Chika Onwuekwe

	Chika B. ONWUEKWE Associate
	4505 Canterra Tower 400 - 3rd Avenue S.W. Calgary AB T2P 4H2
	Direct Phone: 403.693.4314 Fax: 403.508.4349 Email: conwuekwe@mlt.com

Business Law
Intellectual Property Law
Natural Resources Law
Technology Law
Real Estate Development

Chika’s practice focuses on complex transactional work and commercial deals for corporate, technology, health, energy and commercial real estate clients. Prior to joining MLT, Chika articled in a large international firm in Calgary and was a Professor of Law and Society at the University of Calgary.

Chika's legal career began in Nigeria, where he was an experienced senior Tax, Legal and Business Regulatory Services consultant at KPMG, negotiating, drafting and reviewing complex commercial contracts (including production sharing contracts, joint operating agreements for joint venture partnerships, service contracts for major oil and gas companies, and distribution agreements for manufacturing, information and service companies). Chika continues to consult for government and industry in Nigeria and other African nations. He has also consulted for Justice Canada on nanotechnology, for the Canadian Biotechnology Secretariat on domestic biotechnology legislation and for the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation (CHSRF) on knowledge brokering.

Academic & Professional Qualifications

Admitted to the Alberta Bar
Ph.D (Saskatchewan, 2004)
LL.M. (Saskatchewan, 2002)
LL.M. (Lagos, 1994)

Awards & Distinctions

Doctoral Fellow, Genome Prairie (Canada) Project on Intellectual Property (2002 - 2004)
Graduate Teaching / Service Fellowships, University of Saskatchewan (2000 / 2001 / 2003)

Professional & Community Service

Calgary Catholic Immigration Society - Volunteer (since 2004)
Saskatoon Open Door Society Inc. - Volunteer (2000 - 2001)

Publications

Phillips and Onwuekwe, eds., Accessing and Sharing the Benefits of the Genomics Revolution (Dordrecht: Springer/Kluwer, 2007).
“Reconciling the Scramble for Foreign Direct Investments and Environmental Prudence: A Developing Country's Nightmare” (2006) 7 Journal of World Investment & Trade, 113-141.
“The Commons Concept and Intellectual Property Rights Regime: Whither Plant Genetic Resources and Traditional Knowledge?” (2004) Pierce Law Review, 65-90 (Vol. 2, No. 1).