Ann Olivarius is an American-British lawyer.

As an undergraduate at Yale, Olivarius helped bring forward the trailblazing case of Alexander v. Yale

Alexander v. Yale

Alexander v. Yale was the first use of Title IX in charges of sexual harassment against an educational institution. It further established that sexual harassment of female students could be considered sex discrimination, and was thus illegal.- Facts :...

. While the other plaintiffs' cases related to direct sexual assault by various faculty members, Olivarius' case centered on Yale's failure to adequately address complaints of sexual harassment. She argued that the absence of a procedure for complaining about sexual harassment in itself amounted to a form of sexual discrimination. While the plaintiffs were unsuccessful on the facts of the case, the courts agreed with Olivarius' formulation of the legal principles, finding for the first time that sexual harassment at a federally funded university was illegal sex discrimination. .

While pursuing the case, Olivarius graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa from Yale College

Yale College

Yale College was the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887. The name now refers to the undergraduate part of the university. Each undergraduate student is assigned to one of 12 residential colleges.-Residential colleges:...

 before becoming one of the first women to win a Rhodes Scholarship

Rhodes Scholarship

The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...

 to Oxford University. . After obtaining a prize-winning doctorate in Economics from Oxford , she returned to Yale to become the first person to finish the joint JD-MBA program from the Yale Law School

Yale Law School

Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...

 and the Yale School of Management

Yale School of Management

The Yale School of Management is the graduate business school of Yale University and is located on Hillhouse Avenue in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. The School offers Master of Business Administration and Ph.D. degree programs. As of January 2011, 454 students were enrolled in its MBA...

 in three years.

She is currently the Senior Partner and Chair of McAllister Olivarius

McAllister Olivarius

McAllister Olivarius is an international law firm headquartered at Thames Wharf Studios in London, United Kingdom. The firm was founded by its current partners, Drs. Ann Olivarius and Jef McAllister, former London Bureau Chief of TIME magazine...

, a London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

-based law firm specializing in US-UK transactional and litigation work. With a long history of success in commercial matters, she has recently co-launched an initiative working to represent survivors of child sexual abuse.
In addition to running her legal practice, Olivarius currently serves on the boards of a number of charities, including openDemocracy

OpenDemocracy

openDemocracy is a website for debate about international politics and culture, offering news and opinion articles from established academics, journalists and policymakers covering current issues in world affairs. openDemocracy was founded in 2000 by Anthony Barnett, David Hayes, Susan Richards and...

 USA Inc., Autistica

Autistica

Autistica is a UK charity devoted to raising and investing funds into biomedical research and peer-reviewed studies on autism. Autistica’s stated goals include determining the causes and biological bases of autism spectrum disorders, improving diagnoses of autism, and advancing and evaluating new...

, and GenerationNext!

GenerationNext!

GenerationNext! is a registered charity of England and Wales , established in 2005 by students at London's Godolphin and Latymer School. Its charitable objects are to advance education, aid disadvantaged persons, and empower and support young people in South Africa...

. She also heads The Rhodes Project

The Rhodes Project

The Rhodes Project is a charity, registered in England and Wales, which studies success in groups that have historically been socially disadvantaged in an effort to champion a more inclusive definition of success and support for all who seek to achieve...

, a study into the lives and career trajectories of the first generations of female Rhodes Scholars.