Oliver Butler
Barrister
Call 2010
Oliver has a broad commercial practice, encompassing litigation, arbitration and advice.
Current and recent work includes:
Mariana v BHP: Acting for the Defendant (with Daniel Toledano KC, Shaheed Fatima KC, Victoria Windle KC, Nicholas Sloboda and others) in the US$ multi-billion group litigation arising from the Fundão dam collapse in Brazil.
Visalia Corp v Seadrill Limited: Acting for the Defendant (with Alexander Gunning KC) in proceedings involving claims for over $70 million connected with offshore oil drilling arrangements.
Qatar Airways v Airbus: Acting for the Defendant (with Lord David Wolfson KC, Rosalind Phelps KC, Rupert Allen and Adam Rushworth) in proceedings in which Qatar Airways claimed over $2 billion in connection with agreements relating to A350 aircraft. The matter settled ahead of an expedited 10-week trial due to take place in the summer of 2023.
BNP Paribas Trust Corporation v Uro Property Holdings: Acting for the Defendant (with Sonia Tolaney KC and James MacDonald KC) in proceedings in which the Claimant claims over €250 million as allegedly due under a suite of financing documents.
Maranello Rosso Limited v Lohomij BV, Bonhams 1793 Ltd & Ors [2021] EWHC 2452 (Ch): Acted for the Bonhams Defendants (with Daniel Toledano QC) in successfully striking out a £70 million claim in unlawful means conspiracy. The decision was upheld on appeal (acting with Orlando Gledhill KC): [2022] EWCA Civ 1667.
MMD Mining Machinery Developments & Anr v Lang [2021] EWHC 3264 (Comm): Acted for the Claimants (with David Cavender QC) successfully obtaining negative declaratory relief in response to substantial claims made by the Defendant under various alleged agreements.
PCP Capital Partners LLP v Barclays Bank [2021] EWHC 307 (Comm): Acted for the successful Defendant (with Jeffery Onions QC, David Quest QC, and Alex Polley) in one of The Lawyers’ Top 20 Cases of 2021. PCP claimed damages of over £1 billion arising from its alleged role in a capital raising conducted by the bank in 2008. Following an 11-week trial, the claim was dismissed.
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Examples of Recent Cases
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Arbitration
- ICC arbitration proceedings
Acting for the defendant (with Kenneth MacLean QC and Orlando Gledhill) in a claim for over US$85 million arising out of contracts for the provision of agency services to the oil exploration industry. - ICC arbitration proceedings
Acting for a defendant (with David Wolfson QC) in claims arising out of a joint venture to develop property in Eastern Europe. - LCIA arbitration proceedings
Acting for the defendant (with David Cavender QC) in claims arising out of transactions for the sale and purchase of companies and real estate in Russia, including successfully discharging a pre-arbitration freezing injunction obtained by the claimant from the Commercial Court.
- ICC arbitration proceedings
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Banking and Financial Services
- BNP Paribas Trust Corporation v Uro Property Holdings
Acting for the Defendant (with Sonia Tolaney KC and James MacDonald KC) in ongoing proceedings in which the Claimant claims over €250 million as allegedly due under a suite of financing documents. - PCP v Barclays Bank
For Barclays Bank (with Jeffery Onions QC and Alexander Polley) in this substantial dispute in which PCP claims damages of over £1 billion arising from its alleged role in assisting Barclays to raise £7 billion from Qatar and Abu Dhabi at the height of the financial crisis in 2008. - Bilta (UK) Ltd & Ors v (1) RBS plc and (2) Mercuria Energy Europe Trading Ltd [2017] EWHC 3535 (Ch); [2018] Lloyd’s Rep. F.C. 202
For Claimants (with Christopher Parker QC and Orlando Gledhill QC) in a 6-week trial in June/July 2018 of dishonest assistance claims relating to carbon emissions allowance (EUA) trading that was part of an €88 million missing trader VAT fraud. - Mercuria Energy Trading Pte Ltd & Anor v Citibank NA & Anor [2015] EWHC 1481 (Comm)
Acting for the defendant Citibank (with Daniel Toledano QC and Richard Mott) in expedited proceedings arising under master agreements for commodity (metal) ‘repo’ transactions, including counterclaims for over US$250 million and declaratory relief. - Advising (with Ian Glick QC) a major provider of life assurance policies on issues arising out of the operation of with-profits funds.
