Court hears lawyer’s suit over legal fees today

Westron Properties Limited and its Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Chief Geoge Igboegwu are the first and second defendants. Justice Yetunde Peinhero fixed the date after parties confirmed service of processes. According to the claimant, “in an unsigned letter dated August 17, 2018, which was forwarded to the claimant electronically, the defendants requested for a review of the bill at a meeting to be held later same day to discuss the defendants reservation regarding them. “The proposed meeting was held with the defendant requesting to the allowed to sleep over the matter and revert. “Having waited some days without receiving the promised feedback, on August 20, 2018, I did sent an email reminder to the defendants, also using the opportunity and reiterated my painstaking explanation on the reservations that defendants had expressed at the meeting.” He said on August 21, the defendants responded to him, appreciating his dedication to their work and acknowledging that he ought to be duly compensated. In his application, the claimant stated that Westron Properties engaged him as a solicitor on the sale of an expanse of land at Ijegun Waterfront, Amuwo Odofin local government area, Lagos State. He said the land is covered with Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) registered as No 12 at page 12 volume 185 of the Federal lands Registry, Ikoyi to Northwest Petroleum & Gas Company Limited. The lawyer, therefore, prayed the court for an order that “any of the Chief Registrar of the High Court of Lagos or the Chairman for the time being of the Nigeria Bar association section on Business Law, or such other person deemed qualified or suitable by the Honourable court be appointed or constituted as Taxing Officer between claimant and the defendants. “An order that the bills of charges on invoice number 000016 and 000017, both dated August 3, 2018 and delivered same day by the claimant to the defendants, be referred to the Taxing officer, as designated and appointed by the court , to be taxed, the claimant giving credit for all sums of money receiving by him or on account of the defendant, and refunding what may appear on such taxation to have been overpaid.” The claimant stated that Chief Igboegwu engaged his service in respect of two transaction of the company called Northwest Petroleum & Gas Company Limited at N1.850 billion and the purchase of another parcel of land from Southpoint Oil &Gas Limited for N700 million. He claimed to have duly transacted the businesses and delivered the bills of charges no 000016 and 000017 covering the respective business but that his bills were not paid nor has the defendant taken any step to obtain taxation thereof. The defendants, in their notice of preliminary objection, asked the court to strike out the suit for being fundamental defective. They averred that the court lacks jurisdiction to hear and determine the suit. In their 18 paragraph affidavit in support of the preliminary objection, they stated that the claimant cannot negotiate professional fees in the middle of a transaction.]]>