Name – Dindam Killi
Firm – Aluko & Oyebode
Area of Practice – Litigation, Arbitration, Corporate/Commercial Law (Oil & Gas and Intellectual Property)
Years of Experience – 16
Professional Summary
Dindam is an experienced litigator who represents a broad range of clients before different courts and tribunals. His practice areas cover arbitration and alternative dispute resolution, corporate and commercial law, oil & gas and intellectual property.
Dindam is a Notary Public of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), Nigerian Branch and was recently recognised as one of the 40 Leading Nigerian Lawyers under 40 at the ESQ Nigerian Legal Awards 2021.
Dindam has advised and represented a giant Spanish oil company in relation to a CIArb arbitration at the London Court of International Arbitration on a dispute arising from a contract with a Nigerian oil company worth about ₦33 Billion.
He also represented the family of a popular Gambian journalist who was brutally murdered in 2004 in proceedings, Deyda Hydara, Jnr & 2 Ors. v. The Republic of Gambia, instituted before the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Community Court of Justice against the Gambian government. The judgment set the precedent before the court that the failure of a state to properly investigate a murder will constitute a breach of a person’s fundamental right to life.
Four Questions with Dindam
What do you appreciate most about your work as a young lawyer?
I am grateful to have worked with seniors who entrusted me with the conduct of complex matters even from when I was barely two years post-call. I have therefore been privileged to work on complicated legal issues and recondite points of law. I love the research as well as the constant learning that comes with it. It also gives me great joy to similarly guide younger lawyers in the profession.
What is that one valuable experience in your practice of law that continues to spur you on?
I learnt under some of the best hands the profession has produced. My earliest tutelage was under JB Daudu, SAN in whose office I undertook my mandatory national service. I saw firsthand how seriously he undertook every assignment and how he exuded grace in court. That had a huge influence on my decision to be a dispute resolution lawyer.
My conduct of the Deyda Hydara v The Republic of Gambia case before the ECOWAS Court and the success at the end of it was confirmation that I chose right when I decided to be a litigator. It has emboldened me and with each victory that has come after that, I only feel energized to trudge on.
In your opinion, what are two major challenges faced by young lawyers in the legal profession in Nigeria and how can these be managed?
This has to be remuneration and access to proper tutelage. I am aware of some of my peers who had to struggle through both challenges. A great number could not hang on and had to leave private practice.
One way to handle the challenge of remuneration is by putting in place policies that will make legal services attractive. This can be largely achieved through far-reaching reforms in the justice administration system that will shorten the average length of time to get redress in court and thereby encourage more people to access legal services. That will translate into more earnings for a great number of senior lawyers who in turn can afford to pay their juniors more.
What is the best advice you ever received?
“If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.”
This is drawn from a Bible verse (Luke 16:10) and it speaks to me every time. I recommend this advice to every young lawyer reading this piece.
