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)
