Irene Robinson-Ayanwale, Head Legal Services Department

Irene Robinson-Ayanwale

Head Legal Services Department

THE NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE

Location
Nigeria
Education
Bachelor's degree, Ethics and Legal Studies
Experience
21 years, 10 Months

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Work Experience

Total years of experience :21 years, 10 Months

Head Legal Services Department at THE NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE
  • Nigeria
  • My current job since September 2013

& PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
* Providing strategic guidance and direction regarding the legal obligations and rights of The Exchange and its subsidiaries.
* Providing strategic guidance and direction regarding the legal obligations and rights of The Exchange and its subsidiaries
regarding investments in their respective associated companies.
* Managing the staff of the Legal Services Department.
* Providing enterprise wide legal support on a myriad of issues.
* Preparing, Reviewing and Advising on legal documentation of all types, including simple and very complex contracts such as
technology related contracts.
* Providing legal opinions and advice as requested to Members of the National Council of The Exchange, to other employees of The
Exchange (including Executive and Senior Management) and to other employees of The Exchange’s subsidiaries.
* Providing legal opinions and advice regarding Listed companies, Dealing Member firms and issues arising with Regulators.
* Providing legal opinions, advice and strategic guidance regarding the regularity functions of The Exchange.
* Managing The Exchange’s litigation docket, including liaising with external counsel to formulate litigation strategy and monitor
implementation of same.
* Managing The Exchange’s disciplinary process for its Dealing Member firms.
* Managing the complaints arising against The Exchange in respect of its regulatory functions.
* Minimizing the exposure of The Exchange and its subsidiaries to legal liabilities.
* Managing the Intellectual Property portfolio of The Exchange and its subsidiaries.
* Ensuring compliance of the enterprise with all applicable laws, and providing sound legal advice on legal obligations and
implications on the enterprise’s business conduct, transactions and policies.
* Participating as a representative of the legal function in Committees and Projects across the enterprise or supervising
subordinates who serve in such capacities.
* Relating as one of the representatives of The Exchange with various Government agencies and professional associations such as
The Exchange’s regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Services Regulation Coordinating Committee,
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Nigerian Bar Association.
* Coordinating and Organizing X- Academy legal trainings for lawyers and judges regarding legal issues affecting the capital market
and the services and products offered by The Nigerian Stock Exchange and contemporary legal issues.
* Acting as a Facilitator and Panelists in Forums to discuss economic and capital market related matters.
* Organizing Brown Bags and publications which address the legal issues facing employees from a sociological perspective.
* Developing the required Key Performance Indicators for the Legal Services Department to ensure the delivery of 1st class services.
* Ensuring Key Performance Indicators are met.
* Ensuring cost effective service provision for all services provided by the Legal Services Department, in accordance with SLAs

Head Legal Department and Council Secretariat at THE NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE
  • Nigeria
  • September 2013 to October 2013

& PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
* Providing strategic guidance and direction regarding the legal obligations and rights of The Exchange and its subsidiaries.
* Providing strategic guidance and direction regarding the legal obligations and rights of The Exchange and its subsidiaries
regarding investments in their respective associated companies.
* Managing the staff of the Legal Department and the Council Secretariat of The Exchange.
* Providing enterprise wide legal support on a myriad of issues.
* Preparing, Reviewing and Advising on legal documentation of all types, including simple and very complex contracts such as
technology related contracts.
* Providing legal opinions and advice as requested to Members of the National Council of The Exchange, to other employees of The
Exchange (including Executive and Senior Management) and to other employees of The Exchange’s subsidiaries.
* Providing legal opinions and advice regarding Listed companies, Dealing Member firms and issues arising with Regulators.
* Providing legal opinions, advice and support to the Council and Council Committees.
* Providing company secretarial services to The Exchange and its subsidiaries.
* Providing legal opinions, advice and strategic guidance regarding the regularity functions of The Exchange.
* Managing The Exchange’s litigation docket, including liaising with external counsel to formulate litigation strategy and monitor
implementation of same.
* Managing The Exchange’s disciplinary process for its Dealing Member firms.
* Managing the complaints arising against The Exchange in respect of its regulatory functions.
* Minimizing the exposure of The Exchange and its subsidiaries to legal liabilities.
* Managing the Intellectual Property portfolio of The Exchange and its subsidiaries.
* Ensuring compliance of the enterprise with all applicable laws, and providing sound legal advice on legal obligations and
implications on the enterprise’s business conduct, transactions and policies.
* Participating as a representative of the legal function in Committees and Projects across the enterprise or supervising
subordinates who serve in such capacities.
* Relating as one of the representatives of The Exchange with various Government agencies and professional associations such as
The Exchange’s regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
* Developing the required Key Performance Indicators for the Legal Department and Council Secretariat to ensure the delivery of 1st
class services.
* Ensuring Key Performance Indicators are met.
* Ensuring cost effective service provision for all services provided by the Legal Department and Council Secretariat, in accordance

