Walker Syachalinga

Walker is an associate solicitor in Leigh Day’s international and group litigation department, specialising in human rights, environmental damage, and corporate accountability claims against multinational corporations and state actors. 

Walker's cases

International Corporate Accountability & Environmental Litigation 

Walker acts for communities harmed by the environmental and human rights impacts of the business activities of multinational corporations. He is currently acting on behalf of indigenous farming and fishing communities in Zambia resettled by First Quantum Minerals’ copper mining operations and on behalf of communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo resettled to make way for the expansion of gold mining. He previously assisted on: 

UK Group Litigation & Vehicle Emissions 

Walker has a longstanding role in the Pan NOx Emissions Litigation - named one of The Lawyer’s Top 20 cases of 2025 - acting on behalf of 1.6 million vehicle owners in claims against Peugeot, Citroën, DS and other manufacturers over alleged emissions cheat devices. He has assisted across numerous High Court hearings throughout this complex multi-party litigation, including during the 10-week prohibited defeat devices trial. 

Historic and human rights claims against state actors 

Walker investigates reparations claims arising from the present-day impact of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, having contributed to the APPG on Race and Community’s report on historic injustices and climate change (2025), and appeared on a panel at the House of Commons (2023) discussing the legal basis for reparations. He has also assisted on cases involving political dissidents targeted with foreign spyware by state actors, including proceedings under the State Immunity Act 1978 in Shehabi v Kingdom of Bahrain. 

Background 

Before joining Leigh Day, Walker worked in legal publishing as a research consultant and technical editor. He also gained experience with Friends of the Earth UK, the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute, the Southern Africa Litigation Centre, Liberty, and Redress. He holds an LLM in International Law from UCL and was called to the Bar at Lincoln’s Inn before cross-qualifying as a solicitor.

Walker's publications and contributions