Commercial Lawyer Role at a Reputable Ikoyi Law Firm (via WAVE)
A commercial lawyer position is open with a client of West Africa Vocational Education (WAVE). The firm is based in Ikoyi, Lagos. The role sits in the Corporate & Commercial Practice team and focuses on handling commercial agreements, corporate advisory work, due diligence and related legal support for business clients.
Key Job Facts
- Job title: Commercial Lawyer
- Employer / recruiter: West Africa Vocational Education (WAVE) on behalf of a client law firm
- Location: Lagos / Ikoyi
- Work arrangement: Hybrid (4 days on-site, 1 day remote)
- Employment type: Not stated in the listing
- Date posted: 1 October 2026
- Application deadline: 15 October 2026
- Salary: ₦400,000 – ₦500,000
- Documents required: CV
About WAVE and the Client Firm
WAVE works to help young Africans gain access to economic opportunities. The organisation trains motivated talent so local businesses can employ reliable staff, aiming to improve employer attitudes and support a fairer labour market. More information is available at www.waveacademies.org. In this case WAVE is recruiting for a client: a reputable law firm located in Ikoyi that needs a commercial lawyer for its Corporate & Commercial Practice team.
What the Role Involves
The position covers the full cycle of commercial work. Day-to-day tasks centre on structuring, negotiating, drafting and reviewing a broad set of commercial contracts (service, supply, partnership, shareholder, employment and vendor agreements). The lawyer also carries out legal due diligence for mergers, acquisitions, investments, financing deals and corporate restructuring. Identifying risks in contracts and suggesting practical ways to reduce those risks forms part of the work, as does supporting clients from the start of a transaction through to completion.
Corporate advisory duties include advice on governance, regulatory compliance, company secretarial matters and general commercial law questions. The lawyer attends client meetings and negotiations, prepares legal opinions that balance business goals with legal rules, and keeps relationships with clients active through clear, solution-focused support.
Research and compliance work involves studying commercial, corporate, labour, intellectual-property and regulatory issues, tracking changes in laws that affect clients, and producing opinions, reports and memoranda. Corporate documentation tasks cover incorporation papers, board and shareholder resolutions, statutory filings, licensing support and post-incorporation compliance. Administrative duties include accurate record-keeping of instructions and agreements, progress reports to partners and senior associates, help with billing and matter management, and occasional supervision of interns or junior staff.
Requirements
- Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) and BL qualification
- 4–6 years post-call experience in commercial and corporate law
- Proven experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating complex commercial agreements
- Solid knowledge of Nigerian corporate, commercial and regulatory laws
- Experience with legal due diligence and support for mergers, acquisitions, investments and corporate transactions
- Strong legal research, analytical and problem-solving skills
- Clear written and verbal communication
- Ability to handle several transactions at once while meeting deadlines
- Professionalism, integrity, commercial awareness and attention to detail
The listing also notes a broader experience range of 4–7 years and a BA/BSc/HND qualification level in the skills section.
How to Apply
Send your CV to recruitments@waveacademies.org. The deadline is 15 October 2026. Only the CV is listed as required.
AlertNaija247 Guidance
What the company does
WAVE focuses on preparing young Africans for the labour market so that local businesses can hire reliable staff. The actual employer in this vacancy is a law firm in Ikoyi that WAVE is recruiting for. The firm handles corporate and commercial work for business clients.
Day-to-day reality of the role
Expect most of your time to be spent on contracts and transactions: drafting and redrafting agreements, checking due-diligence materials, spotting risks, and advising clients on how to move deals forward without creating legal problems. Client meetings, negotiations and written opinions will also take up regular hours. Record-keeping, updates to senior lawyers and occasional supervision of juniors form the supporting layer of the work.
Skills and mistakes that matter for this role
The listing places heavy weight on real experience with complex commercial agreements and Nigerian corporate law. Commercial awareness (understanding what the client’s business actually needs) and the ability to manage several matters at once without missing deadlines are equally important.
CV tips specific to this vacancy:
- List concrete commercial agreements you have drafted or negotiated (types of contracts and the stage you handled).
- Show any due-diligence or M&A / investment support work with brief, factual descriptions.
- Highlight knowledge of Nigerian regulatory requirements that affect commercial deals.
- Keep the CV focused on commercial and corporate work; remove or shorten unrelated early experience.
- If you need a clean layout, the free CV Builder on AlertNaija247 can help you produce a clear, professional document.
Interview tip: Be ready to walk through one or two past transactions in detail – what the legal issues were, how you handled risk, and what the commercial outcome was. Practising clear, structured answers is useful; the guide on preparing for Nigerian panel and technical interviews offers practical structure advice.
Who this role suits
The position fits a commercial lawyer who already has several years of post-call experience with contracts, due diligence and corporate advisory work and who wants deeper exposure to high-value transactions. It may feel difficult for someone whose practice has been mainly litigation, pure company secretarial work without commercial deal experience, or who prefers a slower, less client-facing pace. Before applying, ask yourself whether you can point to specific complex commercial agreements you have handled end-to-end and whether you are comfortable balancing multiple live transactions under time pressure.
Practical Nigerian context
Applicants may want to consider Lagos Island traffic and travel time to Ikoyi when planning the hybrid schedule. Four on-site days mean regular presence in the area. Typical hiring steps for law-firm roles often include CV screening, one or more interviews (sometimes with partners), and possibly a short written exercise or discussion of a sample contract. Confirm the exact process with the recruiter if shortlisted.
Scam warning
Never pay any fee to apply or to secure an interview. Check that the email address recruitments@waveacademies.org matches the organisation’s known domain (waveacademies.org). If anyone asks for bank details or payment, stop and verify independently.
Ready to apply? Send your CV before the deadline.
Email Your CV NowInformation in this guide is taken from the verified job details supplied for the vacancy. Always confirm final requirements and the application process directly with the recruiter.