The rank of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria is usually conferred on individuals who have achieved great distinction over a decade as a legal Practitioner in Nigeria, it’s one which is considered the highest form of honor a legal Practitioner can ever attain hence the reasons why those who carries the title are much respected in the society.
Chief Philip Ndubuisi Umeh joins the rank of the silk community in Nigeria, his years of brilliance and immeasurable contributions to the legal system in Nigeria earns him a top spot among the league of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
Based on his illustrious career as a legal Practitioner in Nigeria, it’s indeed a motivation for many aspiring lawyers in Nigeria to borrow a leaf from this legal giant who has overcome the hurdle placed before an applicant for the rank, one which is more than just an evaluation of professional competence.
Chief Philip Ndubuisi Umeh no doubt is an astute Legal Practitioner of international repute,a community leader and a philanthropist. He was born on the 26th of July 1969 in Ogbette, Coal Camp, Enugu State. He was admitted to read law at he prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsuka, Enugu State in 1976 where he dead low in this great citadel of learning.
After the completion of his university education, he proceeded to the Nigerian Law School, Lagos for his Barrister at Law training and was called to bar, enrolled as a solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1981.
Chief Philip Ndubuisi Umeh belongs to two notable professional associations, namely, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the International Bar Association (IBA). He has served in different capacities in these associations with remarkable successes.
(a) He served as 2nd Assistant National Secretary and member of the National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) between 1982 and 1984.
(b) Between 1984 and 1986, Chief Umeh was the 1st Assistant National Secretary and member National Executive Committee of the NBA.
(c) He was the National Executive Member of the Nigerian Bar Association between 1989 and 1990.
(d) In 2002, he was conferred with the privilege of lifetime member of the National Executive Committee, NBA.
(e) He was the General Secretary and a National Executive Member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) between 2000 and 2002.
(f) In recognition of his meritorious service to the Bar between 2000 and 2002 when he was the NBA General Secretary Administration, he was honoured with the General Secretary’s Medal of Service.
(g) He has received several awards and recognitions from various branches of the NBA, for meritorious services as General Secretary. Some of these awards and recognitions came from Aguata Branch, Anaocha Branch, Eket Branch, Lagos Branch, Oji River Branch of the NBA.
(h) He was appointed as a member of the Business Recovery & Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria (BRIPAN) on 11th November, 2020.
(i) He is also a member of the Section of Business Law of the IBA.
Also Chief Umeh has over the years held several appointments and has creditably discharged the responsibilities of the offices entrusted in him. The following are some of these appointments:
(a) He was appointed a Notary Public by the Chief Justice of Nigeria in December, 1988.
(b) He was a Director of First Aluminium Nigeria Plc, between 1989 and December, 2004.
(c) Director of Aluminium City Limited, 1996 –December, 2004.
(d) Member, Audit Committee of First Aluminium Nigeria Plc.
(e) Director, Noriz International Company Ltd (Current).
(f) Director, Noriz Nominees Nig. Ltd. (Current).
(g) Member – Governing Council of the Legal AID Council – 1985 – 1990 and 2000– 2002, respectively representing – 1st the interest of the Federal Government and later interest of the Nigerian Bar Association.
(h) Appointed as a member of the Management Committee of Wetland Cultural & Education Foundation, Lagos.
(i) Appointed to the Board of Patrons of Helmbridge Study Centre, Lagos.
(j) Appointed as member of the Board of Trustees of Chelsea University, Abuja.
(k) Appointed member of the Body of Benchers in Nigeria on 21st February, 2003.
In additions to several value additions that Chief Philip Ndubuisi Umeh has made to the development of the law, in many law and law-related conferences that he has attended, he has, over the years, made very major contributions to legal scholarship. Some of his contributions include the following:
a. Case flow Management and The Role Of The Bar Association – paper presented at the Law Week 2002, Nigerian Bar Association, Abuja Branch at Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Abuja.
b. Strengthening Nigeria’s Nascent Democracy Through The Rule of Law – Paper presented at the Catholic Secretariat Forum, Victoria Island,
– February 2003 edition, Lagos State.
c. The Development And Sustenance Of A Dynamic And Virile Bar In Nigeria – Article published in BAR PERSPECTIVES (Special Edition – Newsletter of the Nigerian Bar Association) Vol. 1 No.5 at pages 44 -45.
d. Separation of Power – Promoting conflicts or co-operations – Nigerian Experience; – Paper presented at the Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference at Enugu, Enugu State in August,2003.
e. Right to Personal Liberty; The Public Law Perspective.
f. Investing in Youth Development – Our Future Hope.
g. Paper: Your Personality of the Week – (Published in Thisday newspaper).
h. Several National Newspaper articles and interviews on Legal and topical,
legal/social issues in Nigeria and worldwide, published in Thisday, The Guardian and The Sun newspapers at different times since 2000.
i. Impact of Cybercrimes in Nigeria: Unveiling the Cybercrimes Act 2015-
paper delivered at NBA Annual General Conference, Abuja on 25th
August, 2015
j. The Relationship of Landlord And Tenant – delivered at the
Helmbridge Study Centre, Surulere, Lagos State in July, 2019.
