UUBO has enabled me to travel widely and meet fascinating professionals- Yinka Edu

Born to Elder Simeon Moronfol uOlakunri, SAN, and Chief Mrs Olutoyin Olakunri, Africa’s first female chartered accountant, YinkaEdu hails from a family of very successful professional parents, so it should not surprise anyone that she turned out successful in her professional calling too.

Today, Yinka is a Partner in the highly-rated and top-flight law firm, UdoUdoma and Belo-Osagie. She specializes in finance law, having entered the profession when specialization was becoming increasingly important. She has the record of being the first Nigerian lawyer to be ranked Tier 1 in Chambers and Partners, an international legal directory for fintech work, a growing practice area. She was equally named by African Shapers as one of the 60 African Women Experts in Fintech. Additionally, she was named Market Leader and Women Leader by IFLR 1000 and ranked Tier 1 in banking and finance, capital markets, and corporate/commercial practices. She also happened to be the first Chairman of the Capital Market Solicitors Association of Nigeria.

Married to a lawyer like her, Yinka joined UdoUdoma and Belo-Osagie in the late 1990s after she had qualified as a barrister in the UK and was called to the Bar of England and Wales. However, since she could not practice law in Nigeria without having attended the Nigerian Law School, she also had to attend this training institution before she could join UUBO. Explaining her reason for going into the legal profession, she said: ‘‘My father, Elder S.M. Olakunri, SAN, is a distinguished lawyer, and former Chairman of the Body of Benchers. He epitomizes a ‘‘lawyers’ lawyer’ taking the profession and its ethics very seriously. His dedication was so profound that he would type his documents when handling particularly confidential matters. This passion and respect for the profession greatly influenced me. Although I initially pursued a law degree to please him, I soon discovered that I was drawn to the problem-solving aspects of the field’’.

Aside from her father, she says her late mother was another great influence on her life and career. ‘‘My mother, the late Chief Mrs. Toyin Olakunri was an incredible role model professionally and as a mother. She balanced her career and raised seven biological children and many more non-biological ones. As the first female chartered accountant in Africa, she was a banker, industrialist, and boardroom expert. Despite her many roles, she never missed an important event and was always available for advice. Her ability to manage everything inspired me greatly and continues to do so. It keeps me from feeling overwhelmed or sorry for myself as I see how my mother and other pioneering professional women made it work’’, she stressed.

Edu also recognizes her husband as someone that has been of significant influence on her. As a fellow lawyer and litigator, her husband, she says, understands her work and brings a complementary skillset and valuable perspectives.

She revealed that she has had a varied and exciting career at UUBO as she has had the opportunity to travel widely for work and meet fascinating professionals worldwide. She added that her professional life in the firm made her to be involved in significant transactions for well-known companies.

Speaking about her experiences on the job, she noted that there have been many memorable ones. She enthused: ‘‘One that stands out was when as a relatively young lawyer, I was asked to present some unique features we had introduced into the structure of the Total Merger to the senior management of SEC. At that time, such matters were assessed by a large panel of about twenty people across various departments. Although nervous, I was proud to present and secure approval for a new feature I had helped create’’.

She contends that every law firm worth its salt must innovate and be ready to embrace new ideas because standing still means going backwards. Thus, she has been open to exploring budding practice areas for UUBO even as she is always ready to integrate technology and learn from the younger generations. In line with this, she has consequently led the firm’s initiative to support startups and SMES through U-Law. This dedicated legal support service provides tailored advice and tech-based solutions to growth businesses. One of such product is the Compliance Calculator, a tech-based tool that allows MSMEs to assess their compliance with basic legal requirements without needing a lawyer.

And to aspiring female professionals, she proffered this counsel: ‘‘I genuinely believe you can have it although not all at once. You can effectively juggle these aspects of life by recognizing that there are different times and seasons to focus on family, work, or personal well-being. It’s also important to be kind to yourself. If balancing priorities becomes too challenging, it’s okay to consider scaling back.

Yinka Edu, Partner Designate at UDO Udoma and Belo-Osagie