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Chief Legal Officer, Oando PLC, Efuntomi Akpeneye, has said that corporate lawyers must understand business as well as they understand the law if they are to become trusted advisers capable of shaping commercial outcomes. She said this recently during Law Ladies Day 2026 hosted by the University of Lagos where she served as a panelist for the “Mastering the Matrix: Strategies for Women Rising in Corporate Spaces” session.
Speaking on preparing for high-stakes meetings, negotiations and presentations, Akpeneye stressed that credibility is established long before entering the meeting room.
She explained that preparation begins with developing a deep understanding of the business, noting that corporate lawyers must go beyond interpreting legal provisions to become trusted business partners capable of delivering commercially sound solutions. “As a corporate lawyer, you’re not just a legal adviser, you’re a business partner. Businesses exist to achieve their objectives, and our role is to provide practical solutions within the framework of the law,” she said.
Drawing from her own career, Akpeneye recalled visiting offshore rigs and operational sites to gain first-hand insight into the energy business. Understanding industry operations and technical terminology, she noted, enabled her to provide more practical legal advice, engage more effectively with business teams and build trust across multidisciplinary functions. She said that successful negotiations are built on creating value for all parties, rather than simply securing a favourable outcome.
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“You can’t win every negotiation. If the other party doesn’t feel they’ve gained something too, you may think you’ve won, but you’ve probably negotiated an agreement that won’t work in the long term,” she said.
On professional integrity, Akpeneye urged participants to prioritise accuracy over immediacy, explaining that credibility is strengthened by honest and sound judgement. “If you don’t know the answer, say so. Take the time to verify the facts and come back with the right advice, because business decisions are made based on the guidance you provide,” she said.
Other panelists also underscored the importance of preparation, consistency and excellence in building successful careers. Sharing lessons from her own career, Amina Oyagbola, founder, WISCAR, encouraged participants to embrace every opportunity, noting that “If you are a star, a star cannot be hidden. It will shine through by dint of your hard work, your preparation, your diligence and your dependability.” Echoing this, Tolu Alero Ladipo, Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, UBA Group, reminded participants that “In whatever you do, do it excellently. People are always watching, and excellence never goes unnoticed.”
