Mr. Obande services clients in various areas of transactional law, energy law, and construction law. His practice includes counseling owners, developers, contractors, and subcontractors through the various stages of transaction and project life-cycles, including the initiation, planning, execution, controlling, and closing stages. Mr. Obande assists his clients with negotiating various transactions, including commercial contracts, and counsels clients on project risks, claims, and disputes. His transactions and claims experience includes a wide range of projects in energy and construction, including renewable energy (solar, wind, hydrogen, and battery energy storage systems (“BESS”), nuclear, heavy civils, pipe construction, and manufacturing and industrials (pulp and paper, chemicals, and aftermarket services for plant machinery repairs).

Prior to entering the legal field, Mr. Obande practiced as a structural engineer (EIT) with a full-service design firm and gained valuable experience solving complex design and cost challenges for clients. Mr. Obande’s broad technical, business, and legal background provide his advanced understanding of the intricacies between business and law and other advanced competencies that enable him to quickly grasp complex technical concepts.

Prior to joining Smith, Gambrell & Russell, Mr. Obande was in-house at a global consulting, engineering, and construction company, where he was one of the attorneys responsible for advising the company’s renewable energy and power business, which executed projects in the renewable energy (solar, wind, hydrogen, and BESS), power, paper, and water sectors throughout the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. Mr. Obande advised internal clients on various commercial transactions, conducted due diligence on transactions (including M&A, joint ventures, and teaming agreements), prepared presentations and memoranda for executive level stakeholders, worked hand-in-hand with executives, commercial and supply chain managers, project managers, and project teams to manage risk throughout a project’s life-cycle, and provided support on general corporate matters. He also assisted with the prosecution of significant claims for extra work, inefficiencies, delays, and changed conditions in connection with solar and wind engineering, procurement, and construction (“EPC”) projects.

Mr. Obande received a B.S.E. in Civil Engineering from Calvin University. He holds an M.B.A. in finance and strategy, highest honors, Beta Gamma Sigma, from Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business. He also received his J.D. from Georgia State University’s College of Law (J.D./M.B.A. Program) where he was recognized with CALI Award Honors and a Pro-Bono Distinction. Mr. Obande received his L.L.M., high honors, in Transactional Law from the Emory University School of Law. He is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, including the Construction Law Section and the Corporate Counsel Law Section.

Mr. Obande served as a Legal Extern for The Honorable Judge Barbara Ellis-Monro.