Richard Meeran
Partner
Richard is co-head of the firm's international department
Richard Meeran joined Leigh Day in 1990 to work on the firm’s pioneering case against the Sellafield nuclear plant.
He was made a partner in 1991 and was instrumental in developing the firm’s ethos to make multinational corporations accountable for their exploitation of workers. After a four year stint with Slater and Gordon in Australia, Richard rejoined the Leigh Day partnership in 2008.
Legal expertise
Richard pioneered claims against UK based multinationals, Cape PLC for 7,500 South African asbestos and Thor Chemicals for South African workers poisoned by mercury. This included two landmark jurisdiction victories in the House of Lords, Connelly v RTZ Corporation Plc [1997] 3 WLR 373 and Lubbe & Others v Cape Plc 2000 1 WLR 1545.
He represented 31 Peruvian torture victims in case against Monterrico Metals plc, which was settled (without admission of liability) in July 2011. The obtaining of a worldwide freezing injunction for the claimants broke new ground, Tabra & Others v Monterrico Metals Plc [2009] EWHC 2475; [2010] EWHC 3228.
Between 2004 and September 2013, Richard worked with the South African Legal Resources Centre and Legal Aid South Africa on a series of 23 silicosis test cases against Anglo American South Africa by former South African gold miners. These cases were litigated in South Africa and were the subject of a confidential settlement. He is also acting, together with South African attorney, Zanele Mbuyisa, for more than 4000 South African gold miners in silicosis litigation against Anglo American South Africa in the UK and South Africa.
What the directories say
Richard Meeran is a highly professional, thorough and motivated lawyer.
Chambers and partners 2024
Awards
Richard was the winner of the Liberty/Justice “Human Rights Lawyer of the Year” award (2002).
Richard was awarded a Certificate for Outstanding Achievement by 18 asbestos victims’ support groups worldwide which was presented at the South African High Commission in 2002. The representatives said:
“Representatives from international Asbestos Victims’ Groups and other specialists working with asbestos issues who met in London, on 17 April, 2002, hereby declare their admiration and respect for the individuals and groups which worked so hard to achieve compensation for South Africans injured by exposure to asbestos produced by the Cape Asbestos Co. Ltd.
“They wish to single out the outstanding efforts of Richard Meeran who pioneered this case. His single-minded commitment to his clients and determination to overcome all the legal hurdles was pivotal in obtaining justice for thousands of asbestos claimants. Furthermore, the victory of the Cape plaintiffs has put all multinational companies on notice: double standards of behaviour will no longer be tolerated. The export of discredited and dangerous technologies from the developed to the developing world must be stopped; as has been shown by the Cape case, legal avenues now exist to expose and punish such corporate misconduct.
“By signing this certificate, we hereby express our respect for Richard, his team at Leigh Day and all those who worked and campaigned for this landmark victory.”
Appointments
The City Law School appointed Richard Meeran as an Honorary Professor in January 2023 for a three year term.
Presentations and publications
Richard has presented extensively over the past 20 years, including:
- The Bonavero Institute of Human Rights and the International Commission of Jurists online symposium on civil liability claims for business-related human rights abuses (June 2021)
- Council of Europe Workshop on ‘Human Rights and Business: A framework for addressing environmental protection challenges’ (April 2021)
- Trinity College Dublin webinar: ‘Human Rights litigation against multinational parent companies’ (April 2021)
- UNICEF webinar: ‘Preventing corporate abuse and realising child rights’ (December 2020)
- 9th United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights held on 17.11.20.
- 6th Meeting of the Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group on Transnational Corporations UN Web TV 16.10.19.
- Fourth UN Intergovernmental Working Group session on proposed business & human rights treaty on 15th and 16 October 2018.
- Civil Litigation for Grave Abuses, podcast as one of the Institute for Human Rights and Business' mini-series, Realising Access to Effective Remedy in December 2017
- UN Forum on Business and Human Rights, 26 to 29 November 2017. Broadcast of first UN Forum session.
- United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Consultation held in Geneva on 5 and 6 October 2017.
- UN Day of General Discussion (DGD) held in Geneva on 21 February 2017
- Second session of the Intergovernmental Working Group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights gave evidence to the Parliamentary Joint Select Committee on Human Rights, 19 October 2016. The full recording is on the Parliament live TV website.
- UN Human Rights Council (Geneva) event 'Past abuses and remaining challenges: new paths in Business and human rights', June 2016
- United Nations 5th Meeting 1st Session of Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group on Transnational Corporations Panel IV , 8 July 2015
- UN Human Rights Council (Geneva), March 2015 Multinational Corporations' Foreign Human Rights Conduct: Experiences and Avenues of Domestic Litigation King's College, London 20.1.15
- UN Forum on Business & Human Rights (Geneva), November 2013 & November 2014
- European Parliament, Brussels 12 November 2014
- 10th Anniversary of Stockholm University Environmental Law & Policy Centre and at Columbia Law School (New York)
At Leigh Day the international claims department represents the gold standard.
Legal 500 2021
Publications
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Richard is the editor of Human Rights Litigation against Multinationals in Practice, published by Oxford University Press in 2021
Richard has more than 60 published articles including:
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Multinational Human Rights Litigation in the UK: A Retrospective Business Human Rights Journal 22.6.21
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Tort litigation against multi-national corporations City University of Hong Kong Law Review Volume 3:1 Fall 2011 pp 1–41
- Richard Meeran, ‘Access to remedy: The United Kingdom experience of MNC tort litigation for human rights violations’ in Surya Deva and David Bilchitz (eds.), Human Rights Obligations of Business: Beyond the Corporate Responsibility to Respect? (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2013), 378-402
Leigh Day webinars
Richard has chaired a number of Leigh Day webinars including:
- Leigh Day webinar: ‘Resisting SLAPPs: Challenging corporations who weaponise the law’ (June 2021)
- Leigh Day webinar: ‘The Hague Rules on Business and Human Rights Arbitration’ (June 2021)
- Leigh Day & Amnesty International webinar: ‘Human rights and toxic mining legacies in Southern Africa’ (May 2021)
- Leigh Day webinar: ‘Richard Meeran in conversation with Joe Fiorante QC’ regarding multinational human rights litigation in Canada (February 2021)
- Leigh Day webinar: ‘Richard Meeran in conversation with Paul Hoffman: recent cases in the US under the Alien Tort Statute’ (December 2020)
Memberships
Richard is a member of the Drafting Team of The Hague Rules on Business and Human Rights Arbitration. He is on the advisory board of Business and Human Rights Journal.
Accreditations
Kabwe lead poisoning Claimants remain committed to securing justice as they seek leave to appeal in case against Anglo American South Africa
Claimants have filed an application for leave to appeal a December judgment that dismissed the certification of a class action on behalf of an estimated 140,000 Claimants, effectively blocking their access to justice.
Campesinos successful in preliminary issues trial against oil company Amerisur
A group of Colombian farmers have won both arguments put forward in a preliminary issue trial in their ongoing case against Amerisur Resources Limited. The High Court has ruled today that there is no bar to the imposition of liability against a multinational parent company under Colombian Law and that the claims are not time-barred.
Court rules United Nations agencies can intervene in Kabwe lead poisoning class action
The High Court in Johannesburg has today ruled that a group of UN Special Rapporteurs and Working Groups can intervene in a dispute over the authorisation of a class action against Anglo American South Africa on behalf of victims of lead poisoning around the Kabwe mine in Zambia.