Commercial Law

OrbisChancery Solicitors has a standing reputation as the icon in commercial law. We advise on all areas of general corporate law. It has reputable specialist in corporate finance, providing extensive services for a variety of areas such as joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, stock exchange listings, capital raising, formation of companies, changes in corporate form (transformation), tax structuring, as well as the liquidation of capital companies and partnerships. For foreign companies or entities wishing to enter Nigeria, we can advise on the setting up and operation of Nigerian branches of foreign companies, and also Nigerian representative offices.
We can very well assist with the legal aspects of day- to-day running of existing firms, including: general meetings of shareholders, directors and/ or partners; supervisory and management board meetings; alterations to company statutes and articles of association; redemption, pledges and transfer of shares and securities; as well as with most other activities that are basically subject to commercial law.
Among the new tasks we can undertake is to provide opinions and assist in setting up” Nigerian companies”.
Besides strict business matters, we also provide legal services to foundations, incorporated trustees and other formal organizations.

Dispute Resolution

OrbisChancery Solicitors offers a wide range of services relating to dispute resolution such as arbitration and mediation.
Our team of highly experienced advocates and legal advisers can provide skilled and knowledgeable legal representation in civil, commercial and administrative cases, in lower courts, Appeal Courts and the Supreme Court.
These lawyers are also responsible for working out a litigation strategy with the client, considering not only the final outcome but also the need to minimize costs, taking advantage of such remedies as interim injunctions and ancillary proceedings used to strengthen the client’s position in the main suit.
A group of qualified advocates and legal advisers provides effective and high quality representation in first instance proceedings.
The firm has developed a way for dealing with strategically important and often complex cases by forming a team which uses specialists in specific areas of law and provides the necessary knowledge and support for lawyers conducting proceedings before the court. The firm’s experience in litigation concerning administrative matters should also be emphasized.

Employment and Labour Law

We provide a full range of legal services in relation to both employment and labour law.
Our Employment and Labour Law Practice has a wealth of experience in preparing employment document, including the various forms of employment contracts, including managerial contracts service contracts and other formal systems of employing persons who make up corporate bodies.
We can draw up service agreements, internal employer regulations on labour relations, remuneration regulations, and also regulations valid at the group – of – companies’ level, such as codes of conduct. We can also draft and negotiate collective labour agreements and other collective agreements.
We can conduct detailed reviews of employment and labour regulations from the point of view of their legal compliance, as well as optimize them in terms of risk to the employer, Our expertise extends to all matters directly related to employment and labour law, particularly insurance and taxation (such as remuneration structures for employees and managers, both Nigerian and foreign).
Our Practice also specializes in representing employers in labour disputes, in preparing and implementing large-scale redundancies, negotiating with trade unions, resolving mass disputes and strikes, providing legal analysis of employment and labour issues during organizational transformations of hospitality industries, factories and workplaces (particularly if these involve complex and innovative transactions with the participation of foreign entities) and the preparation of appropriate documentation. We can also advise on the implications of Nigerian Labour law on labour relations.

OrbisChancery Solicitors possess expertise and active in servicing the public utilities sector. The chambers participated in the privatization series of large, medium-sized and small state and blue chip companies across the whole of Nigeria. Furthermore, we advised in other significant takeovers and joint venture projects performed in the public utilities sector.
In most projects, OrbisChancery Solicitors started work from a legal examination of an enterprise, taking particular account of regulatory matters. Successive stages included negotiations and preparation of contracts, this including preparation of comprehensive, long-term contracts for collaboration in the scope of services in the public utilities sector.
OrbisChancery Solicitors have been involved for many years in all the stages of conducting infrastructure projects, from organization and participation in tenders, bid preparation, through negotiations leading to conclusion of contractual and financing packages, to co-operation in the realization of projects, and resolution of disputes arising from these. Assistance can be provided by the firm for infrastructure projects based on traditional methods of financing, such as, build, operate and transfer.
OrbisChancery Solicitors have also gained expertise regarding sources of funding such as IFC for infrastructural projects.

OrbisChancery Solicitors offers its clients a full range of legal services related to the protection of intellectual and industrial property rights, copyrights and trademarks. With the advantage of its extensive experience the firm can advise on negotiating and drafting agreements, including distribution and license agreements for software and data bases, and can deal with legal issues which arise from the interactions of new technologies in the fields of media and telecommunications. This is particularly useful in dealing with relationships between cable television operators, television and radio station owners, holders of broadcasting rights, and telecommunication service providers.

We often enforce and litigate to protect our clients’ intellectual property rights.

This department focuses on all matters relating to family and matrimonial law including divorce, custody and maintenance, adoptions, ante-nuptial contracts and domestic violence. The firm makes every effort to ensure expeditious and agreeable resolution of all enumerated situations given the very sensitive nature of such matters.

OrbisChancery Solicitors act for ship owners, charterers, ships, marine insurers. We provide advice on all aspects of shipping law including ship arrests, ship sale and purchase. OrbisChancery Solicitors have expertise in the scope of conducting disputes associated with bills of lading, maritime hypothecation, damage to maritime cargoes, etc.
In the framework of cases it has conducted, OrbisChancery Solicitors have drawn-up experts reports and legal opinions for the needs of proceedings conducted before foreign court and arbitration bodies concerning various aspects of maritime law.
The firm provides legal service to the air transport industry by advising on aircraft and helicopter financing, sale and purchase, operating leases, airline licensing, aircraft registration, registration of third parties interests and airline operations.

OrbisChancery Solicitors has great reputation in the areas of mergers and acquisitions of enterprises in the non-government sector, as well as the privatization and commercialization of government enterprises. Projects have been implemented in the framework of this activity that related to the restructuring, privatization or commercialization of enterprises in the production, banking, transport and many other sectors.
All kinds of services associated with the implementation of mergers and acquisition have been provided by the firm. Among other things, these services include the preparation of full legal analysis of commercial entities, comprehensive determination of legal aspects of transactions and their performance, conducting of consultations and negotiation of contracts, advice on transaction finance matters, due diligence and also on matters in the scope of, among other things, company law, taxation law, environmental law and labour law.

OrbisChancery Solicitors offers a full range of services relating to real estate, including registration of transfers, mortgage bonds and other deeds, the structuring of property transactions, and the dispensing of advice to developers, financial institutions, acquiring and disposing of developed and undeveloped real estate, to letting, lessors, lessees and individuals. We can provide a full range of documentation and services in regard thereto. We can boast rich experience in all areas covered by administrative and building laws and regulations.
We advise and represent clients in all phases of an investment project, from resolving legal titles to land, analyzing plans for space usage, organizing financing and securing credit, to obtaining all the necessary administrative permits. We can assist in negotiations and help you conclude agreements relating to private-owned and corporate-owned prosperities.
We can advise on amicable settlement of disputes between investors, contractors, developers and their clients, from the mediation phase, right through to representation in legal proceedings. Our clients include commercial and residential developers, commercial and industrial owners, lenders, state and local government councils their agencies, contractors, builders and architects, non-profit organisations, and individual investors, and vendors and purchasers of property types.
We have especially strong experience in the following real estate fields:
▪ Sale and purchase of real estate throughout Nigeria connected with the servicing of large investment projects including the construction of Hotels, Estates, (warehouse and retail) shopping centres, purchase of petrol stations and plots of land for building such stations.
▪ Legal service connected with construction of commercial, residential, office and industrial buildings
▪ Drawing up letting agreements for commercial properties
▪ Analyzing the legal status of properties and of letting agreements for commercial mega- centres and shopping malls
▪ Negotiating with government on behalf of clients whose parcels of land have been compulsorily acquired for overriding purposes.

OrbisChancery Solicitors is known for several years to provide advice and information to international companies and foreign individuals seeking to establish businesses in Nigeria. We advise on the incorporation of companies, both wholly foreign owned and joint ventures, registering with the Investment Promotion Council, import and export regulations, etc.
The Firm boasts of tax solicitors and also secured the services of tax advisors and chartered accountants, all with unrivalled expertise in their fields; they combine strong academic backgrounds in law, accounting and economics together with practical experience gained from working for the tax authorities or at leading international accounting firms, law firms and other businesses.
In keeping with the dynamic nature of tax, we offer to both corporate and individual clients from a local as well as international perspectives practical advice on tax planning, structures and compliance. Our services and areas of expertise include, inter alia:
• Tax opinions
• Tax Reviews
• Tax settlements
• Transfer pricing
• Objections, appeals and other tax litigation
• Capital Gains Tax
• Registration for Value Added Tax (VAT), Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Income Tax
• Contentious Tax Matters
• Special Tax Structures for expatriates and Top Management

The firm’s activities in the field of telecommunications’ law encompass the provision of services to entities occupying a significant position on the telecommunications’ services and data transmission markets.

OrbisChancery Solicitors provides expertise and experience in all aspects of immigration and immigration law, offering a variety of services for local and foreign companies as well as business people and private individuals looking to immigrate to Nigeria either on a temporary or permanent basis.
These services include:
• temporary residency
• permanent residency
• citizenship
• visas
• Overseas preparation of applications and petitions for appropriate non-immigrant and immigrant status to be filed with the Nigerian Immigration Services
• Advising multinational corporations and foreign investors
• related tax issues
• work permits and self employment/own business permits
• study permits
• organizing lectures/seminars on immigration related topics
• accompanying spouse and ad hoc partner permits
• extension or renewal of existing temporary permits
• change of purpose and/or conditions of existing permits.