Member Profiles

Olajide Oyewole LLP was established in 1964 and is one of the largest firms in sub-Saharan Africa. Our firm has provided efficient services that are adaptive and tailor-made for our clients. We get straight to the point of the commercial challenges faced by our clients and make it our business to understand their industry, their everyday concerns and their future goals. The Firm aims to deliver an incomparable client experience, and our clients interact with the very best lawyers, who have some of the finest legal minds in the industry, who also possess a refreshingly creative and resourceful approach to work. Olajide Oyewole LLP recently become a member of the DLA Piper Africa Group. DLA Piper is ranked as the world’s number one law firm according to Who’s Who 2016 and Merger Market League Tables. It has also been ranked as the number one “game changer” for the past ten years by the Financial Times. As general counsel, Sandra provides legal services on a multitude of issues to various sectors and industries. In the first 8 years of Sandra’s career, she acquired significant dispute resolution experience at all levels of Nigeria’s judicial system. With the development of her analytical, oratory and drafting skills, Sandra joined Olajide Oyewole and Co.(as it was then named) in 2001 as a partner where she guided the growth of the Firm’s practices in advertising, brand protection, broadcasting, employment, entertainment, estate planning, hospitality, immigration, information technology, intellectual property, media and sports. Sandra has in depth knowledge of Nigeria’s creative and innovative industries, regularly structuring deals and providing legal and regulatory advice. Sandra is often invited to speak at seminars and workshops in and outside Nigeria on matters pertaining to chain of title, intellectual property and Nigeria’s creative industry. She has a number of articles published and is committed to the strengthening of Nigeria’s anti-piracy and intellectual property laws and policies.

Kunle Adegbite is the founder and Managing Partner of the practice. He is an astute negotiator and resourceful manager of high repute. His banking experience stands him out in finance related transactions both domestic and multinational. He cuts a clear niche in concluding multi billion naira real estate, finance and insolvency transactions.

Marianne H. Dragsten is head of Synch’s department of public procurement. Marianne is one of Norway’s leading experts on public procurement and has worked in this field since 2000. She is a board member of the Norwegian Complaints Board for Public Procurement (KOFA) and has work experience from the Attorney General. Through her literary works consisting of several publications, she has acquired a unique knowledge of the government procurement regulations. Marianne is known to have a practical approach to these regulations and her focus is to find effective and suitable solutions. She assists both public and private clients in all phases of the procurement process. In addition to legal advice in this field, Marianne also has extensive experience with operational assistance in procurement. She has conducted dozens of procurements for a number of municipalities and other public entities. This includes everything from service procurement such as consulting services, trade services, etc., to product procurement and construction procurement. Marianne is a renowned lecturer in public procurement and holds courses run by Nohr-Con and the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities.

Dr. K. Olsen Global Tax has specialized within international taxation and have 39 years of experience within the tax field. The company advises multinational corporations and expats worldwide on all tax issues like Transfer Pricing, tax planning, global tax risk management, tax review subsidiaries, tax treaties, support on tax inspections and tax appeals etc. See www.knutolsen.com for further information.

Syed Ali Bin Maaz is recognised as a leading lawyer in the Pakistan aviation sector having in-depth experience and knowledge in the practice area. Ali has extensive experience working on corporate and commercial matters, with a strong focus on aviation finance, mergers and acquisitions, project finance, and financial market transactions. In addition to his experience in the corporate field, Ali also advises in commercial dispute resolution matters and appears before the courts in Pakistan. Ali has in the past and continues to advise clients in many landmark hydel, wind, coal and fuel based power projects and has also assisted the government entities in developing legislation relating to the power sector. Having unrivalled experience in aviation finance, corporate and regulatory matters, along with extensive insight of the energy and aviation market and his relationship with the prominent stakeholders, Ali ensures that the client’s objectives are achieved in a strategic, efficient and commercially viable manner. Ali acts for major clients most notably in the energy and natural resources and financial sectors. He provides specialist advice in relation to aircraft leasing and aviation financing and has consistently advised all major foreign aircraft owners, lessors and creditors leasing or selling aircraft or aircraft engines in the Pakistani aviation market. He also routinely advises power sector entities in negotiations of project documents, including fuel supply agreements and power purchase contracts. Ali has consistently been involved with power projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.  Due to his exceptional diligence and industry, Ali is recognised as ‘Highly Regarded’ in Banking and M&A by IFLR; is a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ by Legal 500; is recognized in top tiers in Corporate Commercial, Projects, Infrastructure and Energy in AsiaLaw and Chambers & Partners. Ali has been an integral part for the firm’s recognition and award as the winner of the ‘National Law Firm of the Year’ by IFLR Asia-Pacific Awards in 2022 and as the winner of ‘Pakistan Firm of the Year’ by AsiaLaw Awards in 2020 and 2022. Education LL.B. (Hons), University of London (External Programme), Pakistan Bar Vocational Course, University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom Called to the Bar (Lincoln’s Inn), United Kingdom M.A. International Relations, University of Karachi, Pakistan Diploma in Islamic Economics and Finance, Centre for Islamic Economics, Pakistan Admission Advocate, High Court of Sindh Member, the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn  Publications/Contributions The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Aviation Law 2020, Pakistan Chapter  Guide on World Drone Regulations published by L2b Aviation, Pakistan Chapter Chambers Energy: Oil and Gas 2022 Global Practice Guide Various articles on Lexology platform