High Court refuses permission to appeal, orders £300,000 interim payment towards PGMBM’s costs and the litigation timetable remains on track
London, 16 October 2026 – The High Court has now issued its sealed order following Mr Justice Waksman’s judgment of 12 October 2026, confirming that PGMBM remains the solicitor representing hundreds of thousands of Brazilian claimants in the Mariana litigation against BHP, rejecting the purported transfer of claimants to Bailey Glasser International (BGI).
Mr Justice Waksman found that the Client Committee did not have authority under the contractual framework governing the litigation to terminate PGMBM’s appointment on behalf of the wider claimant group or appoint BGI in its place.
The proceedings also revealed that the Client Committee’s legal costs were being funded by Samba Limited, a Guernsey-incorporated company and subsidiary of funds managed by North Wall Capital LLP. The Court ordered an interim payment of £300,000 towards PGMBM’s legal costs within 14 days and granted permission for North Wall Capital LLP to be joined to the proceedings for costs purposes only, with its potential liability to be determined at a further hearing.
The High Court also refused the Client Committee permission to appeal.
The ruling provides important clarity for victims of Brazil’s worst environmental disaster, resolving uncertainty over legal representation and keeping the Mariana litigation on track as it progresses toward its next phase. The case timetable remains unchanged, with a Case Management Conference scheduled for 23 October 2026 and the Stage 2 trial due to commence in April 2027.
Alicia Alinia, CEO of PGMBM, said: “Mr Justice Waksman‘s order provides further clarity for our clients and confirms what he made clear earlier this week: PGMBM remains the solicitor representing hundreds of thousands of Mariana claimants.
“Our clients are not commodities to be transferred between law firms. They are individuals and communities who have waited almost eleven years for justice, and their interests must come before competing commercial ambitions.
“We welcome the Court’s decision and are pleased that the main proceedings of the Mariana case can now move forward without further uncertainty over representation.
“Most importantly, the litigation timetable remains on track. With the next Case Management Conference due later this month and the Stage 2 trial scheduled for April 2027, the focus must now return to securing justice and compensation for the victims of this disaster.”
