Oliver Clifton

Partner

British Virgin Islands

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+1 284 852 2246

/+1 284 542 2246

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Email Oliver Clifton

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English

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Oliver works on complex cross-border disputes often involving ultra-high-value assets.

He joined Walkers in 2006 and is part of our Insolvency & Dispute Resolution Group. Oliver specialises in complex cross-border commercial litigation, and has experience of fraud and asset tracing, often involving urgent injunction and disclosure applications. He is also an expert at getting orders to support foreign Court and arbitration proceedings.

Oliver is an experienced advocate and appears in the British Virgin Islands Commercial Court, and before the ECSC Court of Appeal and the Privy Council.

Oliver is extremely smart and sophisticated. He is a thoughtful lawyer, which is the highest compliment possible.

Chambers Global

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.

Legal 500

Experience and recent work

Before moving to the British Virgin Islands, Oliver was a barrister in London.

Qualifications

Admitted in:

British Virgin Islands
England and Wales (not practising)

Education:

BA (Hons), University of Oxford, UK
MA, University of York, UK
Postgraduate Diploma in Law
Bar Vocational Course

Oliver is a member of COMBAR (North America) and an honorary member of the Chancery Bar Association. He is also a member of the BVI Bar Association.

2025 Legal 500 - Leading Partner - Dispute Resolution

Lexology Index - Recommended - Commercial Litigation

2024 Chambers Global - Dispute Resolution - Band 1

2023 Chambers Global - Notable Practitioner - Dispute Resolution - "The guru when it comes to knowing and understanding BVI procedures and how they differ from what we might expect from an English perspective."

2023 Legal 500 - Leading Individual - Dispute Resolution - ‘Oliver Clifton is the best litigator in the BVI. He has a brilliant relationship with all his clients, who rightly trust him implicitly. He leads a very energetic team who always strives to win.’

2022 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Asset Recovery

2022 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Investigations

2022 Chambers Global - Notable Practitioner - Dispute Resolution - "He is an experienced and savvy BVI litigator." "He is very quick to catch every single detail and react. Oliver's presence is key to a smooth trial."

2022 Legal 500 - Leading Individual - Dispute Resolution - ‘Oliver Clifton is a guru in offshore litigation. He is very quick to catch every single detail and react. Oliver’s presence is key to a smooth trial.‘ and 'I consider Oliver Clifton to be the go-to lawyer for litigation in the BVI Commercial Court.'

2022 Legal 500 - Recommended - Trusts & Private Client

2021 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Commercial Litigation

2021 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Asset Recovery

2021 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Investigations

2021 Chambers Global - Notable Practitioner - Dispute Resolution - Interviewees describe him as "very intelligent" and "very calm" as well as "very helpful in making strategic decisions."

2021 Who's Who Legal - Recommended - Restructuring & Insolvency

2021 Legal 500 - Leading Individual - Dispute Resolution - "cerebral approach, methodical and focused."

2021 Legal 500 - Recommended - Trusts & Private Client

2020 Who's Who Legal - Investigations

2020 Chambers Global Guide - Notable Practitioner - Dispute Resolution - "Sources acknolwdge him as 'one of the best litigators in the BVI" and "a really experienced and highly sophisticated lawyer who is respected by his clients, his opponents and the courts."

2020 Legal 500 - Leading Individual - Dispute Resolution

2019 Who's Who Legal - Thought Leaders - GIR

2019 Who's Who Legal - Global Leader - Asset Recovery

2019 Who's Who Legal - Litigation

2019 Chambers Global Guide - Notable Practitioner - Dispute Resolution -"Oliver is a "very good technical lawyer who knows the offshore jurisdictions very well." One client said of him that "first and foremost he's an excellent lawyer, but he's also a great tactician."

2019 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Trusts & Private Client

2019 Legal 500 - Leading Individual - Dispute Resolution - "Oliver Clifton is 'a great strategic thinker' "

2018 Who's Who Legal - Litigation, Investigations, and Asset Tracing

2018 Legal 500 - Dispute Resolution - "great strategic thinker"

2018 Legal 500 - Private Client - "very experienced and not afraid to argue difficult points in court"

2018 Who's Who Legal - Litigation

2018 Chambers Global Guide - Notable Practitioner - Dispute Resolution - "He is an excellent lawyer and a very sure hand on the tiller for substantial cross-border litigation. He's unflappable, realistic and has a dry sense of humour - clients rightly have every confidence in him."

2018 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Dispute Resolution

2018 Legal 500 - Recommended Lawyer - Trusts & Private Client