Oliver Skilton
Partner - Dispute Resolution and Litigation

Oliver provides advice and advocacy as counsel in complex and often strategically important cases. He has a broad corporate and commercial law practice with a focus on investigations, prosecutions and civil proceedings initiated by regulators. He also advises clients in contractual, shareholder and fair trading disputes and on commercial contracts that might have a contentious angle. He has a particular interest in privacy and data protection including the proposed reforms of the Privacy Act and the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Oliver joined MinterEllisonRuddWatts in 2010 having worked as a litigator at Clyde & Co in London and Clayton Utz in Sydney.
Professional background
Recent work
Proposed Sky /Vodafone merger
Acted for 2degrees in a successful application for urgent interim orders in relation to the Commerce Commission’s clearance process for the proposed Sky TV/Vodafone New Zealand merger.
NSK
Acting for NSK, a multinational manufacturer of ball and roller bearings, in respect of the importation of counterfeit products by a New Zealand distributor.
Commercial dispute
Acting for a significant New Zealand company in relation to a claim under the Companies Act that its affairs had been conducted in a manner that was unfairly prejudicial to a shareholder’s interests.
Banking and financial services litigation
Acting for a major bank in relation to claims alleging misrepresentation of its banking products.
Representing the FMA
Acting for the Financial Markets Authority in High Court civil proceedings for alleged breaches of substantial shareholder obligations.
Health and Safety investigations and prosecutions
Advising on all aspects of workplace health and safety including providing risk management strategies and advice on regulatory compliance and the steps to take immediately following a significant health and safety incident. Oliver is currently advising leading companies in the engineering, agricultural, energy and transport maintenance sectors in respect of WorkSafe investigations and prosecutions.
Admitted
- 2006, New South Wales
- 2003, New Zealand
Qualifications
- LLB, BA, University of Auckland
Specialisations
- Commercial litigation
- Banking and finance litigation
- Health and safety
- Privacy and data protection
Oliver Skilton
- Office
- Auckland
- Phone
- +64 9 353 9731
- Mobile
- +64 27 513 7594
- oliver.skilton@minterellison.co.nz