Mr Imasuen was admitted to the US bar on 16 September 1992 in the term of the Appellate Division of the court in the Second Judicial Department. He was disbarred almost 18 years later. “…The respondent, Neda B. Imasuen, admitted as Neda Bernards Imasuen, is commanded to desist and refrain from practising law in any form, either as principal or agent, clerk, or employee of another, appearing as an attorney or counsellor-at-law before any court, Judge, Justice, board, commission, or other public authority, giving to another an opinion as to the law or its application or any advice in relation thereto, and holding himself out in any way as an attorney and counsellor-at-law,” the Grievance Committee ordered. The committee stated in the order, date dated 11 May 2010, that Mr Imasuen violated the New York bar code and rules.

Permanently barred?

According to our findings, an attorney who has been suspended or disbarred, or whose name has been removed from the Roll of Attorneys and Counsellors-at-Law following a felony conviction, may apply to be reinstated to practice under the provisions of Section 691.11 of the court’s rules (the Supreme Court of the State of New York) and Section 1240.16 of the Rules for Attorney Disciplinary Matters. This publication also found that such an application for reinstatement after disbarment or removal cannot be filed until seven years have passed since the order of disbarment was entered. It is unclear whether Mr. Imasuen petitioned for reinstatement following his disbarment. If he did not, his disbarment would still be current.

Mr Imasuen did not answer to calls or text messages requesting his comments. PREMIUM TIMES learned that Mr Imasuen returned to Nigeria the same year he was disbarred. He eventually became a consultant for the European Union’s State Reforming Institutional Programme, where he served as Jigawa State coordinator.