For Yetunde Amodu LLM ’16, law offers a gateway to the world
When Yetunde Amodu LLM ’16 was 16 years old in 2011, she was living in Lagos, Nigeria, and dreaming of becoming a lawyer. But the sudden death of her mother, who fostered her academic success, had shattered her world. In time, with the support of her father, Yetunde vowed to seek her ambitions with a greater degree of purpose—as a tribute, she says, to her mother’s legacy.
Since then, she earned her initial law degree in the United Kingdom, received an LLM from NYU Law, and launched her legal career. She is currently an associate in the Real Estate and Financial Services Group at Gowling WLG in Toronto. For her work in international finance and project law, the Black Law Students’ Association of Canada has recognized Yetunde as a “dynamic” attorney and mentor who successfully “navigated cross-border legal landscapes.” In this Q&A, Yetunde discusses honoring her mother through her legal career, reflects on one of the most notable international deals from her portfolio, and talks about the value of networking among Black women attorneys.
Explain your duties at Gowling WLG. What do you enjoy about it and what challenges does it present?
I’ve been with Gowling for about a year, where I work on projects that involve lending, corporate finance, securitization, and insolvency. I’ve practiced law in Nigeria, Jersey [the largest island and a British dependency in the English Channel, and now Canada. Each has its own niche. I like experiencing new jurisdictions and seeing how the law works. And along the way, I’m assimilating within the cultures while being a Nigerian in my heart and soul. Professionally, I’m still learning the ropes and progressing in my career.
If someone comes to us about building a transmission pipeline from Toronto to Ottawa, then we get involved with the negotiations. What I enjoy the most is that you’re helping people resolve problems. You have to have a good head on your shoulders and lock in. A lot of people don’t realize how instrumental lawyers are to cementing deals like that. Sometimes you’re working on something that helps millions of taxpayers save money. And when the deal is done, you’re alone in a cubicle giving yourself credit. But I really enjoy helping to make things happen. Now, with any job, there will always be challenges. I like to tell myself that I was made for this. So even though I’m expected to work until 3 a.m. on some days, I can only be effective if I am a balanced person. Things can frustrate you daily, but I try not to let external events affect me too much internally. You have to know how to deal with people, how to manage your time, and how to handle the fires when they come.
How did you develop an interest in law?
I’m from Oyo State. But I spent my formative years in Lagos. I come from a line of academics in my family. My grandfather, Pa Amodu, returned to school and graduated from a university at 80 years old. When you’re growing up, you have to choose—doctor, lawyer, or accountant. From an early age in a Nigerian household, you’re groomed for success. It’s just, “Go go, go, go!” Either you’re strong enough to handle the pressure or you’re not. In my house, there was no such thing as being an influencer or a creator. I didn’t like math at all. But I loved reading and writing, so I chose law. I also saw a lot of oppression happening in the country at that time, so I gravitated towards a public interest career that I thought could help people find justice.
Can you share more about the impact that your mother had in your development?
She was very supportive in everything I wanted to do. I was the first child and the first daughter in my household. Losing my mom at such a young age is something that can either derail you from life or push you forward. And I had to tell myself, “I’m going to get what she wanted for me.” So I had a laser focus to complete my studies. But after she passed away, I don’t know if I would have been strong enough or had any sense of direction if it wasn’t for my father, who is very instrumental in my life.
What led you to NYU Law?
Because that was my mom’s dream. She was always saying, “My child must go abroad—yes, yes, yes! All my friends’ children are going abroad.” I went to Cardiff University in Wales, where I studied law for three years. It was hard, but I integrated well. And then in the summer of my third year, my father—who had a career in business, but is education-friendly—asked me, “What’s the next thing?” I told him that I wanted to trade countries. A lot of people thought that I should have had more work experience, but I didn’t care. I wanted to keep pursuing my education.
I wanted to be in New York, so I went to NYU’s website and applied. My dad was always telling me, “I will support you. Go for the best.” He always saw education as one of the main ways to go forward in life. Once I landed in JFK, I could feel the energy in the air. You see the people. And it’s not as if everyone is throwing money in the air, but you can just feel hustle in the air. I could recognize it because it matches my personality.
Are there any experiences from your time at NYU Law that have stayed with you?
Because of my rushing through life, it was very challenging at first. There was definitely culture shock. And for me that was, “Why is everyone so smart?” A lot of the students were already so accomplished, but I was coming in straight from university. So I wouldn’t say it was an easy transition. I struggled for the first few months. But when I got into it, it got easier. I learned how to be strategic with the assignments. The classes were very engaging and people were encouraged to talk.
A lot of the courses that I had, such as “Corporation Law,” brought real-life cases into the classroom. The professor, William Allen—God bless his soul—was so passionate about the subject. He was like a lot of professors that I had. They wanted to transfer their knowledge and show how it applied to real life. I also remember Phoebe Okowa [a Kenyan lawyer and Professor of Public International Law at Queen Mary University of London], who was a visiting professor at the time. She helped me to adjust socially. But NYU was such a social place. I remember how the Black Law Students Association reached out. I attended a lot of their events and it definitely made me feel welcome.
What happened after you graduated?
I worked with NYU’s Office of General Counsel for about five months. It gave me some work experience, so that worked out. But I wanted to go back to Nigeria and practice law for a bit. I have to thank Senior Director of Counseling and Career Development Clara Solomon, who really helped me during that period to build up my confidence while I was trying to figure out what to do next.
When I got back to Nigeria, I started to work for Templars—a big commercial law firm. That is where I was really trained, had my baptism, and went through the ring of fire. I was there for about three-and-a-half years from 2018 to 2021. I did a bit of corporate law, securities work and finance. It was a good training ground because I was able to get involved with different parts of the law. It grounded me. Later, I was trying to migrate to Canada, but I wouldn’t move without a job. I knew that if I wanted to work abroad that I really had to prepare myself and be qualified. So I went to Jersey and worked as lead associate at Carey Olsen LLP from 2022 to 2024, which put me in a position to apply to Gowling.
Which deal from your portfolio stands out to you?
When I was in Templars, we closed the Lekki Deep Sea Port project. It’s Nigeria’s first deep-water port and the first private port with investors from China and Singapore. There was also a lot of Nigerian government involvement because it’s a sensitive sector of transport. When I joined Templars, the deal was taking shape. Now anytime I see that project, I smile because I know the key players. It’s helping to expand access for Nigerians. And it’s bringing more economic volume because the imports and exports are flowing more since there are now two ports in the region.
Can you talk about your work with the Black Female Lawyers Network?
It has existed in Canada for about 20 years. I joined when I was still in Nigeria because I wanted to build a network in Canada. And when I [left Nigeria for Canada], I didn’t just apply for legal jobs on my own. They taught me how to go about it, how to reach out to people, and how to handle interviews. I was chair of its Membership and Mentorship Committee. And now I’m the Secretary. We hold a retreat every year in November for our 200 members, where we spend the whole day together to network. We also hold events throughout the year for technical skills, workshops, and résumé reviews. As a group, we focus on being a woman, being Black, and being lawyers. I’ve been with them for five years. But anywhere I go, I’ll always have them in mind. And I will always support causes like this.
What future ambitions do you have?
If you look at my NYU personal statement, it says, “Global always.” That’s still my goal. Global is the best. And I won’t stop because I’m such a restless spirit. A school like NYU often tells us that “the world is your oyster.” In the future, I would like to be the person who is called in to negotiate complex infrastructure projects and international trade deals. Other people are doing it, so why can’t I? I’ll always aim for the highest level possible.