Afigo Fadahunsi Knows Exactly Who She Is

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One of Afigo Fadahunsi’s earliest onscreen encounters with the law was through the 1982 movie The Verdict, starring Paul Newman. “My family owned that movie growing up, and my dad and I watched it a lot together. The main character is a lawyer who turns his life around because of his strong desire to help people,” she explains. “That really spoke to me. I connected with the character even though we had completely different backgrounds.”

The movie helped Fadahunsi recognize legal practice as a form of advocacy—and as the career path she wanted to pursue, no matter the hurdles that might stand in her way. Her hard work and determination have landed her most recently at Verisk, a data analytics and technology company where she serves as chief litigation counsel.

Born and raised in Nigeria, Fadahunsi moved to the United States as a teenager. She had always been close to her family, but the move further deepened the bond between her, her siblings, and her parents. “I saw my parents as the most reliable and incredible mentors in my life. They shaped the way I saw myself and the way I saw and interacted with other people,” she reflects. “They taught me to embrace other cultures and to look at people—regardless of where they’re from—as human beings.”

“I’m proud to say that I am a Nigerian. Nigerians have a strong sense of self and a strong sense of culture.”

Afigo Fadahunsi

Fadahunsi’s parents instilled in her the importance of respect, discipline, and education. With their teachings guiding her, she went directly from college to law school, then into private practice. Over the next fifteen-plus years, she handled mass tort and product liability litigation in industries ranging from aerospace technology to pharmaceuticals. She also gained exposure to media and entertainment intellectual property law and developed a specialization in appellate matters.

At a certain point, however, Fadahunsi felt that she had achieved her personal goals within the realm of private practice. “I wanted to know what was next,” says the chief litigation counsel. “I was particularly interested in how companies were run. As outside counsel, you’re focused on getting the results your clients want you to get, but you’re a little less focused on how things are being done and how decisions are being made on the inside.”

Fadahunsi knew that she could ease herself into an in-house role by choosing an industry related to her private practice experience—but she has never been one to take the easy road. “I’m a tiny bit competitive, and I like to be pushed beyond my limit,” she admits. “I really like challenges and what better way to challenge myself than to work in a field that I wasn’t directly familiar with?”

Upon joining Verisk in February 2021, Fadahunsi had her work cut out for her. “Verisk is a data analytics and technology partner to the global insurance industry, so we have a number of business units doing very, very interesting things,” says Fadahunsi. “I still feel like I’m on my business unit tour, learning what different groups do, but I find that connecting with the leadership of those teams and the people who work in those groups is invaluable in terms of understanding how to do my job.”

“Surround yourself with positive people who have every interest in seeing you succeed. And do the same for others. When you put that energy out, you get that energy back.”

Afigo Fadahunsi

It has been all the more crucial for Fadahunsi to grow her understanding of Verisk as her role has expanded. Whereas she started out leading the company’s litigation, enforcement, and adversarial matters worldwide, she now oversees the resolution of human resources, labor and employment, and IP legal issues as well.

“One very big focus of mine has been to help our business units understand the rapidly evolving litigation landscape, especially in the technology arena. My job is to help preserve the company’s reputation as a responsible data steward by finding the most efficient and effective ways to comply with the changing data privacy laws in various states,” Fadahunsi says. “While innovation is key, we need to place just as much emphasis on responsible data hygiene and stewardship.”

Beyond mitigating risks to protect the company from litigation, Fadahunsi supports Verisk by chairing its global women’s network. “I feel very lucky to get to help women come together; openly discuss challenges associated with our roles as working professionals and as mothers, sisters, daughters, and caretakers; and recognize the benefits of those roles and how they can be applied in the workplace,” she says.

Fadahunsi also sees clear connections between her personal and professional lives. She continues to draw on her Nigerian values and heritage in each sphere, and she hopes to inspire the next generation to do the same. “I’m proud to say that I am a Nigerian. Nigerians have a strong sense of self and a strong sense of culture,” she says. “I’ve taught my children that, while they are American, both their mom and their dad are from somewhere else. Helping them understand and connect with that somewhere else has been really important to us.”

Fadahunsi encourages new attorneys to hone their own sense of self as they embark on their careers. “What do you actually want to do with your professional life as an attorney? People talk about mentorship and sponsorship, and those things are very important, but you have to take responsibility for your trajectory, as well,” she emphasizes.

The chief litigation counsel advises identifying goals and working backward to determine how best to move toward them. She is a strong proponent of connecting with peers in the profession, whether by getting involved in organizations like the American Bar Association or by simply picking up the phone. “Surround yourself with positive people who have every interest in seeing you succeed,” she says. “And do the same for others. When you put that energy out, you get that energy back.”

Fadahunsi speaks from experience, and from the position of someone who has found a caring community among her colleagues at Verisk—a place with an energy all its own. “Verisk is a leader in the information services and technology space, and we’re living in the age of information more so now than ever,” she says. “I’m excited to be involved in the evolution of that space and to be part of a company like Verisk.”

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