Meet Tayo Okunade

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tayo Okunade.

Hi Tayo, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My name is Tayo Okunade and I own and manage the law firm Okunade, LLP in Denver. Born and raised in Nigeria, I am the first of three children born to a father who was a professor and a mother who was a teacher. My mom and siblings moved to the US in 1993 to meet my dad who was already here on sabbatical at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss).

We lived in Mississippi for a couple of years and moved to Saint Louis, Missouri, where I completed my high school. I stayed in St. Louis and also finished my undergraduate studies at Washington University in St. Louis and received BSBA with a focus in Marketing, International Business and French. After working briefly, I decided to pursue a legal degree. I attended DU Law School (Sturm College of Law) and received my law degree in 2009. I started my career working for the State of Colorado at the Colorado Division of Labor and Employment (CDLE) as a hearing officer with the Unemployment Insurance Division. I later went into private practice in the Denver office of a national law firm, where I worked for about a year and a half, doing litigation before deciding to branch out and start my own law firm.

 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Okunade, LLP opened for business in 2011. This was when it was certainly a challenge to start any business, including a law firm, because the country was still recovering from the 2007/2008 economic crisis. I had to bootstrap the law firm with some savings and worked really hard to nurture relationships with my colleagues to get client referrals. Through word of mouth and referrals, I was able to start building my client list and business. I also learned to strategically focus my practice areas to provide my clients with the most effective work. I started the law firm to achieve a meaningful work-life balance and to afford me the flexibility to better assist clients with their legal needs. When the firm opened, my wife and I also had a newborn baby that demanded our attention and focus.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I started Okunade, LLP with the aim of helping individuals and businesses navigate a range of legal issues. At Okunade, LLP, we focus on providing clients with the highest quality representation in a variety of practice areas, including business and contract matters, employment matters and probate administration and litigation, civil forfeiture matters, among others. Our clients view us as a trusted advisors, and we work closely with our clients to provide them with honest and knowledgeable advice for their legal needs. We take a clear and creative approach to every case while seeking to empower our clients and provide representation that is practical and personal to each client’s specific situation. Should the need arise, we are tenacious in representing our clients’ positions through litigation, whether such disputes arise in mediation, arbitration, administrative, in state or federal courts.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I have grown to really enjoy and appreciate the great outdoors. Denver/Aurora has some awesome neighborhood parks and outdoor activities that first drew me to Colorado. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends outdoors. Whether it is just hanging out at the park, playing golf, going for a hike, or taking a drive up to the mountains, Denver has it all. Also, the almost year-round beautiful sunny weather helps in enjoying time outdoors.

Denver has the potential for an expansive rail system; however, it still lacks in this area. I wish Denver had more options for public transportation (rail) than it currently does.

Contact Info:

• Email: info@okunadellp.com
• Website: www.okunadellp.com