1. Intellectual Property, Media & Technology Group
a. Intellectual property & Technology
As Patent, Trademark and Design Law agents with over 30 years’ advisory experience, we provide our clients with practical and commercially prudent legal and business solutions concerning their intellectual property and technology considerations. Our specialised
Intellectual Property (IP) and technology team routinely advise on the exploitation of Intellectual Property (IP) rights regarding brand names, marks, inventions (Products and Processes), designed products and copyrightable works as well as the development, licencing, acquisition and transfer of Technology as well as on Data Protection and Privacy in Nigeria. Our services include:
- Filing, Processing and Prosecuting Trademarks, Copyright, Patent (Convention and Non-convention) and Design Registrations in Nigeria;
- Maintaining and Managing Intellectual Property Portfolio in Nigeria (i.e. Filing Trademark Renewals and entering cancellation requests, Assignment negotiation and registration, Filing Patent and Design Annuity and Abandonment, as well as conducting Anti-counterfeit & Infringement investigations while working with the relevant agencies of the government to prosecute offenders);
- Preparing and Handling Trademark Oppositions;
- Contractual Advisory on Intellectual property related transactions;
- General Availability inquiry/search and Intellectual property Ownership Investigation;
- Software and Trade secrets Protection Advisory;
- Data Protection and Privacy Advisory;
- Representing clients in IP related Litigation and Dispute resolution;
- Technology Advisory (Technology Registration, licensing, franchising, transfer and acquisition); and
- Registering products with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).
b. Sports, Media, Entertainment & Creatives [SMEC]
Our Sports, Media, Entertainment & Creatives team provides practical and detailed legal advisory services our clients involved in the Sports, Music, Fashion, Advertising, Film, Television and general creative Industry. We help clients attain adequate and effective protection for their craft, brands, image, intangible assets, concepts, business operating plans and information technology while ensuring their compliance with local Law and Nigerian regulatory standards.
The SMEC team work closely with our IP team to provide copyright, trademarks, patents and designs advisory services to our clients concerning their creative works, brand names/marks, designs and inventions. We assist clients by developing, advising on and reviewing advertisements for product/brand development in Nigeria. Our clients are assured of our all-encompassing proficiency concerning the Media, Entertainment and Creative law issues, including contract advisory, preparation and negotiations. We engage in sports agency advisory and are active in Sports regulatory compliance in Nigeria and negotiate and provide sports contractual advisory on behalf of our clients.
The Dispute resolution group supports our SMEC team in the event of a dispute regarding any of the SMEC areas. Concerning SMEC disputes, we aim to resolve the same in favour of our clients within the shortest possible time and with minimal recourses from our clients.
2. Dispute Resolution Group
a. Litigation (Commercial and Non-commercial)
We engage in case prosecution and defence in court and tribunal based commercial and non-commercial litigation matters on our clients’ behalf. Our primary objective is to ensure that disputes arising from the business and commercial activities of clients are effectively resolved with minimum resources by clients.
We maintain a client-centric approach to our litigation strategy; and where reaching amicable resolutions is proposed, we remain focused on protecting our clients’ best interests. Our litigation practice offers a broad range of legal advice and representation to international and Nigerian clients. It is in constant collaboration with our other practise groups to ensure we give our clients the well-rounded service they require.
b. Arbitration & ADR Matters
Not all disputes need ply the route of litigation. At F.A. Garrick & Co, we actively promote the adoption of and represent our clients in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) routes (including negotiation, conciliation, mediation and arbitration) for resolution of disputes. Our team of skilful litigators, arbitrators, negotiators, mediators, and conciliators possess a mastery of the art of dispute resolution, negotiation and advocacy, and can secure the best results for clients, the complexity of the disputes notwithstanding. Regarding commercial-related disputes, we consider the business impact on our clients and apply commercial sensibility and prudence to help them effectively resolve the same with minimum expenditure of time.
