Pogust Goodhead, the law firm representing over 620,000 plaintiffs in a $£36$ billion (approximately $47 billion) lawsuit against mining giant BHP, has brought on a new litigator from Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP. This move aims to strengthen Pogust Goodhead's team as the case proceeds to its next stage, following a significant High Court judgment in November 2025.
The lawsuit stems from the 2015 collapse of the Fundão Dam in Brazil, a disaster that killed 19 people, displaced thousands, and caused widespread environmental devastation. The English High Court found BHP liable for the collapse in November 2025, concluding that the company was strictly liable as a "polluter" under Brazilian Environmental Law and also liable based on negligence under the Brazilian Civil Code. BHP, which jointly owned the dam operator Samarco with Vale S.A., has stated its intention to appeal this decision.
Legal proceedings in London began in October 2024 and concluded in March 2025, with judgment on liability delivered in November 2025. The case is now moving towards a second-stage trial on quantum, scheduled for October 2026 to March 2027, with a potential third-stage trial to determine individual claimant entitlements in 2028 or 2029. Separately, BHP also faces a potential contempt of court hearing in the UK for allegedly funding litigation in Brazil to prevent municipalities from suing the company in London.
