‘It’s been like a movie’: Tom Goodhead on his firm’s $550m play to take on BHP in the biggest class action in UK history
Pogust Goodhead's managing partner on his plans to rival the global litigation elite.
Contents
Before Tom Goodhead first agreed to help a Brazilian lawyer struggling to find justice for 6,000 local fishermen, he was a junior barrister handling Tesco slip-and-trip cases at what he jokingly calls an "English Better Call Saul practice."
Today, he is the managing partner of Pogust Goodhead (PG) - the blitz-scaling litigation powerhouse backed by hedge fund money and taking on some of the largest companies in the world.
In an interview for The Non-Billable Podcast recorded from Rio de Janeiro, Goodhead laid out how his firm - which didn’t even exist seven years ago - is now at the forefront of the largest class action ever brought in English legal history, against mining giant BHP.
He also outlined the realities of litigation funding, managing huge group actions and building a next-generation law firm with global ambitions.
Listen to the full-length interview on the podcast. Episode page with links here.
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The case that changed everything
PG’s landmark case stems from the Fundão Dam collapse in Mariana, Brazil in 2015 - the country’s worst environmental disaster, killing 19 people and displacing thousands.
Goodhead first got involved after meeting a local lawyer at a conference. "He was getting nowhere”, Goodhead recalls, “He had huge paper files and clients waiting years for compensation”.
The supposed remedy - a foundation set up by BHP and its joint venture partner Vale - had become, he says, "a liability shield", designed more to delay than to deliver justice.
Despite having no commercial litigation background and no financial backing, Goodhead took the risk.
After persuading a group of American class action lawyers to support him - and meeting his future co-founder Harris Pogust at a Super Bowl party in Hawaii - he left the self-employed bar in 2018 and set up what would eventually become Pogust Goodhead.
What started as a speculative opinion on whether Brazilian victims could sue an Anglo-Australian mining giant in London has grown into a sprawling legal operation, with tens of thousands of claimants, a vast international infrastructure and billions of pounds at stake.
"It’s felt like I've been in a movie from day one, to be honest. It's completely, completely surreal."
Running a class action like a political campaign
Unlike opt-out class actions, the BHP case requires individual client-by-client engagement. The action now has around 650,000 individual claimants - each one requiring ongoing communication, legal support and updates.
To manage the scale, PG has had to manage a huge operation in Brazil. At its peak, the firm employed 400 staff on the ground and partnered with 3,000 local lawyers to serve clients across the region.
The challenge, Goodhead says, is less like conventional lawyering and more like running an election campaign. "You’ve got 650,000 voters - people with a range of needs and you have to communicate with each of them", he says.
Walk-in centres, call centres, chatbots, Facebook Live townhalls, client committees: all tools of necessity for a firm servicing thousands across two continents. "You don't get taught this on the LPC", Goodhead jokes.
At stake is not just money - although tens of billions of pounds are on the table.
The environmental and public health consequences of the disaster are still unfolding, with evidence of heavy metal contamination, disfigured fish, and poisoned ecosystems stretching for hundreds of miles.
"This is like the movie Dark Waters, multiplied by a hundred", Goodhead says.
This is like the movie Dark Waters, multiplied by a hundred.
How to finance the biggest class action in English legal history
Taking on BHP - backed by a roster of elite firms including Slaughter and May, White & Case, and Herbert Smith Freehills - demanded a level of firepower PG didn’t initially have.
In true PG fashion, the solution matched the scale of the challenge: a record-breaking litigation funding deal that would transform the firm's future.
In 2023, PG closed a $552 million investment deal with Gramercy, a US hedge fund. It is believed to be the largest single litigation finance deal ever done.
The money refinanced earlier debts and provided crucial working capital.
Litigation of this scale is expensive: Goodhead says the firm was burning $5-6 million a month, spanning not only BHP litigation but multiple global class actions, including claims against major car manufacturers over emissions scandals.
Funders like Gramercy, says Goodhead, understand the risk and reward equation.
They're looking for a return on their investment - hundreds of millions of dollars - but also share PG’s broader mission to hold corporations accountable.
"They're very, very pragmatic, very driven", Goodhead says.
"You don't want people that are just going to get scared when a nasty letter gets sent by Slaughter and May. You want people that are there alongside you as a really good financial partner who are there in the trenches. And that's what Gramercy are."
Scaling, redundancies and hard choices
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing.
In late 2024, PG was forced to make cuts, shedding around 20% of its workforce. The decision came after the firm realised that BHP was unlikely to settle quickly, and that cash burn rates needed to be reined in for PG to survive a multi-year litigation grind.
"It was horrible", Goodhead says.
"But I don't shy away from making tough decisions. Ultimately, the most important people of all are clients. If my law firm is not financially healthy enough to be able to litigate these cases through to the end, then those clients are going to lose out."
The cuts reflect a broader strategic shift: focusing on core cases like BHP, while turning down new cases. "We get pitched cases every single week - I've had to say to people, look, I'm really sorry we can't do that."