3. Power, Energy & Natural Resources Group
F.A. Garrick & Co provides legal advisory support on oil, gas, power, mining transactions and projects. Our expertise spans the entire value chain from upstream exploration and production to oil and gas processing, transportation, commercialisation and utilisation. Our clients leverage our in-depth industry knowledge and awareness of
of the Nigerian power and natural resources industries’ legal, commercial and regulatory challenges. We advise on a wide range of energy issues involving complex and multifaceted oil, gas, liquefied natural gas and petrochemical transactions. We are dependable and assist our clients to navigate the complexities associated with these industries.
4. Corporate/Commercial Group
a. Banking & Finance
We deliver corporate and finance-related legal services to banks, private equities, investment firms, corporate national and international lenders, pension schemes, conglomerates, leasing companies, unit trusts, corporate borrowers, developmental financial institutions, multi-lateral agencies, insurance companies and other sector-relevant brands herein.
We remain abreast with Nigeria’s regulatory and policy developments and our lawyers to help clients navigate rapidly changing terrain. Our finance advisory expertise across a range of industry sectors such as real estate, FinTech & Alternate Finance, venture capital, bridge financing, project finance, hedge funds, futures trading, asset finance, corporate finance, mortgage-backed securities and capital markets. Our goal is to ensure that our clients are well equipped to make commercially informed decisions within the Nigerian business and terrain.
b. Mergers & Acquisition
Our mergers and acquisitions (M&A) team provide legal representation, advice, and support to our clients at every merger or acquisition stage. We advise on equity and asset acquisitions (Domestic Acquisition and Negotiated Acquisitions); Mergers; Management Buyouts; Leveraged Buyouts; Equity Investments and Divestments, Privatizations; corporate and external restructurings; divestments; schemes of arrangement; tender offers & Exchange Offers and takeover.
We maintain a collaborative approach with our clients to thoroughly understand the specificity of their needs regarding these transactions. Our representative prowess encompasses acting for both buyers and sellers and, as such, well positions us to negotiate deal points notwithstanding their complexities. Also, with our in-depth understanding of the regulatory and corporate governance aspects of M&A transactions, we remain particularly indispensable to board directors and executive management teams in sensitive and critical situations.
c. Property & Real Estate
Considering the complexities and challenges that characterise the Nigerian real estate sector, investors, property and project developers and financiers require legal advice to assist them in navigating the same and successfully achieving their commercial objectives whilst protecting their interests. Our property and Real Estate practice covers a wide variety of clients, transactions and claims. We act for governments, financial institutions, investors, dealers, developers and property owners.
We help clients investigate and deduce title, prepare conveyancing documentation, obtain governmental consents, register land instruments, and perfect their interests in the Res where required. The affected Res’s geographical location does not limit us as we leverage our far-reaching network and resource to ensure that we close clients’ transactions. Our property and Real Estate team often collaborate with our dispute resolution team to ensure that property or real estate disputes are resolved in our clients’ favour, whether through litigation, arbitration, or any alternative resolution mechanism.
d. Debt Recovery, Restructuring & Insolvency
F.A. Garrick & Co has a sound Debt Recovery and Insolvency Practice. We adopt various and situation-specific legal tools for the recovery of debts on our clients’ behalf. We have handled and continue to manage multiple high-end debt recovery cases on behalf of Nigerian banks as other financial institutions in the business of advancing loans for interest.
Our Insolvency team provide services that create a one-stop-shop for insolvency-related corporate restructuring. They handle matters concerning commercial insolvency, insolvency-related litigation, negotiated settlements, security interest enforcement, and corporate debt restructuring.
Among others, we help clients negotiate with creditors for settlement, acquire or sell distressed assets, restructure under arrangements with creditors, enforce security interest facilities, and review security and credit prowess for lenders and borrowers. Our lawyers have been appointed as receivers/managers and liquidators of insolvent entities and assets. Also, we have expertise in conducting forensic investigations by way of comprehensive due diligence.
e. Company Secretarial & Regulatory Compliance Advisory
F.A. Garrick & Co serves as Company Secretary to several commercial enterprises drawn from our extensive sectorial covering. Our company, secretarial services team helps clients maintain regulatory compliance, statutory reporting, and record-keeping requirements, assisting clients to comply with corporate governance codes and routinely advising on directors’ fiduciary and legal responsibilities.
