Tony Willis' Full CV

Degree

LLB Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand 1966.

Practice Profile

A well known and very experienced commercial litigation partner based in the City of London for more than 25 years, Tony Willis has since 1998 brought all his experience of litigating in many jurisdictions worldwide to his outstanding career as a full time mediator in business, financial and commercial matters internationally.

Tony was for more than 25 years a Partner in Clifford Chance London spending some time as a full time Managing Partner (1987-89) and 7 years as Head of Litigation (1990-1997). He was then in 1998 one of the first in the UK to establish an independant practice in London as a commercial mediator. He has carved out a sterling reputation for his straightforward and clear headed approach to cases. He is energetic and determined with a profound knowledge of the personal, legal and practical issues which drive major disputes and their conduct. On his call to the English Bar in 2004 he was invited to join Brick Court Chambers where he undertakes a wide range of financial, business and complex mediations in London and elsewhere in the UK and in many jurisdictions outside the UK.  

Career

Barrister (New Zealand) 1966 to date

Solicitor (England & Wales) 1971 to 1998

Barrister (England & Wales) 2004 to date

Fellow Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

Distinguished Fellow International Academy of Mediators

Areas of Practice

Tony has conducted significantly more than a thousand Mediations to date and advised on more in many parts of the UK and in locations such as New York, The UAE, Belgium, Romania, Guernsey, Jersey, the Republic of Ireland, the Bahamas and elsewhere. He has also been appointed Settlement Counsel. Sums in issue have ranged up to 1.2 Billion US Dollars. Issues include Professional Negligence, Board Room, Shareholder and M&A disputes, Partnership, Pensions, Information Technology, Employment, Family Trusts and related disputes, insolvency, tax, charity, oil and gas, civil engineering and construction, insurance and reinsurance. Parties have included multinationals and other companies, individuals, Governments and Departments such as the Home Office, MOD, Revenue & Customs and DEFRA. He has been appointed Mediator by the FSA and dealt with other Regulatory matters including Competition cases.

Important Cases

All matters dealt with as a Mediator are confidential but information can be provided about cases dealt with in recent times provided it is understood that the names of the parties and related details must remain confidential.

Further Information

Tony was trained as a Mediator by CEDR in London in 1990/91 and was a Non Executive Director and member of their training faculty for some years. He is a member of several distinguished panels of mediators including being a founding member in 1999 of PIM Senior Mediators where he was its second Chairman for 2 years during its re-launch in 2009. He is also a Distinguished Fellow of the International Academy of Mediators (IAM) where he is a Board member, a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a member of the CPR (New York) International Panel of Distinguished Mediators. He was the Founding Chairman from 1997 to 2001 of the Solicitors pro bono Group (now LawWorks) and from 1999 to 2009 was Chairman of the Governing Council of Wycombe Abbey School in Buckinghamshire.