Practice area 04
Dispute resolution
Litigation, arbitration and mediation, run with a plan, a budget and an honest view of your chances from the first meeting.
Most disputes are won or lost in the first month: in the letters that are written, the evidence that is kept and the deadlines that are met. We start every matter with a written case plan that sets out the options, the likely costs and the realistic timelines in Nigerian courts.
Our team appears daily at the Federal High Court, the FCT High Court and the National Industrial Court, and in arbitrations seated in Abuja and Lagos. The managing partner sits as an arbitrator, which helps us see a case the way a tribunal will.
Where a dispute can be settled, we say so. Mediation at a court-connected centre often resolves a commercial disagreement in weeks rather than years, and we prepare for it as seriously as for trial.
The practice
Services, process and example fees
Commercial litigation
Contract, banking, insurance and shareholder disputes in federal and state courts.
Arbitration
Counsel in arbitrations under major institutional rules and ad hoc, and enforcement of awards.
Debt recovery
Demand letters, undefended list suits and enforcement that turns judgments into money.
Urgent relief
Injunctions and preservation orders, often prepared overnight.
Mediation
Preparation and representation at mediation, and settlement agreements that hold.
- Week 1
Case plan
Merits, options, budget and timeline in writing.
- Weeks 2 to 6
Pre-action
Letters, evidence gathering and settlement attempts.
- Filing
Proceedings
We file and serve, and keep you updated after every hearing.
- Outcome
Enforcement or settlement
We turn the result into money or a signed agreement.
| Service | Scope | Example fee | Typical time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case assessment | Review and written case plan | ₦450,000 | 1 week |
| Pre-action letter and negotiation | Up to three rounds | ₦300,000 | 2 to 4 weeks |
| Debt recovery suit | Filing to judgment, undefended list | From ₦1,200,000 | 4 to 9 months |
| Arbitration counsel | Phased budget per stage | Quoted per matter | Varies |
Example rates for this demo, plus VAT at 7.5 percent and government fees at cost.
Selected matters
Recent work (examples)
Recovered ₦860m for a building materials supplier through an undefended list suit and garnishee orders (example matter).
Obtained an interim injunction in 36 hours to stop the sale of a client’s pledged shares (example matter).
Represented a contractor in a construction arbitration seated in Abuja, settled on favourable terms before the hearing (example matter).
Leads the firm and its arbitration practice.
The team
Who leads your dispute resolution matter
Managing partner
Halima Yusuf-Danjuma
Dispute resolution
Senior associate
Efe Oghenekaro
Dispute resolution
How we staff it
Halima leads and signs off every piece of advice. Efe runs the matter day to day and is your first call. A pupil or NYSC member supports research and filings, supervised at every step.
If your matter touches other areas, Halima brings in the right partner and keeps one fee estimate.
Questions
Asked often
How long does a commercial case take?
A defended suit can take two to four years through the High Court. Undefended debt claims and arbitration are often much faster. Your case plan gives a realistic range.
Will you tell me if my case is weak?
Yes, in writing, at the start. It is the most useful thing we can do for you.
Can you take a case on a contingency fee?
In limited commercial recovery matters we agree a reduced fee plus a percentage of what is recovered, within the professional rules.
Do you handle criminal matters?
Only white-collar matters linked to our commercial clients. For other criminal cases we refer you to trusted counsel.
Related
Areas that often work alongside this one
01
Corporate and commercial
From the day you register the company to the day you sell it, with clean records in between.
02
Employment and pensions
Contracts, handbooks and hard conversations, handled fairly and within the law.
03
Tax and customs
Planning that stands up to questions, and representation when the tax authority asks them.
Consultations
Book a consultation with the right partner
Forty-five minutes, in chambers in Gwarinpa or by video, for ₦50,000 (example rate), credited to your first invoice. We run a conflict check before we meet.
