Katharina Theil

Solicitor, Leigh Day

Katharina is a solicitor working in the international department at Leigh Day with experience in international claims arising from human rights violations, personal injury and environmental damage. She qualified in 2019.

Since joining Leigh Day in 2012, Katharina has worked on various high profile cases, including the Mau Mau claims, brought by over 5,000 Kenyans who alleged that they were subjected to torture and other inhuman and degrading treatment at the hands of the British colonial administration in the 1950’s during the Kenyan struggle for independence, and a group litigation against Shell on behalf of Nigerian fishermen and women living in the Niger Delta arising from the loss and damage caused by two major oil spills. She is currently part of a team instructed for claimants in claims arising from environmental damage and is involved in a case on behalf of victims of lead poisoning brought in South Africa. She has a special interest in corporate accountability for human rights violations, claims arising from labour exploitation and climate change litigation.

Prior to joining Leigh Day, Katharina gained experience at the International Labour Organisation’s International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour and Human Rights Watch in Geneva, Switzerland. She speaks German and French.

Contributed to

2

Climate change litigation

Practice notes

This Practice Note provides details on climate change litigation cases. It sets out what climate change litigation includes, some of the key drivers to climate change litigation and jurisdictional issues. It also covers different types of claims, such as claims against the government/public bodies, including constitutional and human rights claims, administrative law claims and judicial review. Other claims include claims against private entities/corporations in respect of their contribution to climate change, including negligence and nuisance claims. The Practice Note also focuses on financial claims, such as claims by shareholders against companies and management, failure to report and claims against financial businesses, such as investment managers and pension funds. Finally, it also covers other types of climate change litigation claims, such as claims involving consumer protection/misleading advertising, public trust doctrine, insurance cover and claims other than before the courts.

Environment

Planning and climate change litigation

Practice notes

This Practice Note provides details on how climate change arguments have been used in planning judicial and statutory review cases. It sets out what climate change arguments have been made, some of the key drivers to climate change arguments and different types of planning claims in which climate change arguments are raised, including claims against the government/public bodies and local authorities.

Planning