A new full-service commercial law firm, Abe & Asotie LP, has been launched in Lagos, Nigeria, with bold ambitions to transform Africa’s legal landscape. Founded by seasoned legal practitioners Joshua Abe and Theokalus Asotie, the firm officially opened its doors on June 11, 2025, with a mission to deliver high-impact legal solutions and redefine the role of law in business and society.
Strategic Legal Offering Rooted in Diverse Expertise
Operating from the Lagos Court of Arbitration building, Abe & Asotie LP will offer a comprehensive suite of services that includes:
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Dispute resolution (litigation, arbitration, mediation, negotiation)
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Banking and finance
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Energy, oil and gas
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Aviation law
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Intellectual property (IP)
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Shipping and international trade
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Data, privacy and cybersecurity
The firm aims to serve a wide range of clients—from individuals to corporates and nonprofit entities—while leveraging the founders’ combined experience in both private legal practice and corporate in-house roles.
Meet the Founders
Joshua Abe, the firm’s founding partner and head of dispute resolution, began his legal career at top-tier Nigerian firm Aluko & Oyebode, later rising to senior associate before becoming managing partner at CM Advocates. With a track record of representing high-profile clients in complex disputes, Abe brings a depth of experience in both courtrooms and arbitral tribunals.
Theokalus Asotie, managing partner and head of corporate and commercial practice, boasts nearly 15 years of legal experience spanning financial services, corporate finance, international trade, and TMT sectors. He previously worked at AELEX and Rand Merchant Bank, and brings expertise in sectors such as mining, real estate, and healthcare.
A Bold Mission for Africa’s Legal Sector
According to Abe, the launch marks “the first step in fulfilling our passion and dream of building Africa’s biggest and most impactful law firm.” The partners are not only targeting global excellence in legal services but also a broader mission of industry and societal transformation.
A key element of this vision is public legal education, with the firm set to partner with the Build The Next Africa Initiative, co-founded by the partners to raise legal awareness among students, families, and business owners—the continent’s emerging economic drivers.
Not Defined by Practice Areas, But by Problem-Solving
While the firm offers an array of specialized services, Abe emphasizes that Abe & Asotie LP is not narrowly focused on specific practice areas. Instead, it seeks recognition as a solutions-driven firm, committed to resolving complex challenges in ways that benefit clients and shape the legal profession itself.
Talent-Driven Growth and Continental Expansion
The firm’s short-term plan is to build a diversified and resilient practice, anchored by a team of top-tier legal minds. Abe says they are actively recruiting and investing in talent capable of handling sophisticated legal issues across jurisdictions.
“We are open to applications from lawyers and professionals who are passionate, bold, and ready to address legal and societal challenges,” Abe notes.
In the long run, Abe & Asotie LP intends to scale across high-growth African markets, positioning itself as a pan-African legal powerhouse. With a scalable model, unified vision, and robust leadership, the firm is confident in its ability to rise quickly and make an enduring impact.
Setting a New Standard in African Law
As Abe & Asotie LP joins a wave of new-age legal firms emerging across the continent—such as the recently established Cavendrys in Nairobi—its ambitious blueprint signals a new era for legal innovation in Africa.
With a client-centric, mission-driven approach, the firm aspires to become not just a legal practice, but a force for systemic change in Africa’s legal, business, and civic ecosystem.