PG is still hiring - but only "very selectively", Goodhead says, likening his approach to a football manager constantly looking for top talent.
If my law firm is not financially healthy enough to be able to litigate these cases through to the end, then clients are going to lose out.
Talent and the synthetic equity bet
To attract and retain the best litigators, PG is banking heavily on a "synthetic equity" scheme launching imminently. The idea is that associates and staff will share in a bonus pool tied to recoveries from major cases.
For mid-level associates - even if base pay is notably lower than private practice rivals - this could mean six- or seven-figure payouts over the next few years - if BHP and other cases resolve favourably.
Goodhead says even some trainees have banked £150,000 thanks to successful cases.
The model aims to compensate for PG’s relatively lower base salaries compared to Magic Circle firms.
"There’s a risk and reward. You've accepted a lower base. But, if the ship comes in, you're going to be earning more than your mates at Quinn or your mates at Cleary or wherever. That's the value proposition."
The vision: a global claimant powerhouse
Looking ahead, Goodhead’s ambitions are clear. He wants PG to become the claimant-side equivalent of Kirkland & Ellis or Quinn Emanuel - a global litigation platform with multi-billions in revenue operating in the UK, Europe, the US and key emerging markets.
"Companies do bad things everywhere", Goodhead says. "I want to be these companies’ absolute worst nightmare - when they get a letter from us, I want them to think: we better settle."
"This isn’t about litigation for litigation’s sake", Goodhead insists. "I want to be a deterrent to bad behaviour happening in the first place. And if you can't deter it, then I want to remedy it. And that's the vision for the firm."
I want to be these companies’ absolute worst nightmare - when they get a letter from us, I want them to think: we better settle.
Law Firm | Trainee First Year | Trainee Second Year | Newly Qualified (NQ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Addleshaw Goddard | £52,000 | £56,000 | £100,000 |
| Akin Gump | £60,000 | £65,000 | £174,418 |
| A&O Shearman | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Ashurst | £52,000 | £57,000 | £125,000 |
| Baker McKenzie | £56,000 | £61,000 | £140,000 |
| Bird & Bird | £47,000 | £52,000 | £98,000 |
| Bristows | £46,000 | £50,000 | £88,000 |
| Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner | £50,000 | £55,000 | £105,000 |
| Burges Salmon | £47,000 | £49,000 | £72,000 |
| Charles Russell Speechlys | £50,000 | £53,000 | £88,000 |
| Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton | £57,500 | £62,500 | £164,500 |
| Clifford Chance | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Clyde & Co | £47,000 | £49,500 | £85,000 |
| CMS | £50,000 | £55,000 | £110,000 |
| Cooley | £55,000 | £60,000 | £157,000 |
| Davis Polk | £65,000 | £70,000 | £170,000 |
| Debevoise | £55,000 | £60,000 | £173,000 |
| Dechert | £55,000 | £61,000 | £165,000 |
| Dentons | £50,000 | £54,000 | £100,000 |
| DLA Piper | £50,000 | £55,000 | £110,000 |
| Eversheds Sutherland | £46,000 | £50,000 | £100,000 |
| Farrer & Co | £47,000 | £49,000 | £88,000 |
| Fieldfisher | £48,500 | £52,000 | £95,000 |
| Freshfields | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Fried Frank | £55,000 | £60,000 | £175,000 |
| Gibson Dunn | £60,000 | £65,000 | £180,000 |
| Goodwin Procter | £55,000 | £60,000 | £175,000 |
| Gowling WLG | £48,500 | £53,500 | £98,000 |
| Herbert Smith Freehills | £56,000 | £61,000 | £135,000 |
| HFW | £50,000 | £54,000 | £100,000 |
| Hill Dickinson | £43,000 | £45,000 | £80,000 |
| Hogan Lovells | £56,000 | £61,000 | £135,000 |
| Irwin Mitchell | £43,000 | £45,000 | £76,000 |
| Jones Day | £56,000 | £65,000 | £160,000 |
| K&L Gates | £50,000 | £55,000 | £115,000 |
| Kennedys | £43,000 | £46,000 | £85,000 |
| King & Spalding | £55,000 | £60,000 | £165,000 |
| Kirkland & Ellis | £60,000 | £65,000 | £174,418 |
| Latham & Watkins | £60,000 | £65,000 | £174,418 |
