Oando Plc has brought together law students from six Nigerian universities for its 2025 Legal Seminar, marking the 14th edition of what the company describes as one of its most enduring capacity-building initiatives for young legal professionals.

In a statement released on Friday, the energy company said the mentorship-focused seminar convened students from the University of Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo University, Lagos State University, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Rivers State University and Afe Babalola University. The programme was designed to provide participants with practical, market-relevant insights often missing from conventional legal education.

Themed “The 21st Century Lawyer: Keys to Building a Successful Legal Career,” the seminar featured sessions led by senior practitioners across corporate law, private practice and technology law. Discussions focused on the evolving relationship between law, business and industry in a rapidly changing global environment.

Opening the event, Oando’s Chief Legal Officer, Efuntomi Akpeneye, said the company had intentionally reoriented the seminar towards mentorship to help close the gap between academic training and commercial legal practice.

“We started this seminar to share practical knowledge across legal, energy, tax and finance. Today’s shift to mentorship for students is deliberate. Think like a business partner. Let the client’s pain be your pain. That is how you become indispensable,” she said.

Partner at Banwo & Ighodalo, Stella Duru, urged participants to uphold professionalism and discipline, describing them as critical factors for long-term success in the legal profession. She noted that continuous learning, strong networks and commitment to excellence would shape their career trajectories.

Similarly, Senior Associate at Aluko & Oyebode, Adeleresimi Adeleye, encouraged students to prepare for a more globalised legal marketplace. According to her, specialised expertise, language skills and a clearly defined professional identity are essential for lawyers seeking cross-border relevance.

From an industry perspective, Managing Director of Oando Energy Resources, Ainojie ‘Alex’ Irune, highlighted the value of legal training in commercial settings. He noted that a background in law offers a strategic advantage and urged students to make career decisions that would ensure long-term relevance in an evolving business landscape.

The seminar also addressed the growing influence of artificial intelligence and digital tools on legal practice. Speaking during a session on legal technology, Partner at BOC Legal, Rotimi Ogunyemi, said while AI would significantly reshape legal research and drafting, human judgement would remain indispensable.

“AI will transform aspects of legal work, but it cannot read a room or exercise ethical judgement. Human plus AI will always outperform human alone,” he said.

The programme concluded with a fireside chat involving members of Oando’s in-house legal team and business leaders, including the Deputy Manager, Projects, Procurement and Operations, Aniekan Okon; Asset Manager at Oando Energy Resources, Oluwaseyi Fowora; and Non-Oil Commodities Lead at Oando Trading, Olusegun Oyewole. The session was moderated by Isi Abulime, Legal Advisor at Oando Trading.

Oando said the seminar reaffirmed its commitment to developing future legal talent by bridging the gap between legal education and professional practice through mentorship, real-world exposure and the transfer of institutional knowledge.