Divorce & Dissolution
Petitions and defended proceedings under the Matrimonial Causes Act and customary law, with attention to financial settlement, conduct, and the client’s long‑term position.
Established 2003 · Solicitors, advocates & commercial counsel
Steady counsel across family, property, corporate, and the courtroom.
Helen Ovonlen & Co. is a Nigerian law firm that has represented families, property owners, companies, and banks for more than two decades — with the discretion, judgment, and courtroom craft that twenty‑plus years of practice afford.
- 22+Years in practice
- 4Core practice areas
- ConfidentialBy default, always
About the firm
A practice built around one principle: clients deserve a lawyer who listens first.
Helen Ovonlen founded the firm in 2003 after nearly a decade at the bar, convinced that clients deserved something the larger shops were not offering — close, sustained, partner-level attention regardless of whether the matter sat in family court, the land registry, or a banking suit.
More than two decades on, that remains the practice. The firm advises and litigates across four core areas: family and matrimonial law, property and real estate, corporate and commercial matters, and general civil litigation — including long‑running work representing banks and other commercial clients in court.
Every matter is handled by Helen and a small, deliberate team. We do not run a high‑volume docket. We do not pass clients between associates. We take the cases we can do well, and we see them through.
Practice areas
What we handle
The firm operates across four core areas. Within each, these are the matters we are most regularly instructed on.
I
Family & Matrimonial Law
Divorce, parenting, matrimonial property, and the protection of the people who can’t protect themselves.
Child Custody & Access
Sole and joint custody arrangements, access schedules, relocation disputes, and enforcement where existing orders are being ignored.
Matrimonial Property & Maintenance
Division of marital assets, beneficial‑interest claims over the matrimonial home, and the securing and varying of spousal and child maintenance.
Adoption & Guardianship
Domestic adoption, step‑parent adoption, and kinship guardianship — including the statutory processes that surround each.
Domestic Violence & Protection
Protection orders, occupation orders, and the immediate, confidential steps that need to be taken when a client and their children are at risk.
Pre & Postnuptial Agreements
Drafting and reviewing marital agreements — including for clients with family business interests or significant pre‑marital wealth.
II
Property & Real Estate
Conveyancing, title, and the disputes that arise when land and ownership do not line up.
Conveyancing & Title
Sale and purchase of residential and commercial property, deed preparation, perfection of title, and registration at the lands registry.
Land Disputes & Recovery
Trespass, boundary, and title disputes; recovery of premises from defaulting tenants and adverse claimants.
Leases & Tenancy
Commercial and residential leases, tenancy agreements, and the enforcement of landlord and tenant rights under the relevant tenancy laws.
Estate & Inheritance
Wills, probate, letters of administration, and the resolution of contested inheritances — including family land held under customary tenure.
Mortgage & Security Interests
Mortgage transactions, debentures, and the perfection and enforcement of security interests over land and other assets.
Property Due Diligence
Searches, title verification, and pre‑acquisition reporting for buyers, lenders, and developers.
III
Corporate & Commercial
The practical legal work that sits behind running a company in Nigeria.
Company Formation & CAC
Incorporation, post‑incorporation filings, and ongoing compliance with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
Commercial Contracts
Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating supply, distribution, service, and shareholder agreements.
Corporate Governance & Advisory
Board and shareholder advisory, resolutions, share transfers, and the documentation that keeps a company in good standing.
Mergers, Acquisitions & Restructuring
Acquisitions, share and asset purchases, joint ventures, and corporate restructuring for owner‑managed and mid‑market businesses.
Regulatory & Compliance
Sector regulation, licensing, and compliance reviews for clients in financial services, real estate, and trading sectors.
Employment & Labour
Employment contracts, executive engagements, handbook drafting, and the resolution of workplace disputes.
IV
Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Trial advocacy and arbitration — with a long‑standing track record acting for banks and other commercial clients in court.
Banking & Financial Litigation
Acting for banks and financial institutions in loan recovery, security enforcement, garnishee proceedings, and contested customer claims.
Commercial Litigation
Contract disputes, debt recovery, shareholder and director disputes, and other high‑stakes commercial actions in the Federal and State High Courts.
Civil Litigation
General civil claims — including tort, defamation, and recovery actions — at trial and on appeal.
Arbitration & ADR
Domestic arbitration and mediation under the Arbitration and Mediation Act, including representation in institutional and ad‑hoc proceedings.
Enforcement & Recovery
Garnishee proceedings, writs of execution, and the practical work of turning a judgment into money.
Appeals
Appellate work in the Court of Appeal and, where the matter calls for it, the Supreme Court.
Our approach
What working with the firm is like.
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01
A private first conversation
We meet you — in person or by secure call — to understand the matter in your own words. Nothing is filed, nothing is decided. We listen, and we tell you honestly what we think.
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02
A written plan, in plain English
You receive a short written note setting out your options, the realistic outcomes, the timelines, and the fees. You take it away. You decide.
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03
Settlement first, court when needed
Most matters are better resolved at the table than at the bench. We pursue negotiation, mediation, and arbitration seriously — and we litigate harder still when settlement is not on offer.
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04
One point of contact, throughout
Helen, or a named senior lawyer, runs your matter from start to finish. You will not be handed down a chain of juniors. You will not chase us for an update.
Voices
What former clients have said.
“Helen was the third lawyer I spoke to. She was the first who treated me like a person and not a file. The settlement she negotiated for me and my children is the reason I sleep at night.”
“We have instructed Helen on contested recoveries for years. She is the kind of counsel you want on the file before the other side files anything.”
“Calm, prepared, and very hard to rattle in court. Exactly the lawyer you want when the other side is being unreasonable.”
Contact
Schedule a private consultation.
Initial consultations are confidential. We will respond to every enquiry within one business day. Sensitive matters can be sent directly to Helen by email.
- Email helen@helenovonlen.com
- Hours Mon–Fri · 9:00 – 18:00
- Confidentiality All enquiries are protected by legal privilege.