- Banwo & Ighodalo is consistently listed as a world class law firm in several leading Nigerian and international legal directories, publications and journals including:
- IFLR1000 The Guide to the World’s Leading Financial and Corporate Law Firms
- The Legal 500
- Who’s Who Legal Directories
- Euromoney Guides to the World’s leading Capital Market Lawyers and Energy & Natural Resources Lawyers
- Chambers Global Guide to the World’s Leading Lawyers
- Managing Intellectual Property
- International Trademark Association Directory
- The Firm has received remarkable Band 1 rankings in the Nigerian legal market, across its Banking & Finance, Corporate/Commercial and Energy & Natural Resources practices in the Chambers Global 2020 Guide. The Firm’s Intellectual Property and FinTech were also highly ranked.
- The Firm is ranked Tier 1 position in Capital Markets, Banking, Energy, Infrastructure, Oil and gas, Project Finance and M&A, in the 2020 IFLR1000 rankings. Twelve of the Firm’s lawyers were also recognized in several practice areas in this edition.
- The Firm has been recommended as Top-Tier in Banking, Finance & Capital Markets, Commercial, Corporate & M&A and Energy & Natural Resources, Real Estate and Construction and Shipping and Transport in “The Legal 500 EMEA Guide 2020edition. Lawyers in the Firm are recommended in the Banking, Finance and Capital markets, Commercial, Corporate & M&A, Energy & Natural Resources, Real Estate and Construction and Shipping and Transport Practices in ” The Legal 500 EMEA Guide ” and a few are listed as elite leading lawyers in the recent edition.
- A Partner and Senior Associate in the Intellectual Property practice group were recommended in the World Trademark Review Ranking 2020
- The Firm has consistency been awarded as the “Best DCM Solicitor on FMDQ” at the FMDQ’s 2017, 2018 and 2019 Nigerian Debt Capital Markets Conference & Awards event.
- The Firm was awarded “Most Innovative in Legal Services” at the maiden edition of BusinessDay’s Top 25 Most Innovative Companies & Institutions in Nigeria Awards 2017.
- A Partner in the Firm is the current Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group.
- The Firm had its debut ranking in Dispute Resolution in the Chambers Global 2017 Guide
- The Firm was awarded the LAWIGS Law Firm of the Year Award 2014, for its contribution to education and outstanding internship program.
- The Firm is a member of the International Project Finance Association and also a member of the Loan Market Association.
- The Firm is a Nigerian member of the Global Advertising Lawyers Alliance (GALA), an international alliance of law firms in more than 50 countries, providing a one-stop shop for clearance of international advertising campaigns, as well as advertising law practice.
- The Firm is an active member of the Anti-Counterfeiting Collaboration (ACC) of Nigeria and is involved in all its activities geared towards review of applicable laws, and the creation of public awareness on the dangers of counterfeiting and piracy.
- A Partner in the Firm is the President of Intellectual Property Law Association of Nigeria (IPLAN).
- A partner in the firm is currently on the reconstituted board of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority.
- A Partner in the Firm is the Secretary of the FINTECH Association of Nigeria.
- A Partner in the Firm is the erstwhile Chairman of the Section on Business Law of the Nigerian Bar Association.
- A Partner in the Firm is the Vice-Chairman of the Energy and Environment Committee of the Section on Business Law of the Nigerian Bar Association.
- A Partner and other members of the IP practice group served/are actively serving on various sub-committees of the International Trade Marks Association (INTA) including the INTA MEASA Anti-Counterfeiting Sub-Committee, INTA Legal Practice Resources Committee, INTA African Trade Marks Offices Sub-Committee, INTA Trademarks Administrators Committee and INTA Trademark Reporter Committee and the Intellectual Property Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association’s Section on Business Law.
- A Partner and other members of the IP practice group served/are serving on various committees reviewing and making recommendations regarding the IP regulatory authorities (e.g., the merger of the Trade Marks, Patents and Designs Registries with the Nigerian Copyright Commission).
- A Partner served as a member of the Electric Power Sector Reform Implementation Committee (EPIC) established by the National Council on Privatisation to implement legal and regulatory reforms in the Nigerian electric power sector. He also served as Chairman of the Legal/Regulatory Sub-committee of the EPIC, which drafted the Electric Power Sector Reform Act.
- A Partner previously held a teaching faculty position at the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies where he regularly delivered lectures on Power Sector Agreements at the Institute’s annual continuing legal education courses.
- A Partner served as a member of the Bureau of Public Enterprises’ Steering Committee on Solid Minerals Development established by the National Council on Privatisation, and chaired the Legal and Regulatory Sub-Committee.
- A Partner was the Chairman of a technical committee established by the Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission to advise on the Demutualization of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
- A Partner in the firm provides technical support to the Federal Government of Nigeria on its initiative to review the legal and regulatory framework for doing business. In this regard, she was a key member of a committee which was constituted to review a Bill for repeal and reenactment of the Companies and Allied Matters Act; the principal legislation which governs formation and operations of companies in Nigeria.
- Two Partners recently served as Chairman and Vice-Chairman, respectively, of two Committees set up by the Federal Ministry of Finance to (a) design a Code of Governance/Ethics for Capital Market Regulators; and (b) review the Investments and Securities Act 2007.
- A Partner is a member of the Continuing Legal Education Committee of the Capital Markets Solicitors’ Association.
- A Partner in the Firm serves on the Edo State Economic Strategy Team.
- A Partner in the Firm presently serves as the Chairman of the Intellectual Property Lawyers Association of Nigeria (IPLAN) Committee on Registry Affairs which liaises regularly with the Registrar of Trade Marks, Patents & Designs and other Stakeholders on Intellectual Property matters in Nigeria.
- A Partner served on the Anti-Trust and Competition Reform Committee, an advisory body set up by the National Council on Privatization, which submitted an Anti-Trust and Competition Bill to the National Assembly.
A lawyer in the Firm is a member of the Governing Council of the Real Estate Lawyers’ Association of Nigeria.
Lawyers in the Firm are members of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators, International Trademarks Association, Anti-Counterfeiting Collaboration, Nigerian International Franchise Association, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (UK); Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria; Real Estate Lawyers’ Association of Nigeria (RELAN); Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, UK and Nigeria; the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), UK, the Negotiation and Conflict Management Group (NCMG), the Panel of Neutrals: Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse (LMDC), and the Nigerian Maritime Law Association (Nigerian Chapter of the Committee Maritime International (CMI)) and the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators. Some counsels in the Firm are members of the International Bar Association and the New York Bar; in addition to all counsel being members of the Nigerian Bar Association.
Members of the firm lecture and facilitate trainings from time to time on Intellectual Property, Power, Project Finance, Corporate Finance and Structured Trade Finance, amongst others.