Lawyer. Author. Technologist. Government official.
Fernandez is a Nigerian lawyer and notary public with over a decade of experience in legal practice, technology law, dispute resolution, and public policy.
He currently serves as Special Assistant to the President on Justice Sector Reform & ICT/Digital and Innovative Technology, working within the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. In this capacity, he works on the strategic development and implementation of justice sector reforms across constitutional, legislative, and technological domains. His work includes championing digital transformation through e-filing and virtual courts, developing policy and legislative frameworks, optimising court processes and case management systems, and coordinating reform initiatives across government branches, the legal profession, and civil society.
Before his government appointment, he was a Partner at Tsedaqah Attorneys, a full-service law firm, where he headed the Technology & Emerging Trends practice and served on the Dispute Resolution and Corporate & Commercial teams. He advised corporations and institutions on high-value transactions and complex litigation, including election petitions and constitutional matters.
He co-founded Creative LegalTech Solutions Ltd (operating as Wekrea8.com), a legal technology company that has delivered technology solutions for law firms and legal organisations including the Nigerian Bar Association.
He holds a Master of Laws (LLM) in LegalTech from Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania; a Barrister at Law qualification from the Nigerian Law School; and a Bachelor of Laws from Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State.
He is the author of Law & Technologies: Exploring the Evolving Intersection of Law and Technology (2024) and is completing his second book, Power, Code, and Control: Artificial Intelligence and the Struggle Over Who Decides.
Selected Awards
Nigerian Bar Association
Lagos Branch
2025
National Bar Council, Law Students
Association of Nigeria
2022
ESQ Legal Awards,
2018 &
2021
Young Legal Professionals Anniversary Award
2020
Award for Exceptional Contribution to technological and Innovative Transformation of the Law and the Justice Sector
Award of Honour
Finalist, Top 40 Nigerian Lawyers Under 40 Years (Rising Stars),
Most Outstanding Administrator
Credentials
— Special Assistant to the President on Justice Sector Reform & ICT/Digital and Innovative Technology
— Partner (on leave), Tsedaqah Attorneys
— Co-founder, Creative LegalTech Solutions Ltd (Wekrea8.com)
— LLM (LegalTech), Mykolas Romeris University, Lithuania
— Barrister at Law, Nigerian Law School
— LLB, Niger Delta University
— Author — Law & Technologies: Exploring the Evolving Intersection of Law and Technology (2024)
— Author — Power, Code, and Control: Artificial Intelligence and the Struggle Over Who Decides (forthcoming)
Professional affiliations
— Nigerian Bar Association
— International Bar Association
— African Bar Association
— Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
— Hague Institute for Innovation in Law (HiiL)
— Young Legal Professionals
— NBA Section on Legal Practice
— Justice in Commerce Network
— Lawyers in Technology Initiative
Some Recent Positions Held
- Chairman, Technology, Media and Telecommunications Law Committee, Nigerian Bar Association Section on Legal Practice (2023-date)
- Member, Steering Committee on The Establishment Of The E-Filing System For Federal Capital Territory Magistrates’ Courts (2024-date)
- Co-opted member, Presidential Taskforce on Artificial Intelligence, International Bar Association (2024-date)
- Member, National Summit on Justice Planning Committee (2023-2024)
- Member, Nigerian National Core Convening Group & Reference Group of Experts - Justice Needs Survey - Hague Institute for Innovation in Law (HiiL) (2024-date)
- Consultant, Membership and Data Management Committee, Nigerian Bar Association, Lagos Branch (2023-2025).
- Member, Judiciary Relations Committee, Nigerian Bar Association, Lagos Branch (2023-2025)
- Member, Federal Justice Sector Reform Coordinating Committee, Nigeria (2024-date)
- Secretary, African Bar Association (Nigeria) Young Lawyers Forum (2020-2023)
- Secretary, Membership & Data Management Committee, Nigerian Bar Association, Lagos Branch (2021- 2023)
- Project Team Lead, Innovation Law Club Africa (ILCA) (2020-2022)
Some Recent Projects
• Drafting of Private Member Bill on Appointment and Promotion of Judicial Officers in Nigeria – 2025/2026
•
JusticeTechNG Hackathon and Accelerator (accelerator.justicetech.ng) – 2025/2026
•
Niger Delta Youth Technology Summit - 2025
•
E-filing and Case Management Portal for the Federal Capital Territory Magistrates’ Court, Nigeria – 2025
•
Administration of Criminal Justice Committee (ACJMC) Monitoring Portal - 2024
•
Federal Ministry of Justice National Criminal Information Management System project – 2024
•
Drafting and review of Justice Sector Reform Bills for joint submission by the Federal Ministry of Justice and Nigerian Bar Association - 2024
•
Review and update of the Nigerian National Policy on Justice - 2024
•
Development of Guidelines on the Use of Technology in Legal Practice in Nigeria (Project Lead) – Nigerian Bar Association Section on Legal Practice - 2024
•
Legal Drafting and Amendment Process for the Implementation of the Steve Orosanye Report on Restructuring and Rationalising Federal Government Parastatals and Agencies – Federal Government of Nigeria - 2024
•
National Summit on Justice 2024 – Federal Ministry of Justice (Nigeria), Nigerian Bar Association and National Judicial Council – 2024
•
Redeployment of the Website and Membership Portal (Consultant) - Nigerian Bar Association, Lagos Branch – 2024
