Lugard Tare-Otu

Lugard Tare-Otu leads the Firm’s Energy, Natural Resources & Environmental Protection Practice Group. He is also a member of the Firm’s Dispute Resolution Practice Group. He is a passionate, cerebral and experienced legal practitioner with cognate experience and competence in Energy & Natural Resources, Oil Spill Disputes & Tortious Hydrocarbon Environmental Law, Commercial Litigation, Corporate & Commercial Law, and Projects & Infrastructure.

He previously served, from 2014 to 2016, as Special Assistant to the Honourable Commissioner of Trade, Industry & Investment of Bayelsa State, working as part of the team that led and coordinated the trade, industry, and investment portfolios of the Bayelsa State Government.

His broad base of industry-sector experience has enabled him to previously advise many clients and represent them on notable and complex matters, in all the superior courts of record in Nigeria.

Some of the most notable cases he has previously worked on include:

• Acted as lead counsel in the successful defence of a multinational oil company in 5 lawsuits at the Federal High Court, involving claims for damages in excess of about N2b, following major oil spills in some communities in Rivers State.
• The successful defence of a multinational oil company in a suit involving a claim for damages arising out of an allegation of trespass to land.
• Successful defence of a multinational oil servicing, engineering and construction company in 2 multimillion Naira law suits arising from claims for title and trespass to land, and trespass to chattels respectively.
• Successful defence of a multinational petrochemical company in a suit at the National Industrial Court, involving a multimillion Naira claim for compensation arising from allegations of wrongful termination of employment.
• Successful defence of a multinational oil company in a suit instituted by an oil and gas host community seeking to enforce the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the corporate social responsibilities of the company in the community.
• Advised a major indigenous oil and gas company in Nigeria on all aspects of insurance to be undertaken on an oil-drilling field.
• Acted as transaction team member in proffering advice to a State Government in Nigeria for the development of a Rail Project.
• Acted as transaction team member in proffering advice to a company for the development of a major residential Golf Estate in Rivers State, the value of the project estimated at circa N3billion.

Education

• 2010 – Nigerian Law School (BL)
• 2009 – University of Lagos (LL.B.)

Career

• 2019 – 2022 – Assangha Tare-Otu:
  • • Partner
• 2013 – 2019 – Solola & Akpana (Barristers & Solicitors):
  • • Senior Associate
    • Associate
• 2014 – 2016 – Government of Bayelsa State:
  • • Special Assistant to the Hon Commissioner on Trade, Industry & Investment
• 2011 – 2013 – Matrix Solicitors:
  • • Associate
• 2011 – Sytnegral Solicitors:
  • • Associate
• 2010 – 2011 – Legal Aid Council of Nigeria:
  • • Legal Counsel (NYSC)

Affiliation

• Nigerian Bar Association

Hobbies

When Lugard is not practicing law, he is involved in public and community service, traveling, reading, and watching football games.