How a Quick Retainer Call Helped a Client Shut Down a Fake Distributor — Immediately

As we approach the midpoint of the business year, it’s the perfect time to assess how prepared your business is — not just for growth, but for the unexpected.

The truth is, just like life’s issues, legal issues don’t always give warnings. Sometimes, it takes one call—at the right time—to protect your business from serious damage. That’s exactly what happened when one of our retainer clients discovered a fake distributor posing as their representative in a major city.

A few years ago, this client, a consumer goods brand, noticed unusual complaints from customers in a key region. Products bearing their brand name were surfacing — but with questionable packaging and a slight variation in quality. A distributor claiming to be an “official partner” was stocking these products —and at suspiciously low prices.

Within 30 minutes of flagging the issue, they were on a call with us. Since they were already on retainer, there was no need for lengthy onboarding or fee negotiations.

The Response: Instant Legal Action

We jumped in immediately.  Within 48 few hours, we had:

• Verified the legal identity of the impersonator
• Sent a formal cease and desist letter to the fake distributor
• Instructed the client’s known distributors to circulate a public disclaimer, which they were all willing to do since it affected their individual businesses. More interestingly, alliances and partnerships were forged during that virtual meeting.
• Provided a notice template for all distributors and retail partners warning against stocking non-authorized inventory.
• Escalated the matter to relevant regulatory agencies
• Secured the brand’s public position by guiding a customer-facing press release.

Had this been a walk-in instruction, precious time would have been lost in receiving a proper briefing and then formalizing engagement terms. Instead, their annual compliance retainer saved the day — quietly, efficiently, and powerfully. Just focused legal action when it mattered most.

Also, the fact that this was caught in time eliminated the need for elaborate rebranding and emergency PR strategies which would have cost money nobody planned for.

Why Retainers Matter — Especially for Compliance

Most Nigerian businesses understand the need to “have a lawyer,” but many underestimate the timing of legal support, delaying until a crisis hits. The challenge is that issues like impersonation, IP theft, fake pages, and unlawful distribution can do immense brand damage in hours—not weeks. If your lawyer is on speed dial and briefed already, you’re not only faster; you’re smarter.

A legal retainer ensures you have legal muscle on standby for:

• Unscheduled regulatory inspections
• Trademark and brand enforcement
• Contract breaches by partners or vendors
• Urgent compliance questions that need fast answers

In summary, it gives you the confidence that someone already understands your business and can act without delay.

You also get:

• Routine contract reviews and legal advisory
• Regulatory alerts and calendar reminders
• Access to tailored legal templates and letters
• Investor-readiness and compliance check-ins
• Proactive monitoring of risks and obligations
• Documentation that’s always up-to-date and enforceable
• Peace of mind so you can focus on growth

Whether you’re in food and beverage, fintech, creative industries, logistics or professional services — there’s a retainer package that fits your operations and risk exposure. We are legal partners, not just lawyers.

Send us an email at lawyers@syntaxlaw.com.