Brief Introduction
The Honourable Justice FLORENCE ATILI FIBERESIMA, DSSRS, FICMC, MCIARB, a Judge of the High Court in the Rivers State Judiciary, was born on the 20th of May, 1968. Admitted to the legal profession in 1990, she commenced her professional journey as a State Counsel in the Rivers State Ministry of Justice in 1992. Her dedication eventually led her to the role of Director, Directorate for Citizens’ Rights, a position she held from 2002 to July 2015. Thereafter, she assumed the position of Director at the Honourable Attorney General’s Office in July 2015. Her capabilities were further recognized when she was appointed as the Solicitor General of Rivers State and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, a role she discharged from August 2015 to January 2020. This remarkable trajectory culminated in her appointment as a Judge of the High Court of Rivers State in 2020.
Honourable Justice F. A. Fiberesima boasts a plethora of credentials that exemplify her commitment to legal excellence. She is a distinguished Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, has earned accreditation as a mediator from CEDR (UK), and additionally is a member of the prestigious Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK).
Educationally, Justice Fiberesima holds an LLB from the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt (now Rivers State University), BL, from the Nigerian Law School and LLM, in Public International Law from the University of London. She also possesses a Practice Diploma in International Arbitration from the College of Law, England and Wales.
Presently, she is on the Board of the Justice Mary Odili Judicial Institute, and also the Chief Judge’s representative on the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Council of Rivers State.
Prior to her elevation to the bench, Justice Fiberesima held positions in various organizations. In 2019, she was appointed a member of the Governing Council of Nigerian Bar Association Women Forum. She is also a past National Assistant General Secretary of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Nigeria and was Chairperson of the FIDA Nigeria, Rivers State Branch from 2007 to 2011.
She previously served as Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), Nigeria, Port Harcourt Chapter from 2018 to 2020 and Chairperson of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, Rivers State Branch from 2012 to 2018. She is a member of the Institute’s Governing Council and served as a member of its training faculty.
Justice Fiberesima is married to Sir. (Dr.) Sampson I. Fiberesima. They have four children and one grandchild.