Senior Associate III at ALUKO AND OYEBODE
  • Nigeria
  • August 2008 to September 2013

 Senior Team Member of the defence team which successfully defended three Banks in winding up proceedings instituted against them.
 Team Leader of the defence team which defended a Bank in a claim for over =N=1, 000, 000, 000.00 (One Billion Naira).
 Team Leader of the defence team which defended another Bank in a claim for over =N=5, 000, 000, 000.00 (Five Billion Naira).
 Team Leader of the defence team which defended another Bank in a claim for over =N=190, 000, 000.00 (One Hundred and Ninety Million Naira)
 Team Leader of the defence team which defended the Securities and Exchange Commission in 10 actions instituted against the Commission for administrative steps taken by the Commission.
 Substitute team Leader of the team which conducted due diligence on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 2010 at the behest of the Securities and Exchange Commission
 Team Member of the team which prosecuted 8 actions instituted on behalf of the Securities and Exchange Commission against capital market operators, senior officials of capital market operators, Banks and senior officials of Banks for breach of the provisions of the Investment and Securities Act and actions which led to the crash of the capital market.
 Team Member of a team which prosecuted a recovery action against the former senior management employees of a capital market operator for embezzlement and mismanagement of funds to the tune of over N4 Billion Naira.
 Senior Team Member of the defence team which defended an Oil and Gas Multinational Company in a claim for over =N= 17, 000, 000, 000.00 (Seventeen Billion Naira).
 Senior team Member of the defence team which defended an Oil and Gas Multinational Company in a claim for over USD$10, 000, 000, 000.00 (Ten Billion United States Dollars).
 Senior Team Member of the defence team which defended a Multinational Tobacco Company in product liability actions instituted in four States and the Federal Capital Territory in which the claims were over USD$44, 000, 000, 000.00 (Forty Four Billion United States Dollars).
 Team Leader of the defence team which defended an Oil and Gas Asian Multinational Company in a claim for over USD100, 000, 000.00 (One Hundred Million United States Dollars).
 Team Leader of the team which recovered two Aircrafts for a Multinational Aviation Leasing Company;
 Senior Team Member of the team which prosecuted the appeal of an Oil and Gas Multinational Company for the purpose of preserving its interest in an Oil Mining Lease for five fields.
 Senior Team Member of the team which prosecuted the appeal of an Oil and Gas Asian Multinational Company for the purpose of preserving its interest in an Oil Prospecting License for a field.
 Senior Team Member of the defence team which defended a Multinational Automobile Company in a claim for over =N=5, 000, 000, 000.00 (Five Billion Naira).
 Team Leader of the team which prosecuted arbitral proceedings in an international arbitration against a Libyan Oil Company for a claim of over USD$6, 000, 000.00 (Six Million United States Dollars).
 Litigation Member rendering advisory services to Banks on various banking, labour, shareholding and operational issues.
 Litigation Member rendering advisory services to Oil and Gas Multinational Companies in respect of Production Sharing Agreements/ Production Sharing Contracts and the rights and obligations of the parties under these contracts.
 Litigation Member rendering advisory services to United Nations’ affiliate organizations on Project Finance transactions in Nigeria
 Litigation Member rendering advisory services to a Multinational Company producing Generators in respect of Distributorship Agreements

Associate at SOFUNDE OSAKWE OGUNDIPE & BELGORE
  • Nigeria
  • January 2005 to July 2008

