Executive Senior Associate

Ifeoma Ezenwa Practice Head, Executive Senior Associate — Olisa Agbakoba Legal

Ifeoma Ezenwa is a seasoned litigation and dispute resolution practitioner with extensive experience spanning commercial litigation, arbitration, maritime law, oil and gas, banking, and cross-border disputes. She is widely recognised for her role in handling complex, high-value, and politically sensitive matters, with particular strength in appellate advocacy, debt recovery, and strategic dispute management.

Her practice is distinguished by a combination of rigorous legal analysis and pragmatic strategy, enabling her to consistently deliver commercially sound and legally robust outcomes. She possesses deep expertise in navigating intricate legal frameworks, including transnational disputes, sovereign considerations, and enforcement challenges.

  • Played a pivotal role in multi-billion-naira debt recovery disputes involving the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), securing the setting aside of interim forfeiture orders and reversing asset sales, ultimately facilitating favourable settlements.
  • Contributed to the defence of claims exceeding ₦80 billion and provided strategic advisory on post-judgment issues arising from a ₦225 billion Supreme Court decision involving a leading commercial bank, identifying material computational discrepancies in the judgment.
  • Successfully secured the reinstatement of a client into a multi-billion-naira oil and gas contract following exclusion from a joint venture arrangement.
  • Led and supported teams in high-value maritime enforcement actions, including vessel arrests and the auction of assets valued in excess of $900 million.
  • Advised on complex jurisdictional and liability issues arising from maritime incidents and enforcement proceedings.
  • Contributed to the preparation of expert legal opinions in the Ogale–Bille oil spill litigation before courts in the United Kingdom, addressing issues of transnational liability, corporate accountability, and environmental remediation.
  • Handled sensitive family law matters, including cross-border custody disputes, parental child abduction cases involving the United States and the United Kingdom, and high-conflict matrimonial proceedings, while also facilitating amicable dispute resolution where appropriate.

 

LEADERSHIP, APPOINTMENTS & PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS
  • Member, NBA Lagos Branch Law Firm Structure, Monitoring and Continuity Committee 2021-2023 
  •  Member, 2026 Conference Organising Committee, Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators, contributing to the advancement of arbitration and alternative dispute resolution in Nigeria.
  • Recognised public speaker on contemporary legal and policy issues, with speaking engagements focusing on environmental justice, dispute resolution, regulatory accountability, and climate change.
  • Appointed speaker on the right to a clean environment, with particular emphasis on oil pollution and climate change, reflecting a strong commitment to environmental advocacy and legal reform.
  • Provides thought leadership through participation in professional forums and contributions to discussions on emerging legal trends, particularly in dispute resolution and environmental accountability.
  • Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution

  • Banking and Finance Litigation

  • Commercial Litigation

  • Cross-Border and Transnational Disputes

  • Debt Recovery and Enforcement

  • Environmental and Climate Change Law

  • Family Law and Child Custody (including international child abduction)

  • Maritime Law and Admiralty Practice

  • Oil and Gas Law

  • Member, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA)
  • Member, Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria (BRIPAN)
  • Member, Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators
  • Member, NBA Section on Legal Practice
  • Barrister-at-Law (B.L), Nigerian Law School, Lagos Campus
  • Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) (Hons), Enugu State University of Science and Technology
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