| Linklaters | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Macfarlanes | £56,000 | £61,000 | £140,000 |
| Mayer Brown | £55,000 | £60,000 | £135,000 |
| McDermott Will & Emery | £65,000 | £70,000 | £174,418 |
| Milbank | £65,000 | £70,000 | £174,418 |
| Mills & Reeve | £45,000 | £47,000 | £82,000 |
| Mischon de Reya | £47,500 | £52,500 | £95,000 |
| Norton Rose Fulbright | £50,000 | £55,000 | £135,000 |
| Orrick | £55,000 | £60,000 | £160,000 |
| Osborne Clarke | £54,500 | £56,000 | £94,000 |
| Paul Hastings | £60,000 | £68,000 | £173,000 |
| Paul Weiss | £55,000 | £60,000 | £180,000 |
| Penningtons Manches Cooper | £48,000 | £50,000 | £83,000 |
| Pinsent Masons | £49,500 | £54,000 | £97,000 |
| Quinn Emanuel | n/a | n/a | £180,000 |
| Reed Smith | £50,000 | £55,000 | £125,000 |
| Ropes & Gray | £60,000 | £65,000 | £165,000 |
| RPC | £46,000 | £50,000 | £90,000 |
| Shoosmiths | £43,000 | £45,000 | £97,000 |
| Sidley Austin | £60,000 | £65,000 | £175,000 |
| Simmons & Simmons | £52,000 | £57,000 | £120,000 |
| Skadden | £58,000 | £63,000 | £173,000 |
| Slaughter and May | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Squire Patton Boggs | £47,000 | £50,000 | £110,000 |
| Stephenson Harwood | £50,000 | £55,000 | £100,000 |
| Sullivan & Cromwell | £65,000 | £70,000 | £174,418 |
| Taylor Wessing | £50,000 | £55,000 | £115,000 |
| TLT | £44,000 | £47,500 | £85,000 |
| Travers Smith | £54,000 | £59,000 | £120,000 |
| Trowers & Hamlins | £45,000 | £49,000 | £80,000 |
| Vinson & Elkins | £60,000 | £65,000 | £173,077 |
| Watson Farley & Williams | £50,000 | £55,000 | £102,000 |
| Weightmans | £34,000 | £36,000 | £70,000 |
| Weil Gotshal & Manges | £60,000 | £65,000 | £170,000 |
| White & Case | £62,000 | £67,000 | £175,000 |
| Willkie Farr & Gallagher | £60,000 | £65,000 | £170,000 |
| Withers | £47,000 | £52,000 | £95,000 |
| Womble Bond Dickinson | £43,000 | £45,000 | £80,000 |
Rank | Law Firm | Revenue | Profit per Equity Partner (PEP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DLA Piper* | £3,010,000,000 | £2,400,000 |
| 2 | Clifford Chance | £2,300,000,000 | £2,040,000 |
| 3 | A&O Shearman | £2,200,000,000 | £2,200,000 |
| 4 | Hogan Lovells | £2,150,000,000 | £2,200,000 |
| 5 | Freshfields | £2,120,000,000 | Not disclosed |
| 6 | Linklaters | £2,100,000,000 | £1,900,000 |
| 7 | Norton Rose Fulbright* | £1,800,000,000 | £1,100,000 |
| 8 | CMS** | £1,620,000,000 | Not disclosed |
| 9 | Herbert Smith Freehills | £1,300,000,000 | £1,300,000 |
| 10 | Ashurst | £961,000,000 | £1,300,000 |
| 11 | Clyde & Co | £844,000,000 | £739,000 |
| 12 | Eversheds Sutherland | £749,000,000 | £1,300,000 |
| 13 | BCLP* | £661,000,000 | £748,000 |
| 14 | Pinsent Masons | £649,000,000 | £793,000 |
| 15 | Slaughter and May*** | £625,000,000 | Not disclosed |
| 16 | Simmons & Simmons | £574,000,000 | £1,076,000 |
| 17 | Bird & Bird** | £545,000,000 | £696,000 |
| 18 | Addleshaw Goddard | £495,000,000 | Not disclosed |
| 19 | Taylor Wessing | £480,000,000 | £915,000*** |
| 20 | Osborne Clarke** | £456,000,000 | £771,000 |
| 21 | Womble Bond Dickinson | £448,000,000 | £556,000 |
| 22 | DWF | £435,000,000 | Not disclosed |
| 23 | Fieldfisher | £407,000,000 | £966,000 |
| 24 | Kennedys | £384,000,000 | Not disclosed |
| 25 | DAC Beachcroft | £325,000,000 | £700,000 |
What do City lawyers actually do each day?
For a closer look at the day-to-day of some of the most common types of lawyers working in corporate law firms, explore our lawyer job profiles:
This is a condensed version of our full length interview with Tom Goodhead on The Non-Billable Podcast. View the episode page here.
| Firm | London office since | Known for in London |
|---|---|---|
| Baker McKenzie | 1961 | Finance, capital markets, TMT |
| Davis Polk | 1972 | Leveraged finance, corporate/M&A |
| Gibson Dunn | 1979 | Private equity, arbitration, energy, resources and infrastructure |
| Goodwin | 2008 | Private equity, funds, life sciences |
| Kirkland & Ellis | 1994 | Private equity, funds, restructuring |
| Latham & Watkins | 1990 | Finance, private equity, capital markets |
| Milbank | 1979 | Finance, capital markets, energy, resources and infrastructure |
| Paul Hastings | 1