Lead Partners:
Chief Chijioke Onyeneke, Esq. LL.B, B.L, LLM (Bristol)
Mr. Onyeneke is a Senior Partner with BCI. He was trained in Nigeria and United Kingdom with a master’s degree in law from the University of Bristol. He is an experienced commercial lawyer with vast experience in Banking, Insurance, Financial Services Regulation, Credit Security and Insolvency. He is actively engaged in commercial arbitration and litigation at all levels. Before joining our firm, he worked with TLT Solicitors, Temple Street Solicitors and NFU Mutual Insurance Company in the United Kingdom. Since joining our team, he has done exceedingly well in debt recoveries, insolvency, international trades and litigation.
Onyekachi Umah, Esq. LL.B, B.L, LL.M, MBA, MCIArb(UK)
Onyekachi Umah is the Managing Partner of Bezaleel Chambers International (BCI). He is an exceptional Legal Practitioner, Arbitrator, Notary Public and International Dispute Resolution Expert with over 14 years of experience in arbitration, civil law, criminal law and human rights. He holds a Master of Laws; a Master of Business Administration. Mr. Umah consults and provides legal services to several national and international organisations. He teaches arbitration at Post Graduate School, Faculty of Law, NSUK and at the SabiLaw Academy.
Among others, Mr. Umah has a certificate in Law of Contract from a program at Harvard University, a certificate in Negotiation from the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, Geneva and a certificate in Conflict Management from the United States Institute of Peace, Washington DC. He is a member of several arbitration groups and associations, including; the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), the Young International Arbitration Group (YIAG) of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), the Institute for Transnational Arbitration under the Center for American and International Law (CAIL) and the “Young ICSID” of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), Washington DC.
Mr. Umah is a member of the Advisory Committee for Law Clinics Partnership, funded by the United States Department of State. He consults for the United Nations on several projects. He has published over Eight Hundred and Twenty (820) legal awareness articles and materials, and delivered over thirty-two public lectures, accessible on www.SabiLaw.org. He has won several honours and awards for his innovative and outstanding legal practice. On September 11 2018, Mr. Umah was featured by a national daily, “This Day Newspaper”, as the Legal Personality of the Week. In December 2023, he was ranked number 28 among Nigeria’s Top 100 Lawyers by LMT Academy.
Christopher Udeajaegbunam, LL.B, B.L
Christopher is called to the Nigerian Bar as a solicitor and barrister of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He has a profound experience and interest in civil and criminal litigation across courts in Nigeria. He represents our clients in several courtroom cases. He is a Partner in our firm and chairs Litigation Unit.
Sir Izuchukwu Unegbu, LL.B, B.L
Izuchukwu is a Partner and the Head of the Business and Government Relations Department at Bezaleel Chambers International (BCI). He is a distinguished legal practitioner, negotiator, arbitrator, mediator and Notary Public with extensive expertise in business law, international trade, investment, banking law, natural resources law, supply chain and logistics management, corporate governance, and public sector compliance. His strategic and results-driven approach to complex legal and commercial matters has established him as a trusted advisor to clients across industries.
Prior to joining Bezaleel Chambers International, Sir. Unegbu served as a Partner at Comfort Solicitors, a commercial law firm renowned for its work in corporate and transactional law. During his tenure, he advised on high-stakes commercial transactions, regulatory compliance, and dispute resolution, further solidifying his expertise in corporate legal practice. In addition to his legal career, Mr. Unegbu is an accomplished businessman and negotiator with a wealth of experience in commercial negotiations, investment advisory, and cross-border trade agreements. His combined proficiency in law and business ensures innovative, practical solutions tailored to client needs.
He is also a notable political figure, and has represented his political party (Labour Party) as its candidate at the 2023 Nigerian general elections for the legislative house. His political engagement reflects his deep commitment to public service, governance, and fostering impactful partnerships between the public and private sectors. As the Head of the Business and Government Relations Department at Bezaleel Chambers International, Mr. Unegbu spearheads initiatives that strengthen the interface between businesses and government agencies. His leadership ensures that clients achieve their strategic goals while maintaining compliance with the highest legal and ethical standards.
The Advisory Board:
Bezaleel Chambers International (BCI) leverages the experiences of select academic dons, court room czars, commercial law experts, researchers, captains of industries, Senior Advocates of Nigeria, leaders, consultants and professionals in other fields from across the globe. The experts, leaders and professionals make up the global advisory board of BCI.
The Consulting Network:
Over time we have built strong relationships, partnerships, friendships and trust with very learned senior lawyers, academic dons, industry giants, specialists, regulators, industry tops and traditional rulers through our Partners and the members of the Advisory Board. Hence, we seek their opinions and guidance on our clients’ emerging, novel and specialised areas of interest. A list of consultants may be provided on request.
The Global Team:
Our strength is in our large networks of committed experts across the globe. BCI has diverse teams of lawyers, arbitrators, notaries public and many other experts who work together towards satisfying our clients, supporting our communities and bettering ourselves.