Profile details
About Olivia Valner
Olivia is a Senior Associate in our London office and a member of the international arbitration group.
She specialises in complex international disputes. She has advised clients in proceedings under the LCIA, ICC, ICSID and UNCITRAL rules and ad hoc arbitrations, and in arbitration-related proceedings in the English Courts. She has experience in a range of sectors, including the electricity, energy, natural resource, pharmaceuticals, telecoms and retail sectors.
Olivia is a Solicitor-Advocate (Higher Courts – Civil) and has conducted oral advocacy in the English courts.
Recent work
Olivia’s experience includes:
- Representing a client in the renewable energy sector in an LCIA arbitration with a government-owned entity relating to change-in-law provisions in a contract;
- Representing the LCIA, as interveners, in arbitration-related proceedings in the English Supreme Court;
- Acting for the joint administrators of a company in the aviation sector, in an insolvency-related arbitration;
- Representing a consortium of international energy companies in a LCIA arbitration against a regional government in the Middle East in relation to the ownership and commercial operation of two petroleum fields, with multi-billion dollar claims/counterclaims, including in related proceedings in the English High Court and Court of Appeal in connection with enforcement against the Middle Eastern government;
- Representing shareholders in an LCIA arbitration (London) of a dispute relating to a sugar refinery in the Middle East, including related proceedings in the English Courts;
- Providing advice to various clients in relation to mitigating risk from future disputes, including in relation to rights under applicable investment treaties;
- Representing a client in the retail sector in an ICC arbitration (London seat);
- Representing a leading international retail company in a post-M&A arbitration seated in London regarding the sale of one of its former businesses;
- Advising the joint administrators of insolvent UK regional airline Flybe;
- Advising a client in a Singapore-seated arbitration administered by SIAC under the UNCITRAL Rules in successfully defending a US$600m claim related to an oil and gas project;
- Advising on various pro bono matters relating to arbitration;
- Representing a US/UK based client in the manufacturing/industrials sector in a major dispute with a sub-contractor; and
- Advising clients in various court proceedings in the English courts under the Arbitration Act 1996 arising out of arbitrations, including applications to set-aside and enforce arbitral awards and orders.
Qualifications
- University of Oxford (BA, First-class Honours, academic scholar)
- BPP Law School, Graduate Diploma in Law (Distinction) and Legal Practice Course (Distinction)
- Solicitor-Advocate (Civil) in England and Wales
- Olivia has also spoken at conferences and seminars and written several publications and articles on arbitration-related topics.