Martyn Day is the senior partner of Leigh Day, and specialises in international, environment and product liability claims, often as group actions.
Martyn heads a team of over 20 lawyers, representing claimants in cases against corporate and government bodies. He is well known for running many high profile and controversial cases, mostly on behalf of groups of claimants, both in this country and abroad. Examples of his successful claims for compensation include:
- negotiating settlements for approximately 1,300 Kenyans injured or killed by British Army munitions;
- securing compensation for 52 Colombian farmers in a claim against BP relating to the damage caused to farms in the north of the country following the installation of an oil pipeline;
- achieving justice and compensation for thousands of former Japanese prisoners of war.
- leading what is believed to be the largest group claim on behalf of 30,000 residents of the Cote d’Ivoire against multinational oil trader Trafigura. This claim was successfully settled out of court in September 2009.
Martyn’s current caseload includes:
- representing a group of Mau Mau veterans seeking justice from the British Gorvernment over alleged abuses during the Colonial administration of Kenya;
- representing the Ogoni people in the Niger Delta, whose land has been polluted following oil spills;
- claims on behalf of the Thalidomiders Legal Group, together with Russell Jones & Walker.
Martyn qualified in 1981 with Colombotti & Partners. He moved to Clifford & Co and then Bindman & Partners in 1981 and left to set up Leigh Day & Co in 1987.
He is an Executive Committee Member of the Society of Labour Lawyers, a Director of Greenpeace Environmental Trust and a member of the Association of Professional Injury Lawyers.
He is Co-Author of 'Toxic Torts', 'Personal Injury Handbook', 'Multi-Party Actions' and 'Environmental Action: A Citizens Guide'. He regularly addresses lectures, seminars and the media on environmental issues.
Martyn has consistently been ranked as leading lawyer in the two main legal directories for the last decade. In Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession 2012, Martyn is identified as a star individual and described as "without question one of the most knowledgeable and experienced environmental lawyers in the country." He is also identified as "a real fighter for his clients – he is very shrewd and does it with great charm" and "very clever and very smart with the science."