• Mr. Akunne has led and contributed to several landmark and high-value engagements across multiple sectors, with a strong focus on complex litigation, regulatory interpretation, and strategic dispute resolution.
• He was actively engaged in the 2023 Anambra South Senatorial pre-election dispute, representing clients up to the Supreme Court with a successful outcome. In the maritime sector, he represented NIMASA in a high-profile matter involving the interpretation of the Cabotage Act, successfully establishing the classification of offshore rigs as vessels for the purpose of cabotage compliance. He also represented the Nigerian Shippers’ Council in securing a favourable interpretation of a Federal Government Executive Order relating to port charges imposed by terminal operators.
• His commercial litigation portfolio includes the recovery of over ₦5 Billion in a dispute involving major oil companies, alongside multiple successful debt recovery mandates for leading financial institutions including First Bank, Polaris Bank, Fidelity Bank, and GTBank. He has also successfully executed vessel arrests in enforcement of maritime claims on behalf of financial institutions.
• Beyond commercial disputes, Mr. Akunne has recorded notable successes in medical negligence claims, real estate litigation securing title and possession for clients, and alternative dispute resolution proceedings culminating in consent judgments. In the oil and gas sector, he has played a key role in securing a client’s continued participation in a major contract involving Chevron.
• Mr. Akunne is at the forefront of environmental justice litigation in Nigeria and is actively involved in several of the country’s most significant ongoing cases. These include the Opara Appeal currently before the Supreme Court and the Gbemre Appeal before the Court of Appeal, both of which engage critical questions on environmental rights, corporate accountability, and constitutional interpretation.
• In addition to litigation, he is actively engaged in policy development initiatives aimed at strengthening environmental rights protection in Nigeria. He is involved in the ongoing framework for a proposed constitutional amendment to elevate Section 20 of the Constitution (which guarantees the right to a safe and healthy environment but is presently non-justiciable under Chapter II) into Chapter IV on Fundamental Rights, with a view to anchoring it within the enforceable right to life under Section 33. His work in this area reflects a broader commitment to advancing environmental governance and rights-based jurisprudence in Nigeria.

PUBLICATIONS

• Mr. Akunne is an active legal scholar and thought leader with several published and unpublished articles and white papers. He is recognized as a Mondaq Thought Leader, a distinction awarded to highly read and influential contributors on the platform. 
• His publications span a wide range of practice areas including dispute resolution, energy law, oil pollution, environmental justice, maritime law, aviation, real estate, and corporate governance. Through his writings, he has contributed significantly to legal discourse and policy development across the sectors in which he practices.

TRAININGS

• Mr. Akunne has undertaken extensive professional training and capacity development programmes, particularly within the maritime and environmental justice sectors.
• He participated in a specialized training programme organized by Olisa Agbakoba Legal (OAL) in collaboration with the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping on the Fundamentals of Shipping and Maritime Law. This programme covered key areas including Carriage of Goods by Sea, Basics of Admiralty Law, Ship Brokerage, Maritime Arbitration, Marine Pollution and Safety at Sea, Rights of Seamen and Maritime Workers, and Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims.
• He has also completed advanced training programmes organized by the OAL Academy in collaboration with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), focusing on diverse maritime law and environmental justice topics, further strengthening his expertise in these specialized fields.
• In addition to formal training, Mr. Akunne actively contributes to knowledge sharing and professional development within the legal community. He has spoken and moderated at various high-level platforms, including serving as moderator for the webinar titled “Nigeria’s Blue Economy Prospects: Opportunities and Challenges,” organized by the Maritime Practice Group of Olisa Agbakoba Legal.
• He has also contributed to thought leadership in human rights and environmental law, including the submission of a paper for presentation and publication at the Nigeria Human Rights Conference 2026 on Environmental Rights and Climate Justice, where he addressed the topic: “Environmental Rights Litigation in Nigeria: Challenges, Remedies and Judicial Activism.”