A legal practitioner known for his oratorical deftness and prowess, Mr. Victor Ugwuezumba Opara SAN was born in Owerri, Imo State to a lawyer-father, Mr. Nathan Anamelechi Opara and Mrs. Joy Opara, both deceased.

An alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, Opara was admitted to the Nigerian Bar in 1989. He again earned an LLM degree from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in 1991.

He is currently the Principal of Victor Opara’s Chambers, a litigation-oriented law firm. Opara is an active member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

He has a bias for criminal litigation, and has participated actively in several criminal cases at all levels of court up to the Supreme Court. He has worked in various capacities including being Managing Counsel, S. O. Aoko & Co.; Managing Partner, K. C. Ikonne & Co.; Editor, Laws of Nigeria Project, anchored by the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), University of Lagos Campus, and Research Assistant, Center for African Law and Development Studies.

Opara is the incumbent Chairman of the Continuing Legal Education & Practice Development Committee, NBA Ikeja Branch, Lagos State, a position he has held for an unbroken period of about 20 years. He also has numerous published legal articles to his credit.

His other professional affiliations include Fellow, Chartered Institute of Loan and Risk Management of Nigeria; Fellow, Certified Institute of Auctioneers, Nigeria; Fellow, Institute of Strategic Customer Service and Trade Management of Nigeria (FCSTM); Member, Nigerian Bar Association; Member, International Bar Association; Member, Institute of Management Consultants (MIMC), and Associate Member, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Nigeria (ACIArb).

‘Opara is the incumbent Chairman of the Continuing Legal Education & Practice Development Committee, NBA Ikeja Branch, Lagos State, a position he has held for an unbroken period of about 20 years.’

Others are Member, Institute of Chartered Mediators & Conciliators (ChMc); Senior Member, Institute of Public Management Nigeria; Associate Member, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (ACTI); Associate Member, Certified Institute of Shipping of Nigeria (ACIS), and Member, Lagos Court of Arbitration.

Opara is on the Panel of Neutrals of the Lagos Multi Door Courthouse (LMDC). He is reputed as a public commentator and human rights activist.

PUBLICATIONS

i. Default Judgments of Court: what are they? Published in Daily Independent of Thursday, June 16 2005.

ii. My Lord, I am speaking from the Bar, published in Daily Independent in 2005.

iii. What manner of Marriage is yours? Published in PUNCH, of October 13 2003.

iv. Fundamental Rights – need for the Chief Justice of Nigeria to make rules for Enforcement, published in PUNCH, September 29 2003.

v. Discharging Ex-parte Interim Injunctions; published in PUNCH of Monday, August 18, 2003.

vi. Utility of Hearing Notices, published in PUNCH, on August 4, 2003.

vii. The Doctrine of Non-Disclosure in Nigerian (Non-Marine) Insurance Law (Unpublished LL.M Dissertation) submitted to the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State in 1991.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

 Fellow, Chartered Institute of Loan and Risk Management of Nigeria
 Fellow, Certified Institute of Auctioneers, Nigeria
 Fellow, Institute of Strategic Customer Service and Trade Management of Nigeria (FCSTM)
 Member, Nigerian Bar Association
 Member, International Bar Association
 Member, Institute of Management Consultants. (MIMC)
 Associate Member, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Nigeria (ACIArb)
 Member, Institute of Chartered Mediators & Conciliators (ChMc)
 Senior Member, Institute of Public Management Nigeria
 Associate Member, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (ACTI)
 Associate Member, Certified Institute of Shipping of Nigeria (ACIS)
 Member, Lagos Court of Arbitration

POSITIONS HELD 

• Member, Annual Committee for Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Lecture [Gani Fawehinmism] 2020 – 2021
• Member, Pro bono Committee for Defence of EndSARS Protest Suspects, Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja Branch [2020]
• Member, Caretaker Committee, Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja Branch [(2020) [appointed by the National Body of Nigerian Bar Association under the Olumide Akpata led command]. The Committee successfully conducted elections into various positions and posts in the Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja Branch on 11th day of December 2020 and later swore in successful candidates on the said dates
• Member, Section on Public Interest and Development Law, Nigerian Bar Association [SPIDEL]
• Active Participant in Pro bono Scheme/Partner with Lagos State Ministry of Justice
• Chairman of the Continuing Legal Education Committee, Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja Branch, Lagos State; 2004 – 2018
• Chairman of the Continuing Legal Education & Practice Development Committee, Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja

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