Richard Meeran

Personal injury.

Specialises in international claims, group actions and product liability. Pioneered the firm’s ground-breaking cases against UK multinationals: Connelly v RTZ (Namibian uranium miner); Ngcobo & Sithole & Others v Thor Chemicals (South African mercury poisoning victims); Lubbe & others v Cape PLC (7,500 South African asbestos victims). Between 2004 and 2008 he worked with Slater & Gordon in Melbourne, where he initiated the VIOXX class action litigation against Merck. In 2008 he returned to Leigh Day in London where ran the Peruvian alleged torture victims’ litigation against Monterrico Metals, which involved obtaining a worldwide freezing injunction before the case settled (without admission of liability) in July 2011. In September 2013, working in conjunction with the South African Legal Resources Centre, he obtained a landmark settlement of 23 test cases against Anglo-American South Africa. He is currently running a mass tort action against Anglo American South Africa. He is also acting for 11 Tanzanian villagers in a claim against African Barrick Gold plc. He was the 2002 winner of the Liberty/Justice Human Rights Lawyer of the Year Award.

University College London (1983 BSc); Nottingham University (1995 LLM, advanced litigation). Admitted as a solicitor in 1988. Higher Rights of Audience certificate (Civil).