Our Team

Grace G Akpan 

Managing Lawyer

Grace is an internationally trained lawyer. She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1995 and the Alberta Bar in 2019 after successfully completing her Canadian Legal Accreditation requirements. Grace obtained her Bachelor of Laws (LL.B Hons) degree from the University of Uyo in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. She subsequently obtained a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree from the University of Jos in Plateau State, Nigeria and a Graduate Certificate in Intellectual Property Law (GCIP) from the National University of Singapore.

After attending the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, and being called to the Nigerian Bar in 1995, Grace did a one-year mandatory National Youth Service with Njikoka Local Government Council as a Legal Adviser (In-house Counsel). Thereafter, she joined a mid-sized law firm of G. S. Yilyok & Co (Gantan Solicitors) and practiced as an Associate Counsel for three years before moving to Singapore in 1999, where she joined a full-service commercial law firm of Allen & Gledhill LLP (one of the largest and leading law firms in Singapore and South-east Asia) for over ten years, in the role of a Litigation Executive before returning to Nigeria in 2010. 

While in Nigeria, Grace joined a mid-sized law firm of Joseph Nwobike, SAN & Co, and practiced as an Associate Counsel/Head of Dispute Resolution, a position she held for over two years, before moving to Canada in 2015 with her husband and three children. Thereafter, she worked with an immigration law firm of Ackah Business Immigration Law in Calgary, Alberta, for almost two years as an Intern and a Student-at-Law. 

Grace has many years of experience in corporate and commercial litigation practice, immigration, alternative dispute resolution, debt recovery and drafting of various legal documents. She has International exposure and good knowledge of both the local and international legal procedures, having worked in Nigeria, Singapore and Canada for many years in different legal capacities, namely, Head of Dispute Resolution, Associate Counsel, In-house Counsel, Litigation Executive, Intern and Student-at-Law. 

In addition to her professional working experience, Grace volunteered with many community-based agencies, including but not limited to Calgary Immigrant Women's Association (CIWA) at the legal clinic, the Children’s Legal & Educational Resource Centre and Winners Chapel International Calgary. In April 2017, Grace was awarded CIWA’s Volunteer of the Month and in July 2018, she featured on the Immigrant Services Calgary’s Profile of “Immigrant Success Stories”. She is also a registered mentor with Calgary Region Immigrant Employment Council (CRIEC), a robust not-for-profit organization that effectively and efficiently connects newcomer professionals with strategies designed to help them be employable.

Grace’s professional and volunteering interests have provided her with opportunities to develop a strong work ethic, invest in the community, engage with members of the community, and enhance her personal and professional skills. She is a team player with excellent interpersonal and communication skills as well as good analytical and decision-making skills. When not at work, Grace enjoys cooking, reading, and spending time with her family and friends.

George S Akpan, PhD

Business Development Consultant

George is an internationally trained lawyer and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1990. He is currently pursuing his Canadian Legal Equivalency Qualification with the National Committee on Accreditation of the Federation of Law Societies of Canada.

George holds a Doctor of Law (PhD) degree from the National University of Singapore in Foreign Investment Law and Policy, a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree with distinction in Petroleum Law and Policy from the Centre for Energy Petroleum and Mineral Law and Policy, University of Dundee, United Kingdom, a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree from the University of Lagos, Nigeria, a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B Hons) degree from the University of Uyo in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, and an Advanced Certificate in Intellectual Property Law from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

George is an accomplished internationally trained transaction lawyer in the Petroleum law and investment with many academic honours, awards and years of experience across geographies. He is a Senior Partner with Georgid Consulting. George was a Senior Counsel at Mobil Producing Nigeria (an affiliate of ExxonMobil), working in various areas of EPC and Drilling contracts. He was in the employment of Mobil  Producing Nigeria for over 14 years, and for over 8 years, he advised the company on the legislative reforms undertaken by the Nigerian Government. George has consulted for international organizations including the World Bank, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and conducted training on international trade and investment issues in many countries. 

George has been a visiting professor to the Aoyama Gakuin University, WTO Centre in Shibuya, Japan, the United Nations University Japan, and an External PhD Examiner to the University of South Africa (UNISA). George held teaching positions in many universities around the world, including the University of Uyo, University of West Indies Bahamas (LL.B program), Institute of Advanced Studies, United Nations University, Yokohama, Japan, and the Australian University of New South Wales (Singapore Campus).

George has also contributed many chapters in published books as well as articles in learned international law journals, and has attended many international conferences and leadership training courses in leading institutions around the world, and also spoke at some of the conferences he attended.