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International corruption and whistleblowing

Contact Leigh Day’s international corruption and whistleblowing team today to discuss your case

Leigh Day’s International corruption and whistleblowing team represents individuals working for UK companies, their subsidiaries or UK government entities in an international setting, who have been exposed to unethical or corrupt practices and have suffered harm as a result.

Our team has experience representing professionals across a range of sectors who have suffered serious adverse consequences to their careers because they have been embroiled in unethical or unlawful practices overseas. We fight fearlessly for our clients and recently set a ground-breaking legal precedent, which has afforded much needed protection to overseas workers who fall outside the scope of the existing UK whistleblowing legislation.

Our International corruption and whistleblowing team acts for individuals against some of the world’s largest corporations. We are dedicated to ensuring access to justice for individuals who might otherwise not have the financial means to pursue their cases in the English courts.

What is whistleblowing?

Whistleblowing is the term used when a worker passes on information concerning wrongdoing. The wrongdoing is typically something they have witnessed at work.

Who is affected by international corruption in the workplace?

Anyone working in an international environment could potentially find themselves affected by corruption overseas. Corruption in the workplace can take many different forms, for example it might involve the use of bribery to win contracts; false or fraudulent accounting; or a cover up of criminal or regulatory wrongdoing by a client or colleague.     

Corrupt activity can end up affecting others in the workplace who had nothing to do with the wrongdoing. For example, whistleblowers who raise concerns about wrongdoing in the workplace can end up being side-lined by their employer or losing their job completely. If the identity of the whistleblower is made public, this can have a long-term negative impact on their career. Corruption can also affect workers’ careers and reputations if they are wrongfully associated with the wrongdoing. Financial corruption might end up having a direct impact on a worker’s income if it affects the overall financial position of the company.

How does the law protect the rights of international workers affected by corruption overseas?     

In certain circumstances the law imposes a duty on UK companies not to cause harm to overseas workers by embroiling them in unethical conduct. This means that overseas workers who suffer harm as a result of exposure to corrupt practices at work may be entitled to compensation for their losses.  

Who have we helped?

Our international corruption and whistleblowing team acts for individuals who have suffered harm as a consequence of corruption in the workplace overseas. We recently acted for a whistleblower in a case that set a ground-breaking legal precedent which established, in certain circumstances, a new legal duty on UK companies to protect overseas workers from suffering economic loss as a result of unethical conduct in the workplace.   

Case Study
Gold bars
International Corporate accountability Whistleblowing

Ernst & Young

Podcast
Businessman On Mobile Phone (002)
Whistleblowing

Whistleblowing with Private Eye’s Richard Brooks

Listen to our podcast on whistleblowing in the financial services sector.

News Article
City Of London
International Whistleblowing

EY drops appeal in Dubai whistleblowing case

The professional services firm EY has dropped its appeal in the case brought against the firm by whistleblower and former EY partner, Amjad Rihan.

Blog Post
Data Picture

A new route to compensation for victims of corporate corruption overseas

Leigh Day partner, Paul Dowling, explains how a recent High Court judgment has created an affordable way for victims of corporate corruption overseas to claim damages in the English courts for the harm they have suffered.

Blog Post
Two Men Shaking Hands
Ernst & Young parent company liability

Held to account home & away

Paul Dowling reports on a recent case of parent company liability & the treatment of overseas workers

News Article
Banker

​Former EY partner awarded $10.8m in damages in legal case against the global accountancy firm

The High Court has today ruled that EY repeatedly breached the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants at the highest levels of management during an audit of a leading Dubai Gold refiner.

Blog Post
Man Signing A Document
International Corporate accountability Africa

The 'Big Four': are their liabilities greater than their assets?

Paul Dowling discusses the dominance of the 'Big 4' accountancy firms and whether their role within powerful companies is healthy or should more be done to prevent abuse within the global corporate culture.

Meet the corruption and whistleblowing team

Paul Dowling

Partner

Paul is a specialist international human rights lawyer

Corporate accountability Whistleblowing Corruption international Human rights

Daniel Leader

Partner

International human rights, business human rights and corporate accountability lawyer

Corporate accountability Human rights Environment International litigation Group claims Diesel emissions claims

Rebekah Read

Senior associate solicitor

Rebekah Read is a senior associate solicitor in the international department.

Abuse Corporate accountability Whistleblowing

Paula Atienza

Associate solicitor

Paula is a associate solicitor in the international team

Corporate accountability Environment Whistleblowing Corruption International human rights

Bob Matheson

Associate solicitor

Bob is a lawyer in the international department

International Corruption Corporate accountability Whistleblowing