Tunde Esan commenced his career as a professional at the Times Journalism Institute where he finished as the best graduating student in the year 1996. He interned with Daily Times of Nigeria until he was called to the Nigerian Bar in October 2000.
He commenced work with the foremost law firm of Olawoyin & Olawoyin in the year of his call. His first remarkable accomplishment working with Professor G. A. Olawoyin and the Late Chief Rotimi Williams was the suit that sought to determine the legality or otherwise of the Lagos State Land use charge Law. Tunde was a core part of the team that addressed the constitutionality of the Law.
He was also a key part of the team with Professor G. A. Olawoyin that sought to interpret the limit of the regulatory powers of National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) in a suit instituted by National Insurance Association (NIA). Another landmark matter he was involved in was the matter that sought to determine the fundamental right enshrined in Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution of a worker to join or freely exit a trade Union. The matter involved National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees (NUBIFE) and First Bank of Nigeria Plc.
Furthermore, Tunde working with Professor G. A. Olawoyin and Dr. Wale Olawoyin instituted an action on behalf of Nestle Nigeria Plc in the year 2001. The key jurisdictional issue that emerged in the suit was the basis for the one (1) month mandatory pre-action notice to be issued to NAFDAC (NAFDAC had threatened to take prejudicial steps within 7 days prior to the suit). Tunde was also part of the team led by Chief G. O. K. Ajayi that instituted the high profile libel suit against Bookmate Limited (Publishers of the then Tempo Magazine) on behalf of Oba Okunade Sijuade. Tunde was actively involved in several appellate matters including the appeal of Prime Merchant Bank and Man Mountain Company at the Court of Appeal which was later filed at the Supreme Court.
With respect to Corporate Law practice, Tunde with Mr. Ayo Olawoyin (Partner) was involved in convening the Completion Board Meeting of IMB Energy Master Fund private placement. He has also represented several financial services players in Annual General Meetings, Extra-Ordinary General Meeting and Board Meetings. Tunde is currently a leading expert in financing & structuring of small and medium scale enterprises. He has several publications in Journals and Newspapers on “Growing the Economy using SMEs as a Vehicle” (amongst others Daily Times – September 6th 2005 and Vanguard – August 22nd 2005).
Current-Role
Tunde is a founding partner of Ivy Practice. He was the Principal Partner in the Law Firm of Esan Babatunde & Associates prior to his current role. Tunde is a proactive Humanitarian who has championed several social causes in Nigeria chief among which is providing pro-bono legal services to inmates awaiting trial under notoriously slow criminal justice system obtainable in Nigeria. He is a member of the Nigerian Red Cross.
Tunde also heads the legal aid unit of Daystar Christian Center Lagos. He is an active financial partner of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF).
