Dr Femi Amao is a Reader in Corporate/Commercial Law at the Sussex Law School. He was previously a Lecturer in International Commercial Law at the Brunel Law School, Brunel University, London and a Lecturer in Law at the University College Cork, Ireland. He is the author of Corporate Social Responsibility, Human Rights and the Law: Multinational Corporations in Developing Countries (Routledge, 2011).
He is a graduate of University College Cork, Ireland (Ph.D and PG Cert 2009) where he was awarded a President’s scholarship for his research; University of Warwick, UK (LLM, 2005); University of Ibadan, Nigeria (LLM, 2003); Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria (LLB, 1997) and University of Ilorin, Nigeria (BA, 1991). He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1999 and worked as a barrister in Nigeria with a prominent law firm that represented the government and major multinational corporations.
He has published articles in reputable national and international journals including the Australian Journal of Corporate Law, Journal of African Law, Journal of Business Ethics, Dublin University Law Journal, Australian Journal of Legal Philosophy,Journal of International Economic Law, Journal of Corporate Citizenship, International Journal of Human Rights, Hastings International and Comparative Law Review and UCD Law Review. He has also published Chapters in books including André Nollkaemper and Ilias Plakokefalos (ed.) The Practice of Shared Responsibility in International Law (Cambridge University Press, 2016).M. Ssenyonjo (ed.) The African Regional Human Rights System: 30 Years after the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights. (Martinus Nijhoff, 2012). He runs a database for Nigerian law (www.nlii.org). He is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences in his areas of expertise.
He is the PI for the AHRC funded African Union Law Research project. (http://africanunionlaw.org/)
In the news: Could African Union law shape a new legal order for the continent?
From Routledge, this year (2018):
African Union Law: The Emergence of a Sui Generis Legal Order (2018)
This book explores the emergence of African Union law as a legal order and its implications for existing order in the region.
Books:
The Emergent African Union Law: Conceptualization, Delimitation, and Application (Oxford University Press, 2021) - Edited by Olufemi Amao, Michèle Olivier, and Konstantinos D. Magliveras
African Union Law: the emergence of a sui generis legal order (Routledge, 2019)
Corporate Social Responsibility, Human Rights and the Law: Multinational Corporations in Developing Countries (Routledge, 2011)
Articles:
(2016) Rethinking bank directors’ duties in the aftermath of the financial crisis: the legal basis of the sui generis nature of bank directors’ duties. 30 Australian Journal of Corporate Law, 235-258.
(2014) “Emergent State Practice on the creation and practice of Standards on Corporate Social Responsibility” 1(1) State Practice and International Law Journal 117
(2012) “Islamic Banking, Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges” 12 Contemporary Issues in Law Journal 1-19.
(2012) “Developments in the Inter-American Human Rights System 2011-12: Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Domestic Violence” 1 (1) International Human Rights Law Review 148 – 157.
(2012)(With E Adegbite and K Amaeshi) “The Politics of Shareholder Activism in Nigeria” (105 (3) Journal of Business Ethics 389-402.
(2011) "Judicial Discretion and Doing between the Banks and their Customers: A Critical Analysis of the Supreme Court Decision in Office of Fair Trading v Abbey National Plc and Others." 5 Web Journal of Current Legal Issue 1-15.
(2010 "The Foundation for a Global Company Law for Multinational Corporations" International Company and Commercial Law Review 275-288.
(2009) (With Kenneth Amaeshi) “Corporate Social Responsibility in Transnational Spaces: Exploring influences of varieties of capitalism on expressions of corporate codes of conduct in Nigeria.” 86 (2) Journal of Business Ethics 225-239
(2009) “Trade Sanctions, Human Rights and Multinational Corporations: The EU-ACP Context” 32 (2) Hastings International and Comparative Law Review 379-422.
(2008) “Corporate Social Responsibility, Social Contract, Corporate Personhood and Human Rights Law: Understanding the Emerging Responsibilities of Modern Corporations” 33 Australian Journal of Legal Philosophy 100 -133.
(2008) “Corporate Social Responsibility, Multinational Corporations and the Law in Nigeria” 52 (1) Journal of African Law 89-113.
(2008) “The African Regional Human Rights System and Multinational Corporations: Strengthening Host State Responsibility for the Control of Multinational Corporations” 12 (5) International Journal of Human Rights 759-786.
(2008) (With Kenneth Amaeshi) “Galvanizing Shareholder Activism: A Prerequisite for Effective Corporate Governance and Accountability in Nigeria” 82 (1) Journal of Business Ethics 119-130.
(2008) “Mandating Corporate Social Responsibility: Emerging Trends in Nigeria” 6 (1) Journal of Commonwealth Law and Legal Education 75-95.
(2007) “Reconstructing the role of the corporation: multinational corporations as public actors in Nigeria” 29 Dublin University Law journal 340.
(2006) (With Kenneth Amaeshi et al) “Corporate Social Responsibility in Nigeria: western mimicry or indigenous influences?” 24 Journal of Corporate Citizenship 83- 99.
Book Chapters:
(2021) (With M. Nwankwo) ‘Exploring African Union Law through the lenses of Comparative Analysis: A Comparative analysis with the EU’ in Prof Nicholas Tsagourias & Dr Rossanna Deplano, Handbook on Research Methods in International Law (Edward Elgar, 2021)
(2017)“Multinational Corporations” in André Nollkaemper and Ilias Plakokefalos The Practice of Shared Responsibility in International Law (Cambridge University Press, 2017)
(2015) (With K Amaeshi and I Adeleye) “Corporate Social Responsibility and employee relations in Africa: evidence from the Nigerian banking sector” in S Nwankwo and K Ibeh (Eds.) The Routledge Companion to Business in Africa (Routledge,) 473-493.
