Benjamin Amans Email & Phone Number

Lagos, Nigeria

Lagos, Nigeria

Supervising Attorney, Enterprise, Projects and Infrastructure (EPI) team, which handles energy infrastructure transactions and advisory engagements including corporate M&A, debt and project finance, capital markets, asset transactions, joint ventures and other commercial arrangements. My work comprises:Coordinating team members and the work flow;Advising sponsors through the life cycle of a project, spanning project development, financing, construction, commercial operation and transfer;Providing legal services and support to the entire value chain spanning the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors, power distribution and generation sectors, transportation sectors, inter alia;Keeping abreast of legislative changes/regulatory amendments, ensuring clients' compliance with regulations pertinent to their businesses and mitigating the impact of complex regulatory regimes on clients' day-to-day operations and transactions;Structuring, negotiating and documenting agreements pertinent to project delivery and financing transactions;Advising lenders, lead arrangers and other institutional investors in limited recourse financings and structured financing options in respect of infrastructure asset classes comprising energy, transport, power, telecoms, etc.;Lending support to the Dispute Resolution teams in matters relating to disputes arising from the oil & gas and powers sectors, project construction and operation, intellectual property matters or aviation liability.

Abuja Municipal, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria

I provided legal services in respect of :1. intellectual property (IP) rights acquisition, commercialization and enforcement;2. delivery and financing of off-grid energy and infrastructure projects;3. data privacy matters;4. corporate restructuring;5. structuring and documenting strategic commercial arrangements such as joint ventures and collaborations;6. voluntary insolvency proceedings; 7. business risk assessment and management;8. regulatory and compliance issues; and9. company secretarial duties.Significant experience:Structuring and negotiating a cross-border joint development arrangement; andAdvising a multinational solar home energy solutions provider in a multi-million dollar cross-border secured credit transaction, which involved valuation and securitization of the company's IP estate.Advised an agricultural research institute in one of Nigeria's largest universities on the fortification of sustainable food systems through geographic indications.

Abuja Municipal, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria

Head of the firm's Abuja office and team lead, Intellectual Property (IP) and Technology; oversaw and coordinated all Abuja operations. Project related experience:1. member of the legal team that advised the sponsors of the Ariaria Market power project under a PPP arrangement throughout the life cycle of the project spanning project initiation, financing, construction and commercial operation; 2. member of the legal team that advised the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) on the deployment of off-grid power solution in economic clusters across Nigeria under the Energizing Economies Initiative (EEI); 3. advised the largest solar photovoltaic power solutions provider in Nigeria at the time on the equity investment by NEoT Offgrid Africa; 4. advised the sponsors/investors of the 18MW Blue Line Independent Power Project; and5. liaised with NERC officials on regulatory issues.IP-related experience:1. advised a media production company in its procurement of publishing rights and master recording rights from Universal Music publishing Co. and Sony Music respectively, in respect of a popular R&B record by R. Kelly;2. advised on a cross-border technology transfer agreement;3. managed clients' IP portfolio;4. advised a media production company on a film co-production deal and a reality TV project;5. handled cease-and-desist communications and prepared defence to trademark opposition;6. advised on IP commercialization via licensing, joint ventures and other commercial arrangements;7. procured trademark certificates, copyright notifications and strategic non-disclosure agreements for trade secret protection;8. conducted IP due diligence, landscape searches, patentability and freedom to operate analyses; and 9. advised a cosmetic startup that employed the use of biotechnology for the discovery, development and production of components for cosmetic formulations, as well as improvement of existing prior art.

Abuja Municipal, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria

I was the team lead on intellectual property (IP) and I regularly advised on matters which included:IP rights protection (including procurement of trademark and patent certificates, copyright notification and trade secret protection via non-disclosure and non-circumvention agreements) and enforcement;IP due diligence exercises;IP portfolio management - Audit, valuation and commercialization of clients' IP estate (including assignment/sale and acquisition of IP assets;Freedom to operate and patentability analyses;Landscape searches;Structuring, negotiating and documenting IP and technology agreements and strategic commercial arrangements;Patent counselling;Deals pertinent to publishing rights, recording rights and performing rights; andData privacy.I also advised on:Business risk assessment and management;Company formation, organization/restructuring of corporate entities, shareholders' rights, voluntary dissolution, etc;Regulation and compliance; andI kept abreast of trends and regulatory developments pertinent to clients' businesses and making recommendations or advising clients on implications.Engaged regulators on regulatory and business concerns.Conducted research and due diligence investigations.Negotiated and prepared documented strategic arrangements and alliances such as joint ventures, collaborations, technology transfer, etc.

Abuja Municipal, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria

My responsibilities included:Providing full spectrum of company secretarial services, including planning and scheduling meetings, keeping company records, taking minutes, etc;Reviewing (and drafting, where required) legal documents, corporate/organizational documents and miscellaneous documentation; Handling regulatory and compliance issues; General legal advisory in relation to the company's business/operations;Assisting with implementation of governance operating model and internal controls;Enterprise risk assessment and management;Conducting research and due diligence investigations; andConducting competitive intelligence.

Bachelor Of Laws - Llb, Law

Education record