Young Business Lawyer

The Young Business Lawyer Spotlight series strives to promote our own young lawyers in Nigeria. This feature spotlighting Tunji Adeyemi of Banwo & Ighodalo in Lagos, Nigeria, is part of a series featuring the of the next generation …

Full name – Tunji Adeyemi
Firm – Banwo & Ighodalo
Area of Practice – Shipping, Aviation & International Trade
Years of Experience – 11 years

Professional summary

Tunji Adeyemi is a Transport Lawyer and a pioneer member of the Shipping, Aviation and International Trade Team of the commercial law firm, Banwo & Ighodalo, that has advised on leading market transactions in this practice area for more than a decade. He is the first and only Lawyer from Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa to be selected as a Dabelstein & Passehl Shipping Insurance Scholar in Hamburg, Germany. As a renowned young expert in this area, he was invited to speak at the Think Global Conference of the International Trade Council in Washington D.C. held last year and will also speak at the International Bar Association /AIJA Transport Law Conference in Valencia, Spain later this year.

He led the team that advised a leading South African Bank on various Nigerian legal and regulatory issues on the $19,900,000 (Nineteen Million United States Dollars) loan facility for the acquisition of the vessels and the charter to Nigerian operators.

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He also led the team that advised Walmart Inc. on the legal and regulatory review of its International Trade Compliance Program to address potential risks in relation to its export processes in Nigeria.

Four Questions with Tunji

What do you appreciate most about your work as a young lawyer?

I am grateful for the opportunity to evolve, thrive and continually explore specialized areas of legal practice. It is also a joy to lead a team of young vibrant lawyers and watch them evolve into proficient lawyers.

What have you learned from your experience so far?

Anyone can really be an expert if you consistently put in the work and focus on improving yourself over the long term.

What emerging areas of law would you say that young lawyers should begin to consider?

Obviously shipping and aviation (particularly the transactional aspects) which has been quite rewarding for me. Tax, Fintech and PPP are also other areas to watch in the coming years.

What one leader do you most look up to and why?

Asue Ighodalo. His passion for excellence is relentless after over thirty years of practice and when the reward for the hard work comes, he distributes it with a truly generous spirit, which is uncommon in these times.