Afe Babalola’s Law Firm Unveils New Lagos Office To Broaden Opportunities for Young Lawyers

Leading Dispute Resolution Law Firm, Afe Babalola & Co (Emmanuel Chambers), has opened a new office in Lagos as part of a broader expansion aimed at deepening access to legal services and creating new professional opportunities for young lawyers in Nigeria’s commercial capital.

The firm, which began operations in Ibadan nearly six decades ago, says the move responds to the growing need for quality legal representation and arbitration capacity in Lagos — a city that handles more than half of Nigeria’s corporate and commercial disputes.

Speaking at the launch, Mr. Tunde Babalola, SAN, Managing Partner (Lagos), said the new office would focus on dispute resolution, corporate advisory, and mentorship of emerging legal talent. “Lagos is not just Nigeria’s commercial capital, it is also the crossroads where business, finance and law converge. Our vision for the new lagos Office is not just a physical presence in Ikoyi; it is to be a center of excellence where legal innovation meets practical solutions. We intend to serve not only as advocates in the courtroom, but as trusted advisors in boardrooms, arbitration halls and across every space where law shapes enterprise and progress.

Founded in 1965 by Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, the firm has produced several Senior Advocates, judges, and public officers. With the Lagos office joining branches in Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Ibadan, the firm aims to decentralize access to legal expertise and foster professional growth through internships, continuing legal education, and mentorship programs.

Also commenting on the new office, Honourable Justice Rhodes Vivour, JSC (RTD), CFR emphasized the firm’s legacy of excellence and its vision for the future of legal practice in Nigeria and beyond.

He noted: “This occasion was far more than the mere expansion of a law practice; it was the extension of a vision, a testament to perseverance, and a bold step forward in the pursuit of justice and excellence by Chief Afe Babalola SAN, one of Nigeria’s great legal practitioners.”

The firm says its new Lagos base will serve as a hub for arbitration, corporate advisory, and digital legal research. It will also provide new opportunities for training and professional development, particularly for early-career lawyers seeking exposure to commercial and dispute-resolution work in Nigeria’s busiest legal market.