Emma O'Brien
Associate solicitor
Emma is an associate solicitor in the International and Group Litigation Department.
Emma trained as a solicitor at a US firm in London, qualifying in 2021. Upon qualification, she moved to claimant-side litigation, working predominantly on the Município de Mariana v BHP Group Plc proceedings at the Court of Appeal of England & Wales, pursuing damages on behalf of over 750,000 people for a dam collapse in Brazil. Emma is continuing her work to advance the rights of those affected by international corporations at Leigh Day.
At Leigh Day, Emma currently focuses on cases representing Nigerian communities in their efforts to hold Shell accountable for widespread oil pollution in the Niger Delta. She is working on the Bille and Ogale group litigation, which is due to go to trial in 2027.
Further experience
Prior to joining Leigh Day, Emma worked on the corporate accountability team at the environmental NGO ClientEarth, bringing legal actions challenging major companies over their contributions to climate change. Before ClientEarth, Emma was an associate at Pogust Goodhead, where she worked on the Mariana Dam litigation. [High Court Judgment].
Education
Trinity College Dublin (BCL), London School of Economics (LLM), University of Law, London (LPC).