Dorothy Udeme Ufot’s achievement will inspire women, girl child – EARCOM boss
The Executive Chairman of the Ethical and Attitudinal Reorientation Commission, EARCOM, Dr Dorothy Thompson, has congratulated Mrs Dorothy Useme Ufot on her emergence as the first and only female Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, from Akwa Ibom State, describing her as a role model and an inspiration to the women and girl children.
Dr Thompson who congratulated Mrs Ufot for her achievement, also thanked the wife of the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Dr Martha Udom Emmanuel, for honouring and celebrating the successful legal practitioner, who she observed, has distinguished herself in a terrain that is highly competitive and dominated by men.
The EARCOM boss described Dr Ufot as a brilliant, competent, world-class legal practitioner and a professional whose works over the years have distinguished her globally.
The EARCOM boss stated that the elevation of Mrs Ufot has broken the jinx of a female becoming a SAN in the State, adding that, she also emerged the African Arbitrator of the Year in 2020.
Dr Thompson said Mrs Dorothy Udeme Ufot is a worthy ambassador of Akwa Ibom and Nigeria, and congratulated her on behalf of the Board, Management and Staff of EARCOM, stressing that, she is a socially responsible Akwa Ibomite with great mindset whose stirling qualities should be emulated by all who wish to succeed in life and their career.
A brief citation of Mrs Dorothy Ufot SAN, revealed that she started her academic journey with a Degree in Political Science from the University of Calabar before proceeding to the University of Lagos for another Degree in Law and a Master’s Degree in Law.
Admitted to the Nigerian Bar in 1989, Dorothy Ufot as a practicing Lawyer continuously engaged in private legal practice since 1990. She was admitted to the Inner-Bar as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), being the equivalent of the English Queen’s Counsel (Q.C) on 12th April, 2009, in recognition of her vast work in commercial litigation, making her the first and only female SAN of Akwa Ibom State origin.
She is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK) and a chartered arbitrator who is a member of the Court of Arbitration of the Casablanca International Mediation and Arbitration Centre Morocco, since 2016 till date.
A former global Vice President of the ICC Commission on ADR and currently a member of the council of the ICC Institute of World Business Law, as well as the vice chair of the arbitration and ADR commission of ICC Nigeria and the treasurer of ICC Nigeria National committee, Dorothy sits on the panel of Arbitrators of several renowned Arbitration Institutions around the world.
Mrs Dorothy Ufot has acted as an arbitrator in several complex, high volume arbitrations in oil and gas, International construction projects, International supply contracts, infrastructure development, telecommunications and financial services. She has also been appointed as arbitrator by major multinational Oil Corporations, State Governments, Federal Government Agencies, etc.
Dorothy is listed in the Global Arbitration Review’s (GAR) International Who is Who of Commercial Arbitration Practitioners and recently won the prestigious award of African Arbitrator of the year 2020.
In the business world, Dorothy has held several leadership positions as the first female Non – Executive Director on the Board of Dangote Cement PLC, member Board of Directors of Chevron Oil Nigeria PLC, MRS Oil Nigeria PLC, as well as the Council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) where she chaired its Rules and Adjudication Committee.
A recipient of the NAWOJ Amazon award from the Akwa Ibom State Council of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists in 2018, Dorothy Udeme Ufot, SAN who is highly respected in the Legal profession for her integrity, hardwork, honesty, focus and loyalty, attributes her successes to the grace of God and great family support.
