2015 Hybrid lecture promotes ADR solutions

Hybrid Solicitors and Consult on the 21st of December, 2015, held her 4th Annual Lecture and Luncheon with the theme ‘National Industrial Court ADR Centre and the Prospects of Labour and Employment Arbitration in Nigeria’. The event which took place at the Banquet Hall of the Westown Hotels in Ikeja played host to captains of industries, corporate executives, legal practitioners, trade union executives, arbitrators of the Industrial Arbitration Panel (IAP) and members of the judiciary. The Chairman of the occasion was the President of the National Industrial Court, Hon. Justice B.A. Adejumo who was ably represented by Odunayo Bamodu, the Deputy Chief Registrar and Director of the ADR Centre of the National Industrial Court.

In his welcome address, the firm’s Managing Partner, Bimbo Atilola highlighted the importance of the theme of the lecture particularly in view of the fact that the National Industrial Court ADR Centre was officially inaugurated by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) three days earlier. He also expressed his optimism on the prospects of labour and employment arbitration in Nigeria and called on legal practitioners, trade union leaders, employers of labour and other stakeholders to take advantage of the Centre in resolving their labour and employment disputes.

Delivering the lecture, the guest speaker, Prof O.D. Amucheazi, FCIArb, gave an indepth analysis of the National Industrial Court Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Centre Instrument which was issued by the President of the National Industrial Court in April last year. He noted the exclusion of arbitration as an option for alternative dispute resolution by the Instrument and the limitations this poses for labour and employment dispute resolution in Nigeria. This is particularly so in view of the various advantages arbitration has over other forms of alternate dispute resolution which include the bindingness of arbitral awards and the fact that same also operates as estoppel per rem judicata. On the prospects of labour and employment arbitration in Nigeria, he noted that the prospects are very bright in view of the establishment of the ADR Centre by the president of the Court, but recommended that the Instrument be amended to include arbitration as an option for alternate dispute resolution.

The event also witnessed the launching and public presentation of Hybrid Consult’s latest publication titled ‘Nigerian Labour Law Dictionary: Case Law Perspective’ written by the firm’s Managing Partner, Mr. Bimbo Atilola. The book is a compilation of words and phrases in labour and employment law and practice as interpreted by the Nigerian courts. An encyclopaedia of some sort, the book is conceived as a quick reference work for legal practitioners, arbitrators of the Industrial Arbitration Panel as well as Judges of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria.

Other dignitaries at the event include Prof. M.T. Abdulrazaq, who was formerly the Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Ilorin and subsequentlyö Lagos State University, Prof. Tayo Fashoyin, a world renowned and distinguished professor of Labour and Employment Relations, and Hon. Justice Ken Amadi, Judge of the National Industrial Court.