NAME: Maryam Uwais

DESIGNATION: Principal Partner

EDUCATION
Admitted to the Nigerian Bar in 1981

Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna (LL.B Hons, 1980; BL 1981; LLM 1985)

Nigerian Institute for Advanced Legal Studies (Certificate in Legal Drafting, 1989; Certificate in Advanced Practice and Procedure, 1995)

College of Law, England and Wales (International Practice Diploma (IBA) in International Business Organisations, 2003)

Associate, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) (2006).

PRACTICE AREAS
- Constitutional Law
- Competition & Anti Trust
- Banking & Insurance Law
- Privatisation
- Human Rights Law
- Justice Sector Reform
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Legislative Drafting
- International Business Law
- Islamic Banking, Insurance & Finance
- Capital Market Operations.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Special Rapporteur, Rights of the Child, National Human Rights Commission, Nigeria
( June 2000-2006)

Member, BPE Steering Committee on Anti-Trust and Competition, Nigeria,
June 2001

Pioneering Member Steering Committee, Commonwealth Education Fund
November 2002

Pioneering Director LeapAfrica
November 2003

Selection Committee Member, MacArthur Foundation
2003 & 2004

Member, Federal Ministry of Justice Consultative Committees on Justice Sector Reform (2003), Legal Aid Reform (2004)

Trustee, Youth Business Initiatives
May 2004

Member, Board of Governors, Negotiation and Conflict Management Group
November, 2004

Member, Governing Council of Crescent University, Abeokuta, Ogun State
December, 2004

Member, Board of Directors, Sightsavers International (Nigeria)
June 2005

Abuja Technology Village Advisory Team Member
2006

Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK)
2006

NBA Chair, Justice Sector Committee
2006

Member, Nigeria Leadership Initiative
January 2007

Board Member, Justice Research Institute Ltd Gte
March, 2007

Member, Coalition Against Tobacco
September 2007

Board Member, Women in Successful Careers,
October 2007

Board Member, Institute for Human Rights & Development in Africa, Banjul, The Gambia
December 2007

Member, Technical Committee of the Constitutional Reform Dialogue Mechanism
December 2007

Member, Technical Committee of the Gender Empowerment
March,2008

Member, Africa Union Committee of Experts on due Repute and Welfare of the Child
July, 2008

Memberships of Professional Bodies:

• Member: Nigerian Bar Association
• International Bar Association
• Association for Women’s Rights in Development.
• Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, UK.

EMPLOYMENT RECORD
- Kano State Ministry of Justice
1980-1987

- Nigerian Law Reform Commission
1988-1989

- Central Bank of Nigeria
1989-1998

LANGUAGES
- English
- Hausa

CONTACT
maryamu@wali-uwais.com
maryamu@leapafrica.org