The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has disbarred Adekunbi Ogunde, an ex-partner at Wole Olanipekun & Co. over a scandalous email she wrote while at the firm.
LPDC took the decision on Thursday after coming to the conclusion that Ogunde violated the Nigeria Bar Association’s (NBA) code of conduct by soliciting brief on a matter another law firm was handling.
After investigating for nearly two years, the committee concluded that in writing to Saipem Oil Ltd, an international oil company engaged in a dispute with Rivers State Government at the time, Ogunde ran foul of Rule 1 of professional conduct as the case was already being handled by Okeke & Ajumogobia.
John Aikpokpo-Martins, NBA Vice President 1 at the time, had petitioned the LPDC on behalf of the NBA on July 19, 2022, stating that the association was surprised by Ogunde’s letter to Saipem asking to take over the case.
FIJ has obtained a copy of the letter Ogunde sent to Caio Francesco, CEO of Saipem at the time, on Monday, June 20, 2022. Also copied in this email were Puliti Allesandro, then General Manager and current company CEO, and Chini Simone, the company’s general counsel.
