The firm operates under practice units
which enhances specialization of the lawyers and ensures efficient
service delivery for the client. Our Practice Units include the
following:
Admiralty and Maritime Law
We provide a broad range of
services in the maritime sector, especially in the area of registration
of vessel, arrest of ship, marine insurance, marine environmental
claims.
Aviation
We advise on issues relating to carriage of goods by air,
insurance claims, claims in respect of personal injury or death,
aviation accident claims and compensation. We are involved in claims
for compensation against an airline for the family of a
Liberian-American who died in an air crash involving a local airline in
Nigeria.
Banking Law and Finance Law
Ayi & Associates is very
active in Banking and Finance Law practice, and has been engaged in
numerous documentation in respect of financial transactions, and loan
packaging. We have expertise in secured credit transaction, sale and
lease back transaction, finance lease transactions, international
business transactions, foreign exchange regulations, equipment lease
transactions, licensing procedures for banks and financial institutions.
The
firm also advises on capital market transactions generally, and acts as
external solicitors to a lot of companies dealing in securities, banks
and financial institutions in Nigeria.
Civil Litigation and Alternative
Dispute Resolution
In the ever increasing
business and commercial transactions, there are bound to be disputes
arising; and in agreements drawn by us we envisage this problem and
using the benefit of hindsight we try to make provisions as to what
should happen in such event. Litigation is no longer often resorted in
dispute resolution, except as a matter of last resort when it becomes
inevitable. Accordingly, our lawyers, a lot of whom are skilled in the
use of various Alternative Dispute Resolution [ADR] techniques, usually
adopt any of the ADR techniques appropriate to the situation to help our
clients in settling their dispute in a prompt and efficient manner. Our
Litigation and Dispute Resolution unit is led by a partner who is a
member of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, with vast experience in
conducting litigious matters in the High Court and appellate Courts.
Charitable Organization
Ayi & Associates has been
involved in registration of a number of not-for-profit and charitable
organizations as part of its social responsibility stake.
We are also legal advisers to two Nigeria based
internationally reputable charitable organizations, viz; Medecins Sans
Frontieres France (Doctors Without Borders) and the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Corporate and Commercial Law
A & A has extensive
experience in corporate and commercial law practice. Our lawyers have
tremendous skills in advising on business establishment, corporate
restructuring, regulatory and corporate compliance, foreign direct
investments, board and corporate control, protection of minority
shareholders, mergers and acquisitions, joint venture relationships and
corporate liquidation.
In addition, the firm
provides company secretarial services to its numerous clients. The
range of services here include, acting as secretaries in shareholders’
and directors’ meetings, and producing accurate records of the
proceedings of such meetings. It also entails maintaining safe custody
of registers, and rendering returns required by law to the Corporate
Affairs Commission (i.e. Nigeria’s Company Registry).
The firm equally provides services in capital market
transactions, private equity investments and venture capital. We also
obtain on behalf of our clients, National Agency for Food Drugs
Administration and Control (NAFDAC) registration in respect of their
food and drugs products, Directorate of Petroleum Resources License, and
other statutory or regulatory licenses and permits.
Energy and Natural Resources Law
Ayi & Associates provides
wide range of advisory services for companies engaged in operations in
the Energy and Natural Resources field. Over the years, we have built
competencies in oil and gas law, and solid minerals development
practice.
With the privatization of Nigeria’s electricity
generating company, we have been advising a lot of foreign companies
interested in establishing power plants in Nigeria for energy generation
and distribution. We advise on energy contracts, environmental
degradation and compensation, environmental and regulatory compliance,
oil exploration and production contracts.
Our clients include oil and oil services companies
engaged in the upstream and down stream sector of Nigeria‘s oil
industry.
Immigration
The firm equally provides services in obtaining statutory
licenses/permits, visa representations and immigration procedures,
particularly for foreign investors wishing to do business in Nigeria.
The nature of the services include, obtaining expatriate quota
positions, business permit, and expatriate’s resident permit. We also
obtain temporary work permits, STR visas, and we make representations
and complaints on behalf of clients in all sorts of immigration
privileges denials.
Intellectual Property
Ayi & Associates has a
robust and busy intellectual property practice. We provide services in
trademark, copyright, and patent registration and advise on
transactional issues dealing with such registrations.
We also assist our clients with petitions to appropriate
agencies for search, raid and seizure of pirated and counterfeited
products of their works. We equally institute and conduct cases in the
Court for clients to protect their intellectual property rights from
being violated.
Labour and Employment
Ayi & Associates uses its
good counseling skills in anticipating and warning its clients of
possible labour disputes. We advise and draft employment and
disengagement contracts. We also advise employers on best human
resources practice to minimize labour disputes that might impact
negatively on the image and resources of the employer.
We have successfully guided a lot of employers,
particularly foreign companies and foreign missions in Nigeria, who are
not conversant with the Nigerian Labour laws and the newly introduced
retirement and pension schemes under the Pensions Reform Act.
Privatization and Regulatory Law.
Ayi & Associates has acted
as legal advisers and consultants to many local and foreign investors
participating in the privatization and commercialization scheme of
Federal Government Parastatals in Nigeria. The advisory services
include due diligence checks on target industries, ownership structure
and viability of local partners. We also advise on regulatory
compliance and industry requirements of target companies being
privatized.
Telecommunication and Information
Technology
With the introduction of the global service of mobile
telecommunications in Nigeria in 2001, there was a volcanic eruption in
business activities in the telecommunications industry, without a
corresponding volume in the number of lawyers with skills in
telecommunications law to advise industry practitioners. Ayi &
Associates is amongst a few law firms in Nigeria that has built up
competencies in telecommunications law practice. We have been engaged in
documentation of financing and leasing of telecommunication equipment
and platforms. We also advise on Nigerian Communications Commission
licensing procedures, pre-qualification contract documentation,
operational procedures, regulatory compliance issues, transfer of
technology registration, telecommunications software sale/lease, and
foreign/local operators partnerships.
Urban Planning and Construction Law
Our firm is located in Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria
where intense building and construction development is on going. We
have been involved in advising construction companies on environmental
safety, urban planning rules, land acquisitions and compensation,
building and construction regulations especially in line with Nigeria’s
new building code.
