Uzoma Uja

Ontario-licensed corporate and commercial lawyer with more than 20 years of legal experience, including Ontario private practice and senior in-house leadership with multinational and publicly listed organizations. Advises businesses on commercial agreements, M&A, financings, corporate reorganizations, governance, regulatory compliance and day-to-day legal risk. Brings the commercial judgment of a former General Counsel, practical deal experience and the ability to work independently with executives, boards, business owners and cross-functional teams.

Principal Lawyer - UU LAW OFFICE - City of Kawartha Lakes, Ontario

(2026-06)

• Provide flexible corporate and commercial counsel to privately held businesses, entrepreneurs and business owners.
• Draft, review and negotiate commercial agreements, including service, consulting, technology and business transaction documents.
• Advise on incorporations, corporate reorganizations, governance, minute-book compliance, annual resolutions and regulatory filings.
• Support business acquisitions, dispositions and succession planning, coordinating with accountants and other professional advisers.

Business Lawyer - Wards Lawyers Professional Corporation - City of Kawartha Lakes, Ontario

(2024-06 - 2026-06)

• Advised corporations and owner-managed businesses on commercial matters, corporate structuring and ongoing legal requirements.
• Supported asset and share purchase transactions through due diligence, transaction structuring, document preparation and closing.
• Drafted and negotiated shareholder, service, consulting and technology agreements, including SaaS agreements, terms of service and privacy policies.
• Implemented tax-directed reorganizations and restructurings, including transactions under sections 85 and 86 of the Income Tax Act, in collaboration with tax advisers.
• Prepared financing and security documentation, including general security agreements, and advised on related corporate approvals.
• Managed corporate records and maintenance matters, including incorporations, annual resolutions, minute books and regulatory filings.
• Advised business owners on governance, privacy, succession, ownership transitions and corporate estate-planning structures.

Legal Committee Member (Volunteer) - Empowered Futures - Canada

(2024-02 - 2024-06)

• Conducted legal research and document review on regulatory, governance and organizational matters.
• Contributed to legal strategy, policy compliance and legal-risk assessments.

Chief Compliance Officer, Corporate & Investment Banking - Access Bank Plc - Nigeria / Sub-Saharan Africa

(2021-02 - 2021-09)

• Led regulatory compliance, governance and legal-risk oversight across corporate and investment-banking operations.
• Partnered with legal, finance and business teams on acquisition due diligence, vendor oversight and enterprise risk monitoring.
• Advised senior stakeholders and delivered training on anti-bribery, insider trading, ethics, capital-markets and treasury requirements.

Corporate Counsel / Head, Legal Services - Access Bank Plc - Nigeria / Sub-Saharan Africa

(2019-03 - 2021-02)

• Negotiated a US$800 million Loan Market Association financing as part of a US$2.6 billion client capital raise.
• Drafted and negotiated complex financing and commercial documents, including facility agreements, guarantees, letters of credit and investment contracts.
• Managed external counsel and cross-functional stakeholders on high-value disputes, enforcement and recovery matters, including a US$17.7 million recovery.

General Counsel / Corporate Secretary - Diamond Bank Plc (now Access Bank) - Nigeria / Sub-Saharan Africa / United Kingdom

(2017-07 - 2021-02)

• Directed legal due diligence, transaction documentation and regulatory work for a major bank merger.
• Led legal work on the divestment of UK and West African subsidiaries, including transaction negotiation and regulatory approvals.
• Advised the board and executive management on governance, corporate filings, risk and compliance across multiple jurisdictions.

Senior Legal Counsel / Corporate Secretary - Lafarge Africa Plc (Holcim Group) - Nigeria / South Africa

(2015-01 - 2017-07)

• Led legal work on cross-border M&A and market-expansion transactions in Ghana and South Africa.
• Drafted and negotiated commercial and financial instruments, including hedging contracts and corporate bond documentation.
• Advised on capital-markets transactions, including rights issues and private placements, while supporting board governance and regulatory compliance.

Company Secretary / Head of Legal - Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc

(2011 - 2014)

Assistant Company Secretary / Legal Manager - Lafarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria Plc

(2010 - 2011)

Team Leader, Litigation - First Inland Bank Plc

(2006 - 2009)

Earlier legal counsel and law-firm roles

(2000 - 2005)

Lawyer - Law - Law Society of Ontario (2024)

MBA - Finance - University of Leicester (2019)

LL.M. - International Business Law - University of Leeds (2009)

Barrister-at-Law - Law - Nigerian Law School (2000)

LL.B. - Law - University of Nigeria (1998)