Hogan Lovells Partners Advise Association for Young Arbitrators in Nigeria

Partners at global law firm Hogan Lovells, Michael Davison and Nathan Searle, have been enlisted to serve as advisers to the recently launched Association of Young Arbitrators (AYA), which is the first association of its kind in Nigeria, set up by a group of young, energised and knowledgeable arbitration lawyers.

Davison will serve as on the board of advisors, which consists of leading arbitration lawyers from Nigeria as well as international law firms.

Searle will serve as a consultant to AYA to assist in the development of the association.

One of the goals of the association is to overcome the perception that arbitration in Nigeria is a "closed shop" made and open only to senior practitioners. The Association of Young Arbitrators in Nigeria is open to all arbitration practitioners under the age of 40 having professional links to Nigeria.

Both partners have extensive experience in arbitration disputes with Davison  - global Head of the firm's Litigation, Arbitration and Employment Practice - advising on automotive, aerospace, energy, telecommunications and commodities disputes; while Searle’s experience ranges across joint ventures, supply agreements, license agreements, commercial contracts, oil and gas and Africa related disputes.

The AYA team, led by Abayomi Okubote, , the president and founder, is made up of young Nigerian legal practitioners with a passion for arbitration, who are seeking to develop young arbitrators and give them a face in the arbitration space.

The launch of AYA, represents a new dawn for the practice of arbitration as it is the first organisation established by and catering for young Nigerian arbitration practitioners. It hopes to dispel many of the myths associated with arbitration in the continent. It will also bring young arbitration practitioners in Nigeria together to meet face-to-face with their counterparts from other regions, providing avenue for young new arbitrators to learn from the older, more experienced arbitrators.

Nathan Searle, partner in Hogan Lovells' International Arbitration practice noted that Nigeria is perfectly placed to capitalize on the opportunities that arbitration presents.

According to him:“The AYA is fundamental to the future of arbitration in Nigeria, as younger arbitrators bring a diversity of views. It also allows for the knowledge and experience of senior practitioners to be shared with the next generation, which is important to ensure the continued growth of arbitrationin Nigeria”.

Searle added that: “Recent figures from the International Chamber of Commerce show that arbitration continues to increase across Africa, presenting a significant growth opportunity for the Nigerian legal community. It provides huge benefits in Nigeria as it reduces the time and cost associated with prolonged litigation and gives the parties more choice and flexibility about the process for resolving disputes”.

“Nigeria is well positioned to become a hub for arbitration in West Africa, and the AYA could also be a launch-pad for other similar think-tanks on the continent” he stated.

As arbitration continues to grow across the African region, organisations such as AYA are important to expanding the number and diversity of African arbitration practitioners and fostering the development of the next generation of leading African arbitrators.

The association intends to hold a summit in Lagos later in the year to bring arbitration practitioners from across Nigeria together to exchange ideas, share experiences and discuss the latest trends and developments in arbitration.