Corporate Accountability: Recent Developments in Supply Chains Liability

The complexities of establishing parent company’s liability for harm caused by its overseas subsidiary (aka foreign direct liability) have been taxing the creative powers of practitioners, jurists and academics for a long time.

Then came the UK Supreme Court’s decisions in the leading cases of Vednata and Okpabi, heralding greater jurisdictional access and inciting keen interest in both commercial and non-commercial legal circles.

Oliver Holland/Leigh Day acted in both cases. Oliver, a partner in the firm’s international department with a string of important cases to his name, specialises in claims involving multinational corporations where environmental harm or human rights abuses have been alleged. This includes disputes arising out of supply chains where liability is further complicated by the insertion of sub-contractors into the contractual chain which links producers to retailers. In particular, Oliver has introduced into these disputes claims for unjust enrichment, an innovation which borrows from commercial law to advance the interest of injured communities. By now, this innovation has survived at least one court challenge and, with many more cases in the pipeline, is likely to blaze a trail in transnational litigation.

We delight in the opportunity to have Oliver share with us his knowledge and experience of the law. Oliver will open his talk with an introduction to foreign direct liability and where it presently stands in the UK. He will then address the core subject of his talk being an examination of the issues and recent developments in supply chains liability, including unjust enrichment.

Corporate accountability straddles the worlds of business and public interest alike; corporations wish to be appraised of their exposure to liability and communities need advice on the availability of access to justice. Therefore, this seminar is of interest to students from both fields.

This is a hybrid event. Online attendees can join via Zoom (please note you must be signed into a Zoom account):

• Meeting ID: 931 2384 8022
• Passcode: 3Tb2NujpTi
• Meeting link

About the speaker

Oliver Holland specialises in international cases involving multinational corporations where environmental harm or human rights abuses have been alleged. He has expertise in representing claimants in foreign jurisdictions against companies in the extractive industries as well as advising on cases that involve the use of forced and child labour.