- BNP Paribas Trust Corporation v Uro Property Holdings
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Commercial Litigation
- Mariana v BHP
Acting for the Defendant (with Daniel Toledano KC, Shaheed Fatima KC, Victoria Windle KC, Nicholas Sloboda and others) in the US$ multi-billion group litigation arising from the Fundão dam collapse in Brazil. - Visalia Corp v Seadrill Limited
Acting for the Defendant (with Alexander Gunning KC) in claims for over $70 million connected with offshore oil drilling arrangements. - Qatar Airways v Airbus
Acting for the Defendant (with Lord David Wolfson KC, Rosalind Phelps KC, Rupert Allen and Adam Rushworth) in proceedings in which Qatar Airways claimed over $2 billion in connection with agreements relating to A350 aircraft. The matter settled ahead of an expedited 10-week trial due to take place in the summer of 2023. - BNP Paribas Trust Corporation v Uro Property Holdings
Acting for the Defendant (with Sonia Tolaney KC and James MacDonald KC) in ongoing proceedings in which the Claimant claims over €250 million as allegedly due under a suite of financing documents. - Maranello Rosso Limited v Lohomij BV, Bonhams 1793 Ltd & Ors [2021] EWHC 2452 (Ch)
Acted for the Bonhams Defendants (with Daniel Toledano QC) in successfully striking out a £70 million claim in unlawful means conspiracy. The decision was upheld on appeal (acting with Orlando Gledhill KC): [2022] EWCA Civ 1667 - MMD Mining Machinery Developments & Anr v Lang [2021] EWHC 3264 (Comm)
Acted for the Claimants (with David Cavender QC) successfully obtaining negative declaratory relief in response to substantial claims made by the Defendant under various alleged agreements. - PCP v Barclays Bank
For Barclays Bank (with Jeffery Onions QC and Alexander Polley) in this substantial dispute in which PCP claims damages of over £1 billion arising from its alleged role in assisting Barclays to raise £7 billion from Qatar and Abu Dhabi at the height of the financial crisis in 2008. - Bilta (UK) Ltd & Ors v (1) RBS plc and (2) Mercuria Energy Europe Trading Ltd [2017] EWHC 3535
For Claimants (with Christopher Parker QC and Orlando Gledhill QC) in 6-week trial of dishonest assistance claims relating to carbon emissions allowance (EUA) trading that was part of a €88 million missing trader VAT fraud. - Claimants v Sir Robert McAlpine Limited & Ors
Acted with Andrew Caldecott QC, David Cavander QC and Edmund Nourse QC on behalf of a consortium of the major UK construction companies in the “Construction Industry Vetting Information Group Litigation” arising out of the alleged creation and use of a “blacklist” of construction workers said to have been used by major construction companies when choosing staff in relation to significant projects. Up to 2,000 claimants. Issues included data protection, misuse of confidential information, defamation, and unlawful means conspiracy. - Pathfinder Minerals Plc & Ors v Veloso & Ors [2012] 2856 (Comm)
Acting for the Claimants (with Craig Orr QC) successfully at first instance and in the Court of Appeal ([2013] Civ 505) in a claim for declaratory and injunctive relief arising out of a dispute over mineral rights in Mozambique valued at over US$ 500 million. - Augean Plc v James Hutton & Ors (Comm) [2014] EWHC 2972 (Comm).
Acting for the claimant Augean (with Richard Boulton QC) in claims for breach of warranty under an SPA. - TM Lewin & Sons Ltd v Equipoise International Ltd & Anor [2014] Folio 1410
Acting for the claimant TM Lewin (with Stephen Auld QC) in claims arising out of distribution and supply agreements for West Africa. - RHP Group Limited v Aventas Manufacturing Group Limited & Ors (QBD) (2016-2017)
Acting for the Claimant (with Stephen Auld QC) in claims for breach of warranty under an SPA and under an associated insurance policy. - Advising (with Craig Orr QC) on claims by an investment fund against a major investment bank arising out of dividend arbitrage trading.
- Mariana v BHP
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Company and Insolvency
- In the matter of Beppler & Jacobson Ltd (Ch)
Acting for the Respondents to an unfair prejudice petition (led by Neil Kitchener QC) in an application concerning the liability of the Petitioner for its costs of the proceedings under the indemnity principle.
- In the matter of Beppler & Jacobson Ltd (Ch)
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Energy and Natural Resources
- Visalia Corp v Seadrill Limited
Acting for the Defendant (with Alexander Gunning KC) in claims for over $70 million connected with offshore oil drilling arrangements. - ICC arbitration proceedings
Acting for the Defendant (led by Kenneth MacLean QC and Orlando Gledhill) in a claim for over US$85 million arising out of contracts for the provision of agency services to the oil exploration industry.
- Visalia Corp v Seadrill Limited
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Sports and Entertainment
- Leveson Inquiry
Acting for News International in its capacity as a Core Participant in the Leveson Inquiry (led by Rhodri Davies QC, Anthony White QC, Lorna Skinner and Anna Boase QC) for part of the Inquiry’s proceedings into the culture, practices and ethics of the press.
- Leveson Inquiry
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What the Directories Say
Chambers & Partners 2025 (Banking & Finance) "Oliver is an excellent junior barrister with a bright future ahead. He provides thoughtful advice and gets to the heart of the issues the lay client cares about."
Legal 500 2025 (Commercial Dispute Resolution) ‘Oliver is hands-on and detail-oriented, getting straight to the heart of a matter. He is very responsive and user-friendly. His written analysis is clear and cogent.‘
Chambers & Partners 2024 (Banking & Finance) "Oliver is totally on top of the detail and good at spotting potential traps." "Oliver is very incisive and to the point - an impressive junior."
Chambers & Partners 2024 (Commercial Dispute Resolution) "Brilliant to work with, he's highly commercial and has excellent technical knowledge." "Oliver Butler is extremely bright and gets on top of complex material quickly. He is also very incisive and to the point."
Legal 500 2024 (Commercial Dispute Resolution & Banking & Finance) “Oliver is an excellent junior – he has a clear and incisive sense of the law and how it applies practically, his drafting style is concise, clear and persuasive and he is extremely quick on the uptake and efficient”
Chambers & Partners 2023 (Banking & Finance) "A future star, all over the detail and incredibly bright and commercial with great strategic thinking."
Legal 500 2022 (Banking & Finance) "Precise, detailed, meticulous, clever, wonderful to work with."
Chambers & Partners 2022 (Banking & Finance) "He shows really excellent drafting - some of the most clear and powerful." "He is a future star. He is incredibly bright, has extremely good judgement and is incredibly thorough as well. He empathises with the client and works extremely well as part of the wider litigation team."
Legal 500 2021 (Banking & Finance) " He has outstanding drafting ability, with perfectly judged tone. Excellent judgement and impressively all over the detail."
Chambers & Partners 2021 (Banking & Finance) "He is excellent in front of clients, very calm and very commercial. He's able to distil complex arguments in a way that is accessible for the client." "Oliver produces excellent-quality written material. He's all over the detail and makes good judgement calls."
Legal 500 2020 (Banking & Finance) "Superb legal analysis and delivery of written submissions - excellent judgement."
Chambers & Partners 2020 (Banking & Finance) "Very calm and unflappable, he is always charming and unflustered." "He is a really good team player, who comes up with good ideas and produces good, solid drafting."
The Legal 500 2019 (Banking & Finance) "Smart, imaginative and hardworking."
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Education
- Balliol College, University of Oxford: BA (Hons) Classics (Double First) [2004 - 2008]
- BPP Law School: GDL (Commendation) [2008 - 2009]
- City University: BVC (Outstanding) [2009-2010]
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Academic Achievments
- De Paravicini Prize (University of Oxford) [2006]
- E.R Noble Scholarship (Balliol College) [2006 - 2008]
- Gibbs Prize in Classics (University of Oxford) [2007]
- Charles Oldham Scholarship (University of Oxford) [2007]
- Comparative Philology Prize (University of Oxford) [2008]
- Major Scholarship, Inner Temple [2009]