Chambers Global Editor lauds ‘Top 100 lawyers’

Former Chambers Global editor, Mr. Lloyd Pearson has applauded release of the list of “Nigeria’s Top 100 Lawyers” published by City Lawyer Magasine, describing it as a brave effort.

Announcing the ranking on his official website (www.393communications.com), Pearson who held senior editorial positions at leading legal directories and in-house directories management roles at top law firms in the United States and UK, noted that the publishers shoved aside several odds in completing the survey. Chambers Global is perhaps the world’s leading legal directory.

He recalled that he had taken interest in the ranking since 2014, saying: “Last year I wrote about a proposed new survey of the top 100 lawyers in Nigeria. News of the planned list – the first to be published in Nigeria by a native company – caused a furore locally.”

Pearson noted that while some “disgruntled younger lawyers” said it was a conspiracy to stop them from competing with older, established names, “There were even threats to sue the publishers to prevent the release of the list.”

Hinting on the survey’s methodology, Pearson noted that peer review “was the main way” in which the awardees were determined, saying “Senior advocates in Nigeria were asked the question: ‘If you could not handle a case/brief yourself, to whom would you, with utmost confidence, refer it?’ And the lawyers with the highest number of nominations (were) selected to the list.”

Pearson has worked on several legal directories including ‘Chambers Global,’ ‘Chambers USA,’ ‘Chambers UK,’ ‘Best Lawyers,’ and ‘Best Law Firms’ survey. He later joined Herbert Smith, a leading international law firm, and moved to White & Case in New York to manage the firm’s global directories programme. He is the industry’s first dedicated law firm directories manager.

The full list of the Top 100 lawyers features leading litigators, transactional lawyers and lawyers in the academia who have shaped the legal industry over the years. They include acclaimed litigators Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN and Rickey Tarfa, SAN and ‘new kid on the block,’ Adeniyi Adegbonmire, SAN who, perhaps as a validation of his ranking, was recently listed among those to be conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in September.

 Others include Nigeria’s oldest surviving Senior Advocate, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN), Prof. Ben Nwabuese, SAN, Prof. Alfred Bandele Kasunmu, SAN, Chief F. O. Akinrele, SAN and Chief George Uwechue SAN. Aside from leading human rights activist, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, SAN and renowned arbitrator, Funke Adekoya, SAN, the non-SANs who also made the list are respected solicitors such as Messrs Asue Igbodalo, Lawrence Fubara Anga and Bankole Sodipo.

 According to Emeka Nwadioke, editor of the magasine, the all-gloss compendium highlighting the career paths and accomplishments of the awardees will be released soon. The foreword to the over 100-page compendium was written by renowned Justice Emeritus of the Supreme Court, Hon. Justice George A. Oguntade (CFR) while the Board of Advisors is chaired by Prof. Akin Oyebode of the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos.