Judicial Review

Domestic & International

Corporate & Financial

International Business Law

Employment Law

Prison Law

Licensing