LAWAL IJAODOLA

CALL - 2023 (England & Wales)
Call - 2017 (Nigeria)

LAWAL IJAODOLA

Call - 2023 (England & Wales)
Call - 2017 (Nigeria)

Practice Overview

Lawal Ijaodola is a barrister at Forum Chambers.

Lawal specialises in international arbitration and complex commercial disputes, with particular expertise in investment treaty arbitration, ICC and UNCITRAL proceedings, and high-value cross-border litigation.

His practice experience includes advising multinational corporations and states on disputes involving energy, telecommunications, mining, and financial services, with matters regularly exceeding hundreds of millions in value.

Having trained at leading firms in both Nigeria and London, and with calls to both the Nigerian Bar and the Bar of England and Wales, Lawal brings a sophisticated blend of common law advocacy and international dispute resolution expertise to chambers.

Areas of Expertise

Arbitration

Acted for Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd. in a US$1.5 billion investment treaty arbitration against the Federal Republic of Nigeria, arising from a failed investment in a special economic zone. Secured an award of US$55.7 million.
Acted for Sunrise Power and Transmission Company in two Paris ICC arbitrations concerning a US$6 billion hydro-power project in North-East Nigeria. Achieved a consent award of over US$200 million against the Federal Government of Nigeria in respect of the first arbitration.
Acted for Lutin in the enforcement of a US$300 million arbitral award against the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation for charter fees and vessel expenses – one of the largest awards of its kind.
Advised an African State on its position in relation to the dispute concerning MT Heroic Idun between the Republic of Marshall Islands and the Republic of Equatorial Guinea before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.
Acted for a Japanese multinational in respect of the issuance of a treaty arbitration claim against a European state under the Energy Charter Treaty.
Acted for a car manufacturer regarding several disputes with its major regional distributor, including arbitration under UNCITRAL arbitration rules and High Court litigation with claims of several million Pounds.
Acted for a major construction company in relation to two consolidated, multi-billion-dollar ICC arbitrations seated in Hong Kong.
Acted for EMTS Holding BV, a subsidiary of Mubadala Investment Company (UAE), in resisting an international arbitration concerning its investment in Etisalat, a major West African telecoms company.
Acted for UPDC (a subsidiary of UAC of Nigeria Plc) in two construction arbitrations filed by its contractor involving a consent award of less than US$ 1 million.

Commercial Litigation

Acted for Bank of Baroda and State Bank of India in relation to the recovery of over US$1.6 billion from Sterling Global Pvt Ltd. The claim arises from two syndicated facilities advanced to finance oil well development.
Acted for an IT company in arbitration with its revenue collection consultant, with an award of less than US$1 million.
Acted for a tobacco company in the most extensive series of product liability claims ever brought against it, with total claims exceeding £10 billion.
Acted for the Appellant in (2024) LPELR – 62582 (SC), where the Supreme Court of Nigeria decided on the legality of a conviction for obtention under false pretences and stealing.
Acted for Ecobank Transnational Incorporated to resist a USD20mm claim by a former MD.
Acted for a major miner in a major group action brought by over 700,000 individual claimants following a dam collapse.
Lead counsel to the Appellant in Maduagwu v. Federal Republic of Nigeria (2024) LPELR – 62582 (SC), where the Supreme Court of Nigeria decided on the legality of a conviction for obtention under false pretences and stealing in respect of the same set of goods.
Lead counsel to First Bank of Nigeria (“FBN”) in Oboh v. Nigeria Football League (2022) 5 NWLR (Pt. 1823) 283, where the Supreme Court of Nigeria first affirmed the enforcement of garnishee proceedings against a non-debtor of the judgment-debtor, creating a new exception to the law of garnishee proceedings in Nigeria.
Lead counsel to FBN in FBN v. Stallionaire Nigeria Limited(2022) LPELR – 573332 (CA), where the Court of Appeal considered the legality of the placement of a bank account under the credit risk management system after defaulting on two term loan facilities of over US$100,000,000 advanced for the importation of petroleum products.
Lead counsel to FBN in FBN v. Stallionaire Nigeria Limited (2022) LPELR – 57330 (CA), in which the Court of Appeal revisited the criteria for assessing the propriety of the exercise of discretion of a judge in an application for judgment upon admission of indebtedness in pleadings.
Lead counsel to the Respondent in Jokotade v. Seemore Nigeria Limited(2019) LPELR – 50418 (CA), arising from disputes on the sale of two plots of land in a development estate in Lekki Peninsula – the fastest-developing area in Lagos, Nigeria.

