‘Nonso Azih is one of the three candidates aspiring to lead the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Lagos Branch in the forthcoming Branch Elections scheduled to hold on June 30, 2025.

As the race inches towards the finish line, it is safe to say that ‘Nonso’s biography has captured the imagination of many branch members who see him as the finest blend of academic brilliance and cognate professional experience needed to take the branch to the next level. A consummate litigator as well as a former state counsel and in-house counsel, ‘Nonso has a best-in-class blend of experience to address the challenges faced by practitioners in these practice areas.

Having received his Bachelor’s and Master of Laws degrees from the prestigious University of Nigeria and University of Lagos respectively, Nonso also obtained a Certificate in Maritime Dispute Resolution and Arbitration from the globally renowned Lloyd’s Maritime Academy.

With his stellar academic background and distinction, the self-effacing senior lawyer, who is reputed for his endearing mien and professional courtesies, has gone ahead to acquire pristine experience, first as a State Counsel in the DPP’s Office and subsequently as a private legal practitioner in ‘Magic Circle’ firms. To complete his uncommon and much-sought-after blend of experience, ‘Nonso has also worked as an in-house counsel in a leading global shipping terminal (APM Terminals, Apapa) where he admirably held down the role of General Manager (Legal) for the Nigerian operations between December 2017 and August 2020. He doubled as the Business Compliance Ambassador (BCA) for Nigeria, advising management on anti-corruption, competition, and foreign trade control rules.

Unsurprisingly, ‘Nonso has received high praise and recognition from colleagues and at least one global rating agency for his legal expertise and commendable work ethic. He was named as a “Next Generation Lawyer in Shipping and Transport” by the popular rating agency, Legal 500.

Ms. Rotola Williams, a former colleague and currently Managing Partner at Chief Ladi Rotimi Williams Chambers, noted in a publicly available endorsement that “Nonso is a hard worker and very enterprising.”

In an even more effusive endorsement, Ms. Farzana Mohomed, Chief Compliance Officer at NEOM in Saudi Arabia, wrote: “Nonso was a great colleague to engage with, professional; and I found him eager to learn and assist in his role as a Business Compliance Ambassador. In addition to his legal role at APM Terminals Apapa, Nonso took on this role as a BCA, which is a program launched by the Compliance department. He did a great job in creating awareness about compliance and was a great asset to have to manage compliance risks on the frontlines. He was a fast learner and soon grasped the compliance areas he had to advise on. He always kept the BCAs motivated and shared knowledge and best practices, making valuable contributions to the BCA community. His assistance as a BCA definitely made a huge impact on the success of the BCA program.”

Aside from his membership of professional associations, which has exposed him to cutting-edge Continuing Professional Development (CPD), ‘Nonso has long dedicated himself to the service of the Bar. He has been recognised for his self-development mindset, mentoring, and commitment to supporting young lawyers.

His astute managerial skills were evident in how he revived Azih & Azih in record time upon his return from his tour of duty as an in-house counsel. Instructively, in less than four years of operation, the firm has been offering bespoke legal services in maritime/shipping law, commercial litigation, employment and labour law, family law, data privacy/protection compliance and litigation, to name a few.

As a technically skilled practitioner, ‘Nonso has over the years advised and represented multinationals, local companies, shipowners, terminal operators, shipping lines, banks, local and international oil companies (IOCs), MDAs, and diverse corporate and individual clients in shipping, admiralty, and commercial litigation matters. His expertise spans the entire gamut of carriage of goods by sea, arrest/release of ships, port operations, cargo and vessel damage claims, marine insurance, collision, general average, pilotage, port/ICD operation disputes, employment and labour law, taxation, international trade, data privacy and protection, and family law, among others.

It did not come to many as a surprise, therefore, when in 2022, ‘Nonso led the Dispute Resolution team at Azih & Azih to secure an unprecedented judgment against a leading commercial bank for data privacy breaches. The judgment was delivered by Hon. Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court (Lagos Division) on 6th May, 2022, in the unreported case of Chiebuka Nworah v UBA Plc, Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1484/2021. It is also no surprise that ‘Nonso has received commendations from several judges for his advocacy skills and standard of law practice.

A cerebral author who has written several published articles on maritime law, employment and labour law, and commercial litigation, among others, ‘Nonso has been an active member of NBA Lagos Branch where he serves as a key member of the Human Rights Committee and NBA National Litigation Committee, among others. He is an accredited Mediator at the Lagos State Multi-Door Courthouse (LMDC), and a member of the Society for Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE) and the Nigerian Maritime Law Association (NMLA), the local branch of Comite Maritime International (CMI). He served as a member of the Nigeria Maritime Law and Procedure Reform Committee which was saddled with the mandate to review Nigeria’s substantive and procedural maritime legislations/rules and make recommendations towards repositioning maritime law and practice in Nigeria in line with international best practice.

A Principal Counsel at AZIH & AZIH Legal Practitioners, a Lagos based dispute resolution and commercial law firm, Nonso cut his legal teeth at the Chambers of Ubong Akpan before joining Foundation Chambers, a leading maritime law office. He later moved to Adepetun, Caxton-Martins, Agbor & Segun (ACAS-Law, now known as Dentons-ACAS-Law) before joining Banwo & Ighodalo, another Tier-1 law firm.

Many NBA watchers believe that Nonso’s Manifesto presents the most lucid, clear-cut, and intentional pathway to growth for the Premier Bar.

In his elaborate Manifesto, he has committed to young lawyers’ stewardship and payment of living wages, especially given his track record of mentoring young lawyers.

Aside from a programme to ensure that his former constituency (in-house counsel group) is fully integrated into all Bar activities, ‘Nonso also plans to establish hotlines and complaint desks for litigation and justice system issues. His planned collaboration with law enforcement agencies is aimed to stem harassment of lawyers by security operatives and promote dignity among practitioners, even as his secretariat reform through integration of technology and commitment “to lead with transparency, empathy, and innovation” presents a best-in-class prospect for many NBA Lagos Branch members.

#TOGETHER-WeCan
#ANewEraForNBALagos

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