2012"Civil and Political Rights in the African Charter" in M Ssenyonjo (Ed.) The African Regional Human Rights System (Martinus Nijhoff,) 29-53.
2011 “Human Rights and Ethics in the International Business Context – A Nigerian Perspective” in Aurora Voiculescu and Helen Yanacopulos, The Business of Human Rights: A Rights Based Approach to Corporate Responsibility (Zed Books/Open University,) 188-213. Part of consultancy work for the Open University..
2010 "The African Human Rights System" in Mashood Baderin and Manisuli Ssenyonjo (Eds.), International Human Rights Law: Six Decades after the UDHR (Ashgate,) 235-251.
Book reviews:
“Corporate Citizenship in Africa: Lessons from the Past, Paths to the Future” (2010) 30 (1-2) Canadian Journal of Development Studies 325-329.
“Book Review: Multinationals and Corporate Social Responsibility: Limitations and Opportunities in International Law by Jennifer A. Zerk” (2007) 10 (1) Journal of International Economic Law 161-164.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
2021, ‘African Union Law and Fintech Regulation in Africa” Webinar Workshop: Fintech and Development in Africa: Regulatory and Economic Perspectives, 30 June
2020, ‘Free Movement in the African Union; Emerging Jurisprudence of African regional /sub-regional courts’ Irish Centre for Human Rights, National University of Ireland, Galway, November 24
2020, ‘African International Business Law’, NOVA School of Law in Portugal, October 19
2020, Session chair, UKTPO conference “World Trade Policy: Back to the Future?”, September 15.
2020, ‘Poll Everywhere and the Teaching of Law’ University of Sussex, Pedagogic Revolution - Next Frontier conference, September 17
2019, Discussant at the UKTPO Conference on New Dimensions in International Trade Law, Chatham House, London, November 6.
2019, ‘The Dream of a Borderless Africa: Migration, Free movement & African Union Law)’ Irish Centre for Human Rights, National University of Ireland, Galway, October 10.
2018 ‘Universalism and African Union Law: An Uncomfortable Synthesis of Universalism and African Traditions?’ European Society of International Law Conference, Manchester, September 13-15.
2017 ‘African Union Law: The Emergence of a new Legal Order’ Society of Legal Scholars Conference, Dublin, September 7.
2016 ‘CSR, Supply Chain and Modern Slavery: The African Context’ Critical Legal Perspectives and Corporate Social Responsibility Conference, Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, London, June 8.
2015 ‘The 2013 Act’s Implications for Directors’ Duties and Remuneration’ Paper presented at the Structural Reform of Banking Symposium, University of Liverpool, London, July 2.
2015 “Shared responsibility’ as a mechanism for justice in international law: the case of multinational corporations” Paper presented at The International Law Association British Branch Spring Conference 29th May.
2013 “Rethinking Directors’ Duties in the aftermath of the Financial Crisis” Paper presented at the Society of Legal Scholars Conference, Edinburgh, September 4.
2013 “The Concept of Shared Responsibility in International Law and Multinational Corporations” Paper presented at a workshop organised by the SHARED Research Project on Shared Responsibility in International Law of the Amsterdam Centre for International Law, Netherlands on the 8th of April.
2011'The Role of the African Union in the Libyan Crisis', Inaugural CIPL Reflective Workshop on Topical Issues - the Libyan Crisis, Brunel University, London,15th November.
2011'Islamic Banking in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges' Islamic Law and International Law Conference 2011 hosted by the Brunel Business School and the Brunel Law School on the 9th September.
2010 “Judicial Discretion and Doing Justice: A Critical Analysis of the Supreme Court Decision in Office of Fair Trading v Abbey National PLC and Others” Paper presented at the Society of Legal Scholars Conference, Southampton , September.
2009 “The foundation for a global law for Multinational Corporations” Paper presented at the Society of Legal Scholars Conference, Keele University, U.K, 8th September.
2008 “Corporate Responsibility, Law and Human Rights in Developing Countries: The Limits of International Regulation” presentation at the CCJHR Postgraduate Conference at University College, Cork, Ireland on the 1st of May.
2007 “Promoting Corporate Social Responsibility Abroad: Regulatory Potentials in the European Union” presentation at the Marie Curie Series of conferences entitled 'CORE' coordinated by Fondazioni Enrei Erico Mattei (FEEM) organization Milan, Italy between the 14th and 15th of June.
2007 “Extraterritorial Application of Home Countries Jurisdiction to EU Corporations Activities Abroad: A window of opportunity?” presentation at the Social Legal Studies Association Conference at the University of Kent, Canterbury, between 3rd - 5th April.
2007 “Chinese Multinational Corporations in Nigeria: What Implications for Human Rights and Corporate Social Responsibility?” presentation at the CCJHR Postgraduate Conference at University College, Cork, Ireland on the 3rd of May.
2006 “Multinational Oil Corporation and Nigeria” presentation at the British International Studies Association 2006 held at University College Cork, Ireland, from 18th to 20th December.
2006 “Controlling Corporate Cowboys: Extraterritorial Application of Home Countries Jurisdiction to EU Corporations Abroad” presented at the University College Dublin Legal Research Conference 24th-25th November.
2006 “Corporate Codes of Conduct: Workers’ Welfare and Multinational Corporations in Nigeria” Paper presented at the International Academy of African Business 7th Annual Conference, Accra, Ghana 23rd -27th May.
2006 “Reconstructing the Role of Corporation: Multinational Corporations as Public Actors in Nigeria” Paper presented at the National Company Law Postgraduate Seminar, London School of Economics, U.K on 25th February, 2006 -A brief summary of presentation published in the (2006) 7 (3) European Business Organization Review Journal (EBOR) 747-751.
Copyright 2015 Olufemi Amao. All rights reserved.