Qualifications

Education

2024: Course in Public International Law, The Hague Academy of International Law
2023: Bachelor of Civil Law (Merit), University of Oxford [International Law of the Sea (Distinction – 70); International Dispute Settlement (Merit – 65); Principles of Civil Procedure (Merit – 65); and Families and State (Merit – 67)]
2022: Doctor of Philosophy (Law), Igbinedion University (Money laundering with cryptocurrency)
2019: Master of Laws with Distinction (72%), Igbinedion University
2017: Qualifying Degree (First Class Honours), Nigerian Law School
2016: Bachelor of Law (First Class Honours; (4.80/5) – Best Graduating Student), Igbinedion University

Professional Bodies

2023: Member, International Law Association
2023: Member, Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
2021: Member, Young International Arbitration Group, London Court of International Arbitration
2021: Member, Continuing Legal Education Committee, Nigerian Bar Association
2018: Member, International Bar Association
2017: Member, Nigerian Bar Association

Prizes, Scholarships and Awards

2021: Finalist, Rhodes Scholarship for West Africa
2018: World Bank Group Certificate of Appreciation for Research in Doing Business 2019
2017: Nigerian Law School Director-General’s Prize for Attaining 1st Class
2017: Award of Excellence for coming third in corporate law practice snap test
2016: Oba Erediauwa’s Scholarship for Best Graduating Law Student
2016: Vice Chancellor’s Prize for Best Graduating Law Student
2016: Dean’s Prize for Best Graduating Law Student
2011 – 2015: Top student in my cohort for four years.

Publications

L. Ijaodola; O. Oyekan: “Compelling Non-Signatories to Arbitral Proceedings in Nigeria” The Gravitas Review of Business and Property Law, September 2022, Vol. 13, No. 3, 1.
L. Ijaodola: “An Examination of the Reverse Onus Rule under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Law, 2018”, The Gravitas Review of Business and Property Law, June 2022, Vol. 13, No. 2, 76.
L. Ijaodola: “A Review of Ude Jones Udeogu v. Federal Republic of Nigeria et. al.”, Okada Law Journal, Vol. 2 No. 2, June 2022, 71.
L. Ijaodola; R. Kalu: “Legal Practitioners as Non-Financial Professionals under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022”, Okada Law Journal, Vol. 2 No. 1, March 2022, 128.
G. Elias SAN, L. Ijaodola et. al. “The Guide to Challenging and Enforcing Arbitration Awards in Nigeria” (2022) Published by Global Arbitration Review. https://bit.ly/3vBGWNf.
F. Onuobia SAN; L. Ijaodola: “The Administration of Criminal Justice Laws: An Attempt by State Houses of Assembly to Legislate on Evidence? An Examination of the Changing Attitude of the Court of Appeal” (2021) Lagos Bar Journal, Vol. 1, 108.
G. Elias SAN, L. Ijaodola et. al. “The Guide to Challenging and Enforcing Arbitration Awards in Nigeria” (2021) Published by Global Arbitration Review. https://bit.ly/2Xpr6bE.
L. Ijaodola: “Cryptocurrency: Money Laundering Implications in Nigeria” (2021) – https://lnkd.in/d_dZkdC.
R. Ijaodola SAN; L. Ijaodola: “A Review of Supreme Court’s Decision in APC v. Marafa in Light of Bukoye v. Ijaodola” (2020) Contemporary Issues in Public, Human Rights and Islamic Law: Discussions and Perspectives, 245.
L. Ijaodola; D. Kazeem: “New Corporate Affairs Commission Guidelines on Annual-General Meetings of Public Companies: Valid or Not?” (2020). https://cutt.ly/uvfwjvs.
L. Ijaodola: “The Status of Cryptocurrency under Nigerian Anti-Money Laundering Laws”, Unpublished Ph.D Thesis, Igbinedion University, August 2022.
L. Ijaodola: “Navigating the Blue Economy: UNCLOS as a Framework for Sustainable Ocean Governance”. This is presently being considered for publication.

Recommendations

“Forum Chambers are the chambers of choice if you want specialist boutique banking and financial claims advice and exceptional service from commercially minded barristers."

LAWAL IJAODOLA

CALL - 2023 (England & Wales) Call - 2017 (Nigeria)

LAWAL IJAODOLA

Call - 2023 (England & Wales) Call - 2017 (Nigeria)

Recommendations

CALL - 2023 (England & Wales)
Call - 2017 (Nigeria)

Call - 2023 (England & Wales)
Call - 2017 (Nigeria)