Matthew Cowman
Managing Partner
British Virgin Islands
Since opening its doors in Tortola in 2002, Walkers has grown from a commercial practice with just three founding lawyers to a full service legal and professional services business of 20 lawyers and 45 staff in total. Walkers also provides BVI legal advice from its offices in the Asia-Pacific and the Middle East as well as Europe, with many BVI colleagues taking global secondment opportunities over the years.
Founded in the same year as the BVI Financial Services Commission and three years prior to the landmark BVI Business Companies Act, Walkers' BVI business had grown with the growth of the BVI as a major international financial centre. The firm plays an integral role in attracting top tier, international cross border business into the jurisdiction.
The firm marked its 20th anniversary with a reception at the Old Government House Museum where Ingrid Pierce, Walkers' Global Managing Partner, Matthew Cowman, BVI Managing Partner, and the BVI partnership senior staff welcomed a host of local dignitaries, clients and staff.
Walkers is committed to nurturing and developing local BVI talent into its ranks of high performing legal professionals. In 2020, Walkers celebrated Omonike Robinson-Pickering becoming its first BVI trainee to be promoted to partner. The firm is equally committed to supporting the local community. In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, Walkers worked with multiple agencies to assist the BVI relief efforts.
"Our team work tirelessly to help many of the world's most prominent companies do business in the BVI. We're proud that Who's Who Legal named Walkers as the premier BVI law firm in its annual awards. Coupled with the launch of Walkers Professional Services BVI last year, our message is clear – Walkers is committed to the ongoing success of the British Virgin Islands as an international financial centre," commented Managing Partner Matthew Cowman.
Business in the British Virgin Islands
Walkers' BVI office regularly advises on significant and complex mandates internationally and locally. The Insolvency & Dispute Resolution team regularly appears before the Eastern Caribbean Court and the Privy Council.
On the transactional side, Walkers acts on major international instructions. The corporate team recently acted for Pfizer on its recent US$11.6 billion acquisition of BioHaven and the award winning Central America Bottling Corporation US$1.1 billion Sustainability-Linked Bond.
"The British Virgin Islands was the third office in our global network that now spans 10 locations across the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. I'm proud of what our teams have achieved here and we will continue to support and champion, business, people and communities in the BVI," added Global Managing Partner Ingrid Pierce.
