Oluwatimilehin Akingbenro Ogunyemi

Core practice areas

Corporate & Commercial Law
Banking & Finance
Tax
Regulatory Compliance
Corporate Governance
Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Fintech
Immigration Law

Associations

Nigerian Bar Association

Biography

Oluwatimilehin is the Founding and Managing Partner of Timi Ogunyemi & Co. He is a corporate and commercial lawyer with experience spanning banking and finance, regulatory compliance, dispute resolution, taxation, corporate governance, fintech, commercial transactions, and immigration law.

He has advised financial institutions, companies, entrepreneurs, and individuals on commercial transactions, contractual arrangements, regulatory obligations, corporate governance, legal risk, and dispute resolution. His transactional experience includes drafting, reviewing, and negotiating a broad range of commercial agreements and advising clients on the legal and regulatory implications of their business relationships.

Oluwatimilehin has also handled complex banking and financial-services matters involving litigation, arbitration, court orders, account restrictions, regulatory investigations, and claims arising from banking relationships. His experience includes working with internal business teams, regulators, external counsel, and other stakeholders to identify legal risks and develop commercially practical solutions.

His corporate and commercial practice is complemented by experience in regulatory compliance, fintech, taxation, and U.S. immigration law. He has worked on immigration matters involving VAWA self-petitions, T Visas, U Visas, Forms I-360 and I-485, including the preparation of detailed legal arguments and responses to Requests for Evidence.

He brings a commercially focused approach to legal practice, combining careful legal analysis with an understanding of the commercial, regulatory, and operational considerations affecting clients.

Relevant experience

Agribusiness

Advised Hardan Farms Limited on its incorporation and corporate structuring, including the establishment of an appropriate legal and operational framework for its agribusiness activities.
Advised Hardan Farms Limited on business acquisitions and expansion initiatives, including legal due diligence, transaction structuring and associated contractual considerations.
Advised Hardan Farms Limited on the development of its business and investment model, including ownership structures, investor participation and commercial arrangements.
Advised Hardan Farms Limited on equity and debt financing arrangements, including the legal and corporate considerations associated with raising capital for its operations and expansion.
Serves as General Counsel to Hardan Farms Limited, providing continuing advice on corporate governance, commercial transactions, regulatory compliance, contracts, financing and general business operations.

Sports, Entertainment & Media

Advised We-Fly Records on its incorporation, corporate structuring and establishment as a music and entertainment business.
Advised We-Fly Records on music rights and ownership arrangements, including master recording rights and the allocation of rights between artistes, producers and other contributors.
Drafted and advised on Split Sheet Agreements documenting songwriting, production and ownership interests in musical works.
Advises on the ownership and exploitation of masters, copyrights, royalties and other intellectual property rights arising from music production and distribution.
Serves as an Advisor and General Counsel to We-Fly Records, providing continuing legal support on commercial agreements, intellectual property, artiste and producer arrangements, corporate matters and the record label's business operations.

Immigration Law

Worked with a United States immigration law firm on U.S. immigration matters, with particular responsibility for preparing substantive responses to Requests for Evidence (RFEs) issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Prepared detailed legal arguments and evidentiary analyses in immigration matters involving VAWA self-petitions, T Visas, U Visas, Forms I-360 and I-485, among other immigration matters.
Reviewed applicant declarations, supporting documentation, psychological evaluations, letters of support and other evidence to develop legally supported responses addressing USCIS concerns.
Contributed to immigration matters resulting in clients obtaining immigration benefits, including lawful permanent resident status, subject to USCIS adjudication.

Tax Advisory

Advised multinational corporations and other businesses on Nigerian federal and state tax matters, including corporate tax obligations, transaction-related tax considerations and regulatory compliance.
Assisted clients with tax audits and investigations, including reviewing tax assessments, reconciling potential liabilities, preparing responses to queries and supporting engagements with relevant tax authorities.
Advised on corporate income tax, withholding tax, value added tax, capital gains tax, stamp duties and other applicable federal and state taxes.
Conducted tax reviews and compliance assessments to identify potential exposures and advise businesses on appropriate remedial and compliance measures.
Advised on the tax implications of commercial transactions, corporate restructuring, investments, financing arrangements and contractual relationships.
Assisted clients in responding to tax assessments, queries and information requests and in resolving disputes arising from tax audits and assessments.
Engaged with relevant tax and regulatory authorities, including the Nigeria Revenue Service, on behalf of corporate clients in connection with tax compliance, audits, assessments and related matters.

Banking & Finance / Dispute Resolution

Has substantial experience advising within the banking and financial services sector, including acting as a litigation and legal officer on complex banking, commercial and regulatory matters.
Managed and advised on high-value banking litigation, including claims involving account restrictions, disputed transactions, customer claims, garnishee proceedings and enforcement matters.
Reviewed and advised on court orders, garnishee orders, freezing and restriction directives, law-enforcement requests and other judicial and regulatory processes affecting customer accounts and banking operations.
Advised on matters involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other regulatory and law-enforcement authorities, including account restrictions, investigations and recovery matters.
Worked with external counsel in managing litigation and arbitration matters, including reviewing pleadings, developing case strategy, monitoring proceedings and advising internal stakeholders on litigation exposure.
Provided legal advice to business and operational teams on contractual, regulatory and operational risks, including the interpretation and implementation of legal and regulatory requirements.
Drafted, reviewed and negotiated commercial agreements, legal correspondence, settlement documentation, advisory memoranda and other transaction documents.
Advised on the management and mitigation of legal, regulatory, reputational and financial risks arising from banking operations and commercial relationships.

Corporate Governance & Company Secretarial

Has served as Company Secretary and corporate governance adviser to companies and other business organisations, providing continuing advice on corporate governance, statutory compliance and board matters.
Serves as Company Secretary and/or corporate adviser to businesses including Nurture Capital Limited and Rashfiz Global Enterprise.
Advises boards and management on corporate governance, directors' duties, statutory obligations, corporate decision-making and regulatory compliance.
Prepares and reviews board and shareholders' resolutions, notices, minutes, corporate approvals and other company-secretarial documentation.
Advises on shareholding structures, equity arrangements, corporate restructuring, share transfers and other ownership-related matters.
Advises on compliance with applicable Corporate Affairs Commission requirements and other corporate regulatory obligations.
Advised Rashfiz Global Enterprise in connection with a ₦1 billion mortgage transaction with MKH Properties Limited, including the review of the transaction structure, contractual documentation and associated legal and commercial considerations.
Advises companies on multi-million-naira commercial transactions, including financing, investments, acquisitions, property transactions and other strategic business arrangements.

Corporate & Commercial

Advises companies, entrepreneurs and investors on a broad range of corporate and commercial transactions, from business formation and structuring through financing, acquisitions, commercial contracting and ongoing operations.
Drafts, reviews and negotiates Shareholders' Agreements, Share Purchase Agreements, Service Level Agreements, Non-Disclosure Agreements, Memoranda of Understanding, Vendor Agreements, Vending Agreements, employment agreements and other commercial contracts.
Advises on business acquisitions, corporate restructuring, equity investments, debt financing, commercial partnerships and strategic transactions.
Advises clients on contractual risk allocation, including representations and warranties, indemnities, limitation of liability, confidentiality, default, termination, force majeure and dispute-resolution provisions.
Provides continuing General Counsel services to businesses across multiple sectors, supporting management on transactions, contracts, regulatory compliance, corporate governance and legal-risk management.