Open Forum

communities_1.jpg

Member Spotlight for September 2021- Chinwe Stella Egbunike-Umegbolu

  • 1.  Member Spotlight for September 2021- Chinwe Stella Egbunike-Umegbolu

    I'mLinkedIn
    Posted 08-09-2021 03:58 PM

    Name : Chinwe Stella Egbunike-Umegbolu

    Career Journey and Accomplishments.

    I am currently a final year PhD Student and a part-time lecturer at the University of Brighton United Kingdom. Prior to that I obtained my law degree from the University of Nigeria and was called to Nigerian Bar in 2012.  I started my law practise at Dr Ibik SAN & Associates in the eastern part of Nigeria.

     Subsequently I joined another law firm in the western part of Nigeria, Funmi Roberts and Co a renowned ADR law firm where I witnessed and experienced first hand the value of Alternative Dispute Resolution. Due mostly to my desire to contribute to the body of law on a larger scale, I enrolled for a master of law degree program that focused on Dispute Resolution at Kingston University London in 2013; where I met incredible teachers and mentors who did not only broaden my knowledge but helped me gain perspective and develop a stronger passion for Dispute Resolution. One of these great role models at Kingston University encouraged me to join a law firm to help me build a solid background in British jurisprudence. This piece of advice would end up being crucial in helping me build a solid foundation when I took on the role of a caseworker at Liberty & Co Solicitors in London.

     However, my supervisor/mentor at the time advised me to focus more on research, as it appears to be my strong point. I took that advice on board, though I was still working in the London law firm on a part-time basis and was paid a stipend. I had to take an extra job but also carved out time to attend seminars at different Universities where I learnt about writing a research proposal. All those research and seminars made it easy to identify which University to apply to and most importantly these opportunities brought me to the doorstep of my dreams when I was accepted to further my research in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) at the University of Brighton (UoB).

    I currently blog on ADR, lecture (part-time) and also I host and produce Expert Views on ADR (EVA) podcast; simplifying Alternative Dispute Resolution in a bid to attract more users to the process. I would like to keep sharing and creating this awareness via those channels as a hobby.

    Career wise, I have learnt so much from my two brilliant supervisors, the BBS and my mentors on skills necessary for effective research and research methods. I would love to share this knowledge by giving back to students either by teaching ADR, mentoring and furthering my research on those areas I mentioned above at the University of Brighton or any other reputable institution in the United Kingdom.

    Why Brighton?

     I had visited Brighton in 2013 with some friends and felt an instant connection with the city. I felt at home with all the energy and peace that came with it. Apart from that visit, I also had a mentor who did her under graduate in Brighton and she told me about her incredible experience at the University of Brighton (UoB); how she was given all the necessary support and resources to assist in her studies. This propelled me to check if UoB had supervisors that would be interested in my area of research and fortunately they had. I then proceeded to apply and here I am.

    Accomplishments.

    • Coordinator /Researcher at the African Mediation Network (AMN).
    • Mentor at the Member Connect Resolution Institute.
    • Member- Publication committee Guild of Adjudicators of Nigeria  (GAIN).
    • Shortlisted for the Publication of the Year 2020 by the African Arbitration Association(AfAA).

     Publications:

     Unpublished Work / Accepted Work:

    • Umegbolu, C. (June 2021). 'Family Mediation: A Separate Category of Mediation.' Accepted by Athens Journal of Law.
    • Umegbolu, C. (June 2021). 'The Workings of International Commercial Arbitration (ICA).' Accepted by the E-Journal of Law.

     Blogs:

    Podcast Channel:

     Conferences / Invitations:

    • Presentation at Greece Athens-May 2019 on 'Dispensation of Justice: Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse.'
    • Queen Mary Postgraduate Legal Research Conference 2019: Silver Linings- Poster Presentation –my thesis.
    • Paper presentation at Enugu State Multi-Door Courthouse (ESMDC) for the University of Nigeria ADR Team (Students) 2019. -Case Study' & History/Awareness of the MDC in Nigeria.
    • Paper Presentation at the LMDC 2020 on 'Dispensation of Justice: Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse.'
    •  Paper presented on 'My PhD Journey at the University of Brighton (UoB) BBS PhD Induction 2020.
    •  Paper Presentation on 'Dispensation of Justice: Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse.' at the BBS 2019 Conference: 'Why I am excited about my Research.'
    • Poster Presentation on 'The Workings of ICA & Oral Presentation on 'Access to Justice for People with Disability in Nigeria at SLSA Virtual Conference 2021 at Cardiff University, UK. 
    • Invitation to present my work on 'Access to Justice for People with Disability in Nigeria: Therapeutic Day Care Centre (TDCC) as a Case Study' at the International Workshop-Crime, Criminalisation And Injustice 2021- Leeds University

    Career Advice.

    Please find the job you are passionate about and consider yourself a lifelong student, be the most hardworking person in the room while you at it, be humble and practice perseverance.


    What do you enjoy doing outside of work.

    My PhD research is focused on the Effectiveness of the Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse in Nigeria and its impact on other states of the federation, particularly Enugu State. My overarching research interests are Dispute Resolution, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Access to Justice for Disabled Persons, Multi-Door Courthouse, Family Mediation, Online Dispute Resolution, Traditional African Method of Settling Dispute (TAMSD), Business law and Commercial law. However, the words of Late Stuart Baggs, I'm not a one trick pony...I'm a whole field of ponies;[1] resonates with me, as I love to research on different areas apart from my main research interests during my leisure time. Hence I also enjoy researching on violence on women, war, peace and religion. I am passionate about philosophy, especially Stoic, and Tao.

    [1]Stuart Baggs: the Apprentice star in quotes

    <https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/theapprentice/8189916/The-Apprentices-Stuart-Baggs-in-quotes.html> accessed 09/04/21


    Community question

    If you could ask other mediators in the room one question, what would it be?

    How would they handle a recalcitrant party during the joint mediation session?



    ------------------------------
    David Chin
    Membership Manager
    Resolution Institute
    ------------------------------