About
About Our Firm
Who We Are
Firstrate Attorneys (“Our/the Firm”) is a boutique firm of Legal Practitioners, Arbitrators, Consultants and Notaries Public based in Abuja but operates across Nigeria and beyond; duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja under the Companies and Allied Matters Act, Laws of the Federation, 2004 (“CAMA”).
The Firm and its counsels brag of a reputable background achieved by hard work and the ability to meet and surpass clients’ expectations within record time.
Our Attorneys
Our Firm has very capable and diligent Legal Practitioners with the highest degree of proficiency, diligence, solution oriented and committed to surpassing Clients’ expectation.
OGECHI ABU, FCIArb.
Principal Counsel
Ogechi is a 1999 Law graduate of the University of Nigeria. She proceeded to the Nigerian Law School and was called to the Bar in January 2001. She worked with the Abuja office of Messrs Rickey Tarfa SAN & Co., a prestigious law firm based in Lagos with offices in Abuja, Port Harcourt & Yola. She subsequently moved to the tier 1 firm of Banwo & Ighodalo where she was in charge of the Litigation/Dispute Resolution Practice Group in Abuja. She eventually left Banwo & Ighodalo to establish Firstrate Attorneys.
In the last 24 years, Ogechi has gained invaluable, cogent, extensive practical experience spanning across various areas of litigation, advocacy and corporate practice. She is a seasoned Arbitrator and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators UK (Nigeria Branch). She is passionate about Litigation/dispute resolution and heads the Dispute Resolution Practice Group of the Firm. She regularly appears before superior Courts of record from the High Courts, Federal High Court, National Industrial Court of Nigeria up to the Supreme Court. She has conducted proceedings before special Tribunals such as the Investment and Securities Tribunal and the Medical & Dental Council of Nigeria. She has appeared for Federal and State Government Agencies, multinationals and high net worth individuals.
Ogechi is an active member of the Nigerian Bar Association Abuja Branch (The Unity Bar) where she has served as the Branch Vice Chair/Chair Human Rights Committee. She was also a past Chair of the Section on Legal Practice of the Branch.
She is regularly commended for her exceptional ability to promptly distill the core issues in every dispute and her excellent court room advocacy.
Ogechi is very involved in human rights/gender advocacy as a staunch Member of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria. She has served FIDA in various capacities including as FIDA Abuja Secretary and National Publicity Secretary.
Ogechi regularly serves as a panelist and facilitator for various events organized by the NBA and FIDA. She is a Notary Public For Nigeria and donates substantial time to community service and pro bono legal services to indigent women and children.
Experience You Can Trust
Some notable cases conducted include:
Secured 818 Million Naira Debt for Construction firm: Strategic use of Mareva Injunction
Successfully recovered the sum of N818,960,033.00 (Eight Hundred and Eighteen Million, Nine Hundred and Sixty Thousand, Thirty-Three Naira) being debt owed a construction company for construction works executed under a development arrangement for the development of the Abuja Centenary City. The debt was recovered using the tool of a Mareva Order of Injunction.
Successfully Defended a Telecommunication company
Successfully defended a telecommunication company in several claims filed by subscribers for alleged breaches of the duty of care.
Successfully Defended an International NGO Against Contract Damages Claim on Discontinued Project
Successfully defended an International non-governmental organization in a claim for damages for purported breach of contract under a request for expression of interest in a project which project was subsequently discontinued.
Strategic Representation of Financial Institution in Post-Merger Shareholding Litigation
Acted for a Financial Institution in multiple actions instituted by aggrieved legacy shareholders of the Financial Institution’s pre-merger entities, challenging the shareholding of the post-merger entities.
Successfully Defended A Telecommunication Company in a Contract Staff Labour Dispute
Successfully defended a telecommunications company in a labour dispute relating to the remuneration and benefits accruing to contract staff seconded to the company under a Service Agreement.
Defended NGO/Top Management in Termination Suit
Successfully defended an International non-governmental organization/its top management personnel in a suit filed by a former employee against the top management personnel in their personal capacity for wrongful termination of employment.
Secured 30 Million Naira Human Rights Damages & Public Apology
Secured Judgment for damages in the sum of N30,000,000.00 (Thirty Million Naira) and an apology in a national newspaper for a Claimant in a public interest litigation against a prominent citizen and wife of a former Chairman of a leading political party in Nigeria for the gross violation of the Claimant’s fundamental human rights.
Obtained Multi-Million Naira Judgment for Former Appointee in Libel Suit
Acted for and obtained judgment in millions of Naira on behalf of a former Ministerial Appointee in a libel suit instituted against a newspaper publisher.
Defended a Multinational Oil Company in 5 Billion Naira Class Action
Acted for a multinational oil company in a class action filed by a community in the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria seeking damages in the sum of N5 Billion Naira for illnesses allegedly caused by gas flaring.