Successfully prosecuted several Minority Actions on behalf of clients;
5 Confidential Use Only
* Successfully defended several actions instituted against clients for wrongful dismissal and wrongful termination;
* Successfully defended an appeal in respect of title to Land on behalf of some clients;
* Successfully defended an action instituted against an employee for breach of duty;
* Part of the team of lawyers who defended several actions against an Oil and Gas Multinational Company for claims totaling over
=N=200, 000, 000.00 (Two Hundred Million Naira);
* Successfully prosecuted actions on behalf of beneficiaries of an estate against the Administrators;
* Prepared Joint Venture Agreements;
* Acted as Company Secretary for an Insurance Company carrying out such duties as -keeping the books of the company, filing
returns at the CAC and NSE, issuing notices, preparing minutes, rendering advisory services, meeting with the regulators on
behalf of the Company.
PRACTICE AREAS
Company Law, Arbitration, Oil & Gas Law, Labour Law, Commercial Law, Banking Law, Election Petitions, Land Law, Family Law, Tort,
Law of Contract, Legal Opinions, Preparation of Arguments, Preparation of Brief of Arguments & Appellate Briefs, Research, Secretary to
Companies, Incorporation of Companies, Registration of Trademarks, Incorporation of Trustees, Preparation of Joint Venture Agreements,
Contracts, Licenses, Project Finance, Commercial transactions and Legal Opinions

Associate at KOLA AWODEIN & CO
  • Nigeria
  • October 2004 to December 2004

Defended an action instituted by the Nigerian Communications Commission against a Multinational Telecommunications Company
for breach of the Nigerian Communications Commission Act;
* Part of the team which defended the appeal arising from the Lagos State action against the Federal Government of Nigeria for
failure to recognize new local governments;
* Prosecuted actions against Aviation companies for losses arising from air carriage;
* Defended actions instituted in respect of Letters of Credit transactions;
* Defended a client in respect of a claim for over =N=100, 000, 000.00 (One Hundred Million United States Dollars).
PRACTICE AREAS
Commercial law, Aviation Law, Constitutional Law, Banking Law, Telecommunications Law, Company Law, Tort, Land Law, Law of
Contract, Preparation of Agreements, Preparation of Briefs of Arguments, Research
STRACHAN PARTNERS

Associate at STRACHAN PARTNERS
  • Nigeria
  • September 2003 to August 2004

Prosecuted an appeal on behalf of an Aviation Multinational Company in respect of a claim for over USD$ 500, 000.00 (Five
Hundred Thousand United States Dollars);
* Defended a maritime action instituted against a client for a claim to the tune of over =N=150, 000, 000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty
Million Naira);
* Acted as Company Secretary to a Non-Governmental Organization carrying out duties such as - incorporation of the trust,
preparing the charter and preparing minutes.
6 Confidential Use Only
PRACTICE AREAS
Commercial law, Aviation Law, Maritime Law, Company Law, Tort, Land Law, Telecommunications Law, Law of Contract, Family Law,
Preparation of Agreements, Preparation of Briefs of Arguments & Appellate Briefs, Research, Incorporation of Companies, Registration of
Trademarks, Incorporation of Trustees, Secretary to Companies & Foundations and Preparation of Joint Venture Agreements, Contracts

Graduate Assistant at EBONYI STATE UNIVERSITY
  • Nigeria
  • December 2002 to August 2003

Research, Exam Co-ordination & Invigilation

Associate at IGWENYI & CO EBONYI STATE
  • January 2003 to August 2003

PRACTICE AREAS
Breach of Promise to Marry, Land Law, Tenancy Law, Criminal Matters, Breach of Contract and Preparation of Tenancy Agreements

Intern at CLARKE & PAIKO
  • Nigeria
  • December 2000 to May 2001

Research, Preparation of Arguments

Education

Bachelor's degree, Ethics and Legal Studies
  • at UNIVERSITY OF BENIN
  • January 1999

(SECOND CLASS LOWER)

High school or equivalent, Arts and Social Sciences
  • at FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COLLEGE
  • January 1981

WAEC SENIOR SCHOOL CERTIFICATE

Specialties & Skills

Legal Review
Legal Technology
Customer Centricity
Legal Management
Legal Ethics
ARBITRATION
BANKING
CONTRACT MANAGEMENT
CUSTOMER RELATIONS
GOVERNMENT
MARKETING
MICROSOFT EXCHANGE
RESEARCH
SECURITIES
COLLABORATIVE
AFFINITY TO TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

Languages

English
Expert

Memberships

Lagos Court of Arbitration
  • Member
  • June 2015
Institute of Capital Market Registrars
  • Associate
  • March 2003
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (Nigerian Branch)
  • Associate
  • March 2002
Institute of Corporate Administration
  • Fellow
  • June 2017
Nigerian Bar Association
  • Member
  • May 2002

Hobbies

  • Charity Work
    Raised funds for motherless babies homes and elderly peoples homes
  • Facilitating
    Organised and participated in several seminars and programmes for the empowerment of youth and development of professionals