UK High Court maintains PGMBM representation in Mariana dam disaster lawsuit

The High Court of England has ruled that the law firm Pogust Goodhead (now PGMBM) will continue to represent hundreds of thousands of Brazilian victims in the multi-billion pound litigation against mining company BHP. The decision follows an attempt by a 17-member Client Committee to unilaterally terminate PGMBM’s contract and appoint Bailey Glasser International (BGI) as the new legal representative.

Judge David Waksman determined that the Committee lacked the legal authority to rescind the contract on behalf of all affected parties. The ruling comes at a critical stage of the litigation, as the process moves toward the quantification of damages, with a trial scheduled for April 2027.

During the proceedings, it was noted that if the contracts were rescinded, PGMBM estimated that the plaintiffs could face approximately £2 billion in costs. The court also ordered a payment of £300,000 as an advance on costs within 14 days. PGMBM leadership stated the decision protects clients from significant financial exposure and ensures they are fully informed of the risks involved in changing legal counsel.