Dispute resolution

Walkers BVI

‘An outstanding BVI litigation practice’, Walkers BVI regularly represents its stellar clientele in cross-border disputes. It has an active privy council practice, excels in private capital and trusts work, and participates in arbitrations on a global scale. The team also boasts strong restructuring and insolvency capabilities, particularly in the fintech sector. A go-to advisor for HNW individuals, Oliver Clifton is active in fraud and asset tracing and boasts an active cross-border litigation practice. He leads the team alongside corporate litigation specialist Rosalind Nicholson, who boasts experience in cryptocurrency disputes. With an impressive roster of clients spanning North America, China and East Asia, Iain Tucker excels in freezing orders and injunctive relief work and has particular focus on the fintech sector. Meenaa Azsmayesh was promoted to senior counsel in July 2023 and is active in shareholder and investor disputes, corporate insolvency cases and fraud and asset tracing matters. Murray Laing has left the BVI team for a long-term secondment to the firm's Dubai office.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

‘Technically the most sound. Best strategic thinkers. Best technology platform (as observed by the Court itself). Access to broad range of talent in Cayman, Hong Kong, or other offices as required, which is a big plus on a complex case. Have enough very capable people to never have a case short-staffed, and can (and do) leverage other offices' resources as helpful and/or required.'
‘Oliver Clifton is hands down the best strategic and tactical lawyer on the island. I have now worked with him for nearly a decade on a piece of litigation that has gone up to the Privy Council and back down (successfully). He is direct, user-friendly, and terribly effective on his feet when needed. Always thinks several moves ahead and can read the court particularly well. The bedrock of the Walkers dispute resolution team in BVI.'
‘Walkers provides a seamless worldwide service, and will go the extra mile in working late or early to cover handovers between different timezones.’
‘High calibre lawyers in the BVI with commercial expertise and great knowledge of substantive law.’
‘Walkers have sound local knowledge and are user friendly.’
‘Oliver Clifton is proactive, strategic and has good judgment.’
‘The team is very professional and responsive.’

Key clients

Cargill Group
Tristan Oil Limited
Bunge SA
Ikon Shina LLC (formerly Nokian Shina LLC)
HSBC
FTX Trading Ltd and 101 associated debtors
Amiral Ports Development Limited
King Bun
Pramod Mittal
C2 Capital Limited
FalconX Limited
Marc Andre Girolstein
Incredible Power and Esben Finance Limited

Work highlights

Representing the Cargill Group as a defendant in BVI fraud proceedings brought by the Russian National Bank Trust, a bank holding the distressed assets of an Oligarch.
Acted for Tristan Oil Ltd on a restructuring via a BVI Scheme of Arrangement of its New York Law-governed debt and a Chapter 15 recognition.
Acted for a successful group of Defendants in JSC BTA Bank v Sabyrbaev BVIHCM2021/0171, proceedings concerning a claim of fraud brought by the Kazakh Bank BTA against multiple BVI companies and other defendants.