Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission
Hon. Justice Ayotunde Adeyoola Phillips (Nee Williams) was born on the 26th day of July 1949 in London, England, United Kingdom to Hon. Justice James Oladipo Williams and Mrs. Henrietta Aina Williams, both now of blessed memory. Her late father was a High Court Judge, which makes her a second generation Judge.
She gained admission into the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba following the advice of her father to study law. She graduated with LLB (Honours) in June 1973. She was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1974 and spent her compulsory National Youth Service Corps year in the then East Central State of Nigeria.
Her working career began when she served as a junior counsel in the Chambers of the late Kehinde Sofola, SAN in 1975. A year later, she was employed as a Legal Officer with the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC), where she rose through the ranks to the position of Secretary/Legal Adviser of the Corporation.
In 1990, she transferred her service to the Lagos State Ministry of Justice where she held the positions of Director of Commercial Law and Director of Civil Litigation before her elevation to the position of a Judge of the High Court of Lagos State in February 1994.
Her Ladyship held several judicial positions during her career on the Bench such as the Chairman, Panel of Enquiry into the sale of the Lagos State Government Shares in Eko Hotels Ltd ( 1999 ); Member, Advisory Committee of the Nigerian Rule of Law Assistance Project hosted by the National Centre for State Courts, Washington DC and USAID ( June 2000-2004 ); Member, Election Petitions Tribunal, Rivers State ( September 2000 – April 2001); Member, Election Petitions Tribunal, Adamawa State ( November 2001 – March 2002 ); Probate Judge ( 2001-2004); Administrative Judge, Ikeja Judicial Division ( March 2009 – April 2010 ); Chairman, Welfare Committee, High Court of Lagos State (2004-2009); Head Judge, High Court of Lagos State ( April 2010 – June 2012 ); Chairman, Lagos Settlement Week ( September 2010 to June 2012).
On 14th June 2012, she was sworn in as the 14th Chief Judge and 4th female Chief Judge of Lagos State. Her Ladyship retired from the High Court Bench on the 26th of July 2014 upon the attainment of the statutory retirement age of 65 years. She had by then served the Lagos State Government for 38 years out of which 20 years were spent on the High Court Bench.
Justice Phillips is a member of Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), International Association of Women Lawyers (FIDA), International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ), Nigerian Association of Women Judges (NAWJN), World Jurists Association (WJA), Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association (CMJA), Ladies Roundtable (Social Club), Guild of Stewards, Diocese of Lagos West. She is currently the Legal Adviser to the Ikeja Archdeaconry, Diocese of Lagos West, Ikeja, Lagos and also the Deputy Chancellor, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Diocese of Lagos West, Ikeja, Lagos State.
She is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, UK; Country Chair of the Nigerian Conflict and Management Group; Member, Board of Trustees, Association of Multi-Door Courthouses of Nigeria and Member of the Board of Directors of Lagos Court of Arbitration.
On the 29th June 2016, she was sworn in as the Chairman of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC.)
Apart from her love for law, Hon. Justice Ayotunde Phillips enjoys singing, reading, cooking, listening to good music, dancing, watching movies and travelling. She also has a passion for gadgets and loves exploring the beauty of modern day technology.
She is happily married to Folorunso Modupe Phillips and the marriage is blessed with children and grandchildren.
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