Admitted to the Nigerian Bar, 1977.
LL.B (Hons.) University of Lagos, Akoka, 1976;
LL.M London School of Economics and Political Science, 1979.
Notary Public, CEDR Accredited Mediator,
SCMA Mediation Advocate & Certified Mediation Advocacy Trainer.
SUMMARY OF WORK EXPERIENCE:
In his first four years after graduation and call to the Bar, Mr. Akisanya (Yemi) gained experience in general corporate commercial law practice with the firms of Odujirin and Adefulu, in Lagos, Nigeria and Sullivan and Cromwell, in New York, USA, respectively. Clients served included multinational corporations, government parastatals and other major institutions.
Prior to that, he had also had a measure of experience in civil litigation and criminal prosecutions, as a junior State Counsel during his National Youth Service year, which he served in the Office of the Oyo State, Nigeria, Ministry of Justice.
Yemi spent most of his professional career thereafter in the Law Department of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (“MPN”), an ExxonMobil subsidiary. He retired (elective voluntary early retirement) from MPN in March 2002, after over twenty years of service, the last seven of which were spent as Senior Counsel and Company Secretary and, for a brief period, Acting General Counsel.
During the period in MPN, he gained wide, hands-on experience in domestic and International Major Transactions relating to Gas Pipelines, Power Purchase Agreements, Gas Supply Agreements, Power Plant EPCs, ROWs, LNG, NGLs and other major contracts such as Joint Operating Agreements, Joint Venture Arrangements and Agreements, Farm-out/Farm-in Agreements, Technical Support Agreements, other EPC Contracts, Production Sharing Agreements, land settlements and acquisitions, and AMI (Areas of Mutual Interests) Contracts, both in Nigeria and overseas.
He also advised, and participated, often in a (legal) leadership role, in matters involving Asset Acquisitions/Disposals, Project Financing, Taxation, Independent Power Plant (“IPP”) and related projects, Statutory and Regulatory Compliance, Environmental Law with particular focus on Oil Spillage, New Business (Exploration, Development and Production) Ventures and Host/Community Relations.
To date, he has continued to focus on the area of Oil, Gas and Power, specializing in IPPs, Power Sector Regulation and related venture development and finance. In the area of Oil and Gas, ‘Yemi has a special focus on marginal field operations, legal support and advisory to indigenous E & P operators and oil service companies, local content development and the resolution of disputes through Mediation and Mediation Advocacy.
He is generally recognized for the depth of his experience in the Energy (Oil and Gas) Sector and has advised government, as well as public and private companies and individuals on a full range of international corporate and commercial matters within the sector, including taxation, statutory & regulatory compliance, project development, new business venture structuring and development, joint ventures and other kinds of business transactions and arrangements.
‘Yemi Akisanya is a CEDR Accredited Mediator and a SCMA (Standing Conference of Mediation Advocacy) Certified Mediation Advocacy Trainer. Apart from his private practice in Mediation and Mediation Advocate, he is on the Panel of Neutrals of the Lagos Multi Door Court House (“LMDC”).
He is also a member of the 12-member Dispute Resolution Panel of the Nigerian Electricity Regulation Commission (“NERC”), with a focus on Mediation. He has had remarkable success and recognition as a credible mediator, mediation advocate, negotiator, bridge builder and peacemaker.
‘Yemi is a regular speaker and facilitator at conferences, seminars and workshops in the foregoing areas, especially in the area of Negotiations and Alternate Dispute Resolution, with a special focus on Mediation and Mediation Advocacy. He is a member of faculty of the NCMGI-Unilag College of Negotiation, where he teaches Environmental & Public Policy Dispute Resolution.
Memberships:
Several memberships, notably: member, Nigerian Bar Association [Section on Business Law]; member, the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators; member, Standing Conference of Mediation Advocates (“SCMA”) UK and Nigeria; member, Advisory Board of SCMA Nigeria; member, the Petroleum Club, Nigeria; and member, Trustee, and the Honorary Secretary, of the Musical Society of Nigeria.
Samples of Papers Delivered:
- “The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act – A Compliance Perspective”, - Delivered at the 1993 Mobil Oil Corporation Worldwide E&P Division Lawyers’ Meeting, Fairfax, VA, USA;
- “IPPs in Africa – The Nigerian Experience” - Delivered at the 1999 IBA Meeting, Washington DC;
- “Energy Issues and The Banking Industry” - Delivered at the 2002 Financial Institutions Training Conference, Abuja, Nigeria;
- “Offshore Safety Legislation – Operating in a Watery Jungle – a Compliance Strategy for Safe Offshore Operations” – Delivered at the Nigerian Oil and Gas Conference, Abuja – March 2006;
- “Review of Oil & Gas Contracting Arrangements”- Delivered at the KPMG Gulf of Guinea Oil & Gas Conference – “Maximizing Opportunities in the Gulf of Guinea Region” – Abuja - February 2008.
Languages: English, French and Yoruba.
E-mail: yemi@adeyemi-akisanya.com
