PAL Mega Law Firm Emerges

The landscape of the Nigerian legal market, witnessed a major landmark event last Friday with the merger of two successful law firms, giving birth to a mega law firm. The law firms of Sterling Partnership led by Mrs. Boma Ozobia and Wali & Uwais led by Mrs. Mariam Uwais, came together in a merger which gave rise to Primera Africa Legal (PAL).

At a dinner to unveil the new law firm, at the Metropolitan Club, Victoria Island, Lagos, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. A.B. Mahmoud, SAN, said "the future of the legal profession lies in bigger law firms and Nigerian can't be left behind in this global trend. This is what the Nigerian Bar Association has always preached, the need to develop skills and specialisation, and you can't do that without partnerships".

In her welcome remarks, Mrs. Boma Ozobia, who is the immediate past President of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, lamented a situation where 80% of Africa’s legal spending goes to either the United Kingdom or the USA, leaving a very tiny percentage to Africa and Nigeria.

She said "with the birth of PAL, the future is here and that is the way to go".

That Nigeria is in dire need of mega law firms, is an understatement, but the will of already existing law firms to come together in mergers and alliances, is a huge challenge. This is consequent on the perception that law partnerships do not really thrive in Nigeria.

The two law firms came together, to form a synergy and build on their individual strengths, to maximise efficiency and service delivery for their clients. Their core competences include agribusiness, probate, legislative advocacy, ADR, banking and finance, telecommunications and litigation.

The new firm, PAL, now has a total legal staff of 30 lawyers, excluding support staff.

Mrs. Mariam Uwais, who is currently on national assignment as Special Adviser to President Buhari on Social Protection Plan, said in her remarks, that the coming together of the two law firms to form PAL, was necessitated with the need to fill a large vacuum, created with the absence of truly large law firms to service international clients. That PAL would be amongst the few Nigerian law firms, to fill those gaps.

The unveiling of the new firm, was done by the NBA President, Mr. A.B. Mahmoud, SAN.