We help move businesses from mere ideas to established entities by assisting in establishing companies and other corporate entities in Nigeria. Additionally, we assist with convening Board and shareholders meetings and provide secretarial services there.
f. Start-ups Advisory
Start-ups are on the rise in Nigeria. And despite their differences (i.e. in ideas and industries), one thing remains common; they are all set to play in a highly regulated business environment. Consequently, there is a need to access sound and creative legal guidance in either coming into existence.
Our start-up advisory team routinely assists Nigerian and foreign entrepreneurs as well as venture capitalists and other emerging growth-related companies with services such as corporate formations, various stages of funding and financing advisory, due diligence, listing consideration, full intellectual property (IP) advisory and IP registrations, mergers and acquisitions. We provide client-centric strategies and solutions to address our start-up clients’ needs. Our sole aim is to ensure our clients maximise the opportunities and potentials within the Nigerian business space.
5. Shipping, International Trade & Investment Group
The Nigerian trade Regulatory environment remains a complex one for local players talk less foreign participants. Consequently, these participants need expert legal and regulatory guidance to thrive. Our Shipping, International Trade & Investment team provides this guidance, particularly in contentious or non-contentious, Trade Foreign/Local Investment or Divestment issues. We advise on corporate or regulatory matters and legal matters concerning operational/transactional matters relating to charter-parties, bills of lading, corporate structures for ship ownership and joint ventures, management agreements, flag and operation registrations, employment, port & logistics, ship finance and lease, ship sale and purchase, ship mortgage registrations, ship recycling, crude oil and commodities trading, trade finance, international sales, documentary credit, freight
forwarding advisory, marine insurance, marine casualties, pollution, piracy, ship arrest and release, Nigerian Cabotage trade and the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act 2010.
We help our clients manage the risks and maximise rewards within the Nigeria business space and regarding cross-border transactions. Our representative range includes owners, charterers, shipyards, insurers, protection and indemnity (P&I) clubs, financiers, international agencies, brokers, offshore and marine companies, port and terminal operators/promoters, petroleum marketing and distribution companies, commodity trading houses and trade associations.
6. Labour/Employment & Immigration Group
We advise on compliance with Immigration and Labour Laws and Regulations. Our Labour/Employment & Immigration team routinely receive instructions from foreign clients for guidance on immigration. We leverage our in-depth knowledge and expertise in Nigerian Immigration Law and Practice and advise our Clients on the Law’s provisions. Also, we assist them in obtaining Immigration facilities (Permits, Quotas, Visas, etc.) required for their operations in Nigeria.
With our labour law and practice expertise, we render innovative advisory services to clients on a broad range of labour/employment issues,
including trade union regulations, private sector pension schemes and retirement benefits; staff negotiations, employment contracts and employment protection, high-level management and workforce terminations, consultancy arrangements, employee share schemes, secondment arrangements, wages, outsourcing, pensions, independent contractors, and health and safety compliance.
Our Labour/Employment & Immigration team collaborates with our Shipping, International Trade & Investment as well as the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission [NIPC] to support our clients in their Investment and Divestment endeavours.
7. Personal Legal Advisory Group
We routinely advise on matters concerning Family and Matrimonial Law, including but not limited to Wills, Trusts, Bereavement & Probate, Personal Estate, divorce and general matrimonial causes, including but not limited to child custody.
Our expertise also extends to providing legal advisory on matters relating to Personal Injury. We advise on the entirety of the probate process, including asset and liability identification and valuation of, completion of all necessary Probate forms. Suppose wills or the intestacy rules are contested, F.A. Garrick & Co has experience in advising the estate or the beneficiaries who wish to claim against the estate.