Senior Associate 1 (Dispute Resolution and Litigation) at Domeo Resources International (DRI)

Job Summary

• The Senior Associate for Dispute Resolution and Litigation is the firm's specialist in contentious matters-leading all arbitration proceedings, commercial litigation, and dispute resolution mandates under the direct supervision and alongside the Founder and Chair.
• This role exists because disputes arise from every service line the firm operates. Each of these requires a practitioner with the skills to run proceedings from pleadings through to award or judgment, and appeals. That is this role.
• Junior Associate 1 reports to and is developed by this Senior Associate, creating a two-person Dispute Resolution team capable of running concurrent matters.

Responsibilities
Dispute Resolution Practice:

• Lead all arbitration proceedings-domestic and international-before the various Courts of Arbitration, the Respective Multi-Door Courthouses, and any other arbitral tribunal
• Conduct commercial litigation proceedings before the Federal High Court of Nigeria, State High Courts, and other all courts of superior record on behalf of the firm's clients
• Advise clients on dispute strategy-whether to litigate, arbitrate, mediate, or pursue structured negotiation
• Lead all dispute mandates and proceedings under the Founder and Chair's supervision
• Draft all court processes from the trial court (Statement of Claim, Originating Summons,etc.,Affidavits, written addresses) to appellate courts (Notice of Appeal, Brief of Arguments, etc.)
• Carry out in-depth legal research and draft legal opinions.
• Handle enforcement of judgments and foreign arbitral awards in Nigeria, recognition proceedings under the New York Convention 1958 and the Arbitration and Mediation Act 2023
• Conduct pre-litigation advisory, demand letters, negotiation strategy, without-prejudice communications, and settlement structuring

Team and Matter Management:

• Supervise, train, and develop Junior Associate 1-assigning research tasks, reviewing drafted pleadings, providing daily guidance, and conducting monthly development reviews
• Manage the dispute resolution matter pipeline-file management, deadlines, court calendars, and client update schedules
• Draft all pleadings, statements of claim, witness statements, skeleton arguments, and arbitration submissions to a publishable standard
• Prepare clients for hearings, cross-examination, and witness testimony

Experience / Qualifications

• 5 years post-call Nigerian legal practice, with a clear focus on dispute resolution (arbitration and/or commercial litigation)
• Valid current-year Nigerian Bar AssociationPracticingCertificate (mandatory)
• Demonstrable experience conducting litigation and arbitrations-ideally as lead or sole counsel on at least two matters.
• Federal High Court, State High Court experience, Court ofAppeal,and Supreme Court experience.
• Chartered Institute of Arbitrators membership is a strong advantage
• Experience with cross-border disputes and enforcement of foreign awards is a strong advantage

Competencies / Skills:

• Drafting and reviewing legal documents, contracts, and pleadings
• Handling dispute resolution processes (mediation, arbitration, negotiation)
• Litigation management and court procedures knowledge
• Legal research and case law analysis
• Risk assessment and compliance advisory
• Client representation and advocacy in disputes
• Evaluating case merits and litigation strategy
• Monitoring case progress and performance metrics
• Process improvement in dispute resolution workflows
• Behavioural Qualities/Other Competences
• Effective verbal and written communication
• Leadership and mentoring of junior legal staff
• Problem-solving and strategic thinking
• Professionalism and ethical judgment
• Negotiation and conflict management skills
• Attention to detail and accuracy under pressure.