Bailey Glasser International appoints Guy Robson

Bailey Glasser International (BGI) has officially appointed Guy Robson as Partner and Head of its Latin American Practice as part of the firm's efforts to bolster its capabilities in the ongoing Mariana litigation. Robson, a distinguished collective redress lawyer and founder of the Collective Redress Lawyers Association (CORLA) in England, will be instrumental in the case against BHP Group UK Ltd and BHP Group Ltd, which stands as one of the largest group actions ever filed in the English courts.

With two decades of experience in high-value international commercial litigation, civil fraud, and collective redress, Robson's expertise is widely acknowledged. His previous roles at notable legal firms, including Freshfields, Signature Litigation LLP, and Pogust Goodhead, have provided him with pivotal insight into the complexities of the Mariana case. His extensive background positions him uniquely to address the intricacies of this significant litigation.

Robson's addition to BGI aligns with the firm's strategy to invest in a team skilled in handling complex, high-stakes, and cross-border disputes. The firm has assembled a group of professionals with direct knowledge of the English Mariana litigation's history, bringing together former partners from Pogust Goodhead, including Tom Goodhead, Jeremy Evans, and Faranak Ghajavand.

Expressing his enthusiasm, Guy Robson remarked, "I am delighted to be joining BGI and to be working on the Mariana Litigation, which already has some of the most experienced litigation solicitors and barristers in London working on it, including many of my former colleagues." He emphasised the commitment to providing robust representation for the communities in Brazil affected by the disaster, stating, "The focus will firmly be on delivering the strongest possible representation for the people, businesses and communities in Brazil who still continue to be affected by this terrible tragedy."

Robson also noted, "Latin America is an increasingly important market for international complex dispute, and BGI has an opportunity to build something genuinely distinctive: a practice that combines deep local knowledge with the resources and experience required to conduct major international cases in England and elsewhere, whether that be for private clients or in the case of the Mariana Litigation, whole communities of affected individuals and businesses."

Bailey Glasser International marks the first international expansion for Bailey & Glasser LLP, a prominent US law firm with a strong track record spanning 27 years. The firm's team comprises over 130 professionals and has a presence in 13 US states, positioning it to handle significant cases globally.

In a noteworthy development within the Mariana dispute, the Client Committee representing a majority of the claimants voted unanimously in August to appoint BGI to take over the conduct of the case from Pogust Goodhead. The English court was informed of this change on 4 September 2026, which does not affect existing contracts with claimants, who will only incur costs in the event of a successful outcome. The timeline for the proceedings remains intact, with the damages assessment phase set to occur from April 2027 to March 2028.

The Mariana dispute emerged from the catastrophic collapse of the Fundão tailings dam in Mariana, Minas Gerais, Brazil, on 5 November 2015, which resulted in 19 fatalities and the release of 40 million cubic metres of mining waste into the Doce River basin. A significant ruling by the High Court in London in November 2025 found BHP liable for the disaster, and the Court of Appeal subsequently denied BHP permission to appeal that decision. With proceedings advancing to the next phase, the focus shifts towards determining the compensation due to the claimants