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Practice Profile
Admitted as a solicitor in England 2007 (Non-Practising)
Called to the Nigerian Bar 2014
Abimbola was called to the Bar in England and Wales on 25th November 1993. He is called to the Nigerian Bar where he was admitted as a Solicitor and Barrister of the Supreme Court of Nigeria on 26th November 2014.
Abimbola returned to independent practice at the Bar in July 2009 having worked in local government and for leading firms of solicitors between 1993 and 2008. His expertise is in the following areas of work:
Family Law
Abimbola has a growing family law practice encompassing areas such as Private and Public Law Children Act Proceedings, International Child Abduction, Cross Border Adoptions, TOLATA Claims, Financial Remedy Proceedings and Family Law Act Claims.
Abimbola acts on behalf of local authorities, parents and children in Public Law proceedings.
Nigerian Law
Abimbola’s Nigerian Law practice includes advice and assistance on aspects of Nigerian Law that impact on litigation in the United Kingdom. He provides expert advice to courts and individuals on Nigerian Succession Law, Nigerian Property Law, Nigerian Family Law and Nigerian Child Rights Law. He has provided written and oral expert evidence in County Court and High Court Proceedings in England. Abimbola gave expert evidence in reported cases of W v The Secretary of State for the Home Department [2017] EWHC 1733 (Fam) and ELO v CLO (recognition of a Nigerian Adoption Order)[2017] EWHC 3574 (Fam)
Abimbola also advises local authorities in England that are contemplating placing children in Nigeria on aspects of Nigerian Child Rights Law and represented the interests of one authority in proceedings issued in Nigeria to regularise the placement of a child in Nigeria.
On the 11th May 2018 Abimbola in conjunction with lawyers based in
Nigeria obtained a Guardianship Order in Nigeria in respect of a child
placed in Nigeria by the Central Family Court in England. The High Court in Lagos,
Nigeria granted a guardianship order to the special guardians who had been
appointed to care for a child in care proceedings concluded by the courts in
England. The special guardians reside in Nigeria and a Nigerian Guardianship
Order was required to regularise the child’s placement in Nigeria.
Other aspects of Nigerian Law in respect of which Abimbola has provided expert evidence in court proceedings and to local authorities include:
- Advice on the impact of Nigerian Tax Law on personal injury damages awarded in the UK
- Advice on the applicable law to prevent FGM in Nigeria
- Advice on the validity of divorce proceedings commenced in Nigeria
- Advice on the validity of marriages contracted in Nigeria
- Advice on the validity of a customary divorce in Nigeria
- Advice on the validity of Nigerian orders in International Child Abduction proceedings commenced in England
- Advice on the placement options in Nigeria in respect of care proceedings commenced in England
- Advice on the enforcement of UK court orders in Nigeria (in particular, child arrangement orders, care orders and orders made in child abduction proceedings)
- Advice on the validity of adoption orders granted
in various states of Nigeria including Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Edo, Imo, Abia
and Anambra State
Property, Landlord and Tenant Law
Abimbola has a keen interest in property and landlord and tenant law. He has acted in real properly law disputes and in landlord and tenants cases such as lease renewals, forfeiture claims and claims for possession on various grounds. In terms of real property law Abimbola has acted in mortgage possession claims and claims involving trusts of land.
Professional Regulations
Abimbola has considerable experience of professional regulation work and has seen the work from the perspective of the regulator and the professional. Between 1st January 2003 and 31st December 2012, Abimbola was member of the Disciplinary and Regulatory Committees of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. He was appointed Deputy Chairman in 2007 and served in that capacity until December 2012. Abimbola regularly represents Accountants and other professionals facing regulatory or disciplinary proceeding before their professional bodies.
General Common Law
Abimbola values and enjoys his role as a general common lawyer. He advises and represents clients mainly in contractual disputes.
Notable Cases
EK (A Child) [2020] EWFC 25 The first care case conducted remotely in the first week of lockdown
Alokozay and Alokozay FZE v Salman Alokozay and Najebullah Alokozay [2019] EWHC 1133 (Ch). Dismissal of high value trust of land claim at pre-trial review stage
Hounslow LBC v Cumar [2012] EWCA Civ 1426
Camden LBC v Stafford [2012] EWCA Civ 839; [2012] 4 All E.R. 180; [2012] H.L.R. 39; [2012] 26 E.G. 97 (C.S.); [2012] 2 P. & C.R. DG13; Times, September 6, 2012;
R. (on the application of Gebremarium) v Westminster City Council [2009] EWHC2254 (Admin)Islington LBC v Reeves [1997] C.L.Y. 2715
Languages
Yoruba
Appointments, Memberships and Affiliations
Committee Member Disciplinary and Regulatory Committees of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (2003-2007)
Deputy Chairman of the Disciplinary and Regulatory Committees of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (2007-2012)
Membership Secretary British Nigeria Law Forum (2010-2017)
Vice Chair British Nigeria Law Forum 2015-2017
Abimbola is qualified to accept cases under the Direct Public Access to Barristers scheme.
