Walkers BVI is the preferred destination for a diverse clientele, including high-net-worth individuals, private equity and hedge funds, and other institutional clients, fielding a ‘formidable team of lawyers’. The group excels in shareholder disputes, corporate litigation, ultra-high-value asset cases, fraud, and contentious insolvency matters, frequently appearing in Commercial Court, Court of Appeal, and Privy Council proceedings. Specialising in fraud and asset tracing claims, Oliver Clifton is ’hugely experienced in BVI litigation, with a strong instinct for the merits and strategy’. Clifton jointly leads the group with the ‘legally and tactically brilliant’ Rosalind Nicholson, a well-known barrister and a key contact for shareholder disputes and insolvency proceedings. Murray Laing is another ’great member of the team’ and has a ‘superb eye for detail and strategic judgment’. Other noteworthy members of the team include Iain Tucker, a ’very experienced and efficient litigator’ with a particular focus on contentious and insolvency-related mandates in the fintech space; and Cate Barbour, who acts for Central Asian and Middle Eastern clients.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

‘Walkers BVI are top of their game: a boutique firm that lands prominent instructions in every big ticket piece of litigation on island, and with a formidable roster of talented lawyers.’
‘Rosalind Nicholson: she is the standout company lawyer in the BVI. Legally and tactically brilliant. A huge asset to Walkers - and a huge thorn in the side of any opposing legal team. Murray Laing: exceptionally diligent committed and kind, Murray is that rare kind of law partner who genuinely cares for the best interests of his client. Your faith in him will be repaid in spades. A class act.'
'Oliver Clifton: hugely experienced in BVI litigation, with a strong instinct for the merits and strategy. Brilliant in cross border commercial litigation and a real heavyweight in this jurisdiction.'
‘Oliver Clifton is the real rain-maker in this team, which he leads with great energy and panache.’
‘Rosalind Nicholson has a wealth of experience which really makes her stand out above the crowd in her knowledge of the law, tactical judgment and how to manage litigation. On top of that she is a real pleasure to deal with.'
‘Walkers BVI are undoubtedly one or the major players in the BVI dispute resolution space. They are a large team with considerable combined experience and expertise.’
‘A genuine offshore heavyweight with strength across jurisdictions and populated by seriously talented people who are a joy to work with. Walkers offers a seamless service across the international dispute resolution arena. I love working with them.’
‘Iain Tucker - a clever lawyer with an eye on the detail. Able to bring a fresh perspective to a case in a way that makes his client's position seem like the only sensible answer. A pleasure to work with.’

Key clients

Pfizer Inc.
FTX Trading Ltd. and associated debtors
HSBC
SinoJet (Beijing) Ltd
Richcourt Allweather Fund
Nokian Shina LLC
BlockFi International Ltd
Broad Idea International Limited
Multi-Bank Group, Dubai
Formal Holdings Limited

Work highlights

Acted as BVI counsel to Pfizer Inc. on its $11.6bn cash acquisition of Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.
Representing MBFX in ongoing disputes with Von Der Heydt S.A. MBFX as part of the Multibank Group.
Represented HSBC in the application to appoint Provisional Liquidators to two BVI subsidiaries of NewOcean Energy Holdings, a Bermudan company, listed on the HK Stock Exchange.