“Oliver is always the first choice when instructing a KC.”
Chambers & Partners 2025
"A leading name, with insightful legal knowledge."
The Legal 500 2024
"Oliver is always my first choice. He is fabulous with clients, great at tactics and super smart. You don’t want Oliver against you." "He is a very good advocate with a great appellate practice."
Oliver is “exceptionally knowledgeable in his field, very client-focused, … very bright, and a great advocate.” – (Chambers & Partners).
Oliver won ‘Employment Silk of the Year’ at the Chambers UK Bar Awards 2022 and The Legal 500 Bar Awards 2022.
Within employment law, he has particular specialist experience in: collective disputes (including industrial action, union recognition, TUPE and collective agreement cases); breach of contract claims (including restrictive covenants, PHI and negligent reference cases); and equal pay claims.
Oliver is the leading barrister within the field of commercial agency law; he acts for both agents and principals and has appeared in several of the most important cases, including the House of Lords case of Lonsdale v Howard & Hallam.
Oliver is very experienced at representing parties at mediations and arbitrations.
Appointments
2013: Appointed a Fee Paid Employment Judge (sitting at London Central);
2013: Qualified mediator through CEDR.
Professional Recommendations
“A silk with complete mastery of facts and law.”
The Legal 500 2025
“Oliver has always been excellent with his advice. He steered us through some difficult and complex cases.”
Chambers & Partners 2025
“Oliver is as brilliant an employment silk as any on the circuit.”
Chambers & Partners 2025
“Oliver is always the first choice when instructing a KC.”
Chambers & Partners 2025
“He is the number one counsel in respect of Commercial Agent Regulations.”
Chambers & Partners 2024
“He is a very good advocate with a great appellate practice.”
Chambers & Partners 2024
“Oliver is always my first choice. He is fabulous with clients, great at tactics and super smart. You don’t want Oliver against you.”
Chambers & Partners 2024
“A leading name, with insightful legal knowledge.”
The Legal 500 2024
“Oliver is a very bright and excellent barrister. He had command of the Tribunal.”
Chambers & Partners 2023
“A first-rate advocate – a steady pair of hands who deals with the issues methodically and in a well-structured way.”
The Legal 500 2023
“Oliver is an intellectual giant, who has the ability to assimilate reams of information and spot the key point- and then explain it all back in a simple way – this makes him extremely popular with lay clients. He marshals his arguments and he delivers, whether we are talking about cross-examination of key witnesses, delivering arguments to the judges in the higher court systems, or producing written pleadings. His written work is clear, precise and readable.”
The Legal 500 2022
“He is highly intelligent, he is friendly and he is able to explain complex issues in an easily digestible way.” “He is very available, he comes back very quickly, he is concise, he is really good to work with and he is super bright.”
Chambers & Partners 2022
“He’s an extremely good advocate.” “He’s spectacular in industrial action cases and extremely reliable. An enormous brain on legs.”
Chambers & Partners 2021
“He understands the motivations and objectives of clients and that is very important. Oliver combines his extensive knowledge with a tenacious drive for a fair and just outcome. He is our go-to silk for industrial action.”
The Legal 500 2021
“Exceptionally knowledgeable in his field, very client-focused, and able to hold a staggering amount of information in his head.” “He’s very bright, extremely good on his feet and a great advocate.”
Chambers & Partners 2020
“Extremely clever silk and formidable opponent, who has emerged as one of the leading silks for trade unions.”
The Legal 500 2020
“He has a brain the size of a planet. He is bright, committed and will go an extra million miles for you.”
Chambers & Partners 2018
“He gives excellent, commercial advice and is a highly impressive advocate who is fantastic with clients.”
Chambers & Partners 2017
“He is impressive all round, with excellent client skills and superb advocacy.”
The Legal 500 2015
Expertise
Employment & Discrimination
Oliver has been involved in several significant cases within employment law, including over recent years:
R (ASLEF & 10 ors) v Secretary of State for BEIS [2023] EWHC 1781 (Admin) [2023] I.C.R. 1405
Lonsdale (t/a Lonsdale Agencies) v Howard & Hallam Ltd [2007] UKHL 32, [2007] ICR 1338;
W Nagel (a firm) v Pluczenik Diamond Company [2019] 1 Lloyd’s Rep 36, CA
Crocs Europe BV v Anderson & anor ([2012] EWCA Civ 1400;
Light & Ors v Ty Europe Ltd [2004] Lloyds LR Vol 1 693, CA
Sports Law
Oliver has represented professional sports teams (in both football and ice hockey) in contractual disputes and litigation with players and with a former manager.
As a qualified mediator, he is particularly interested in mediation or arbitration of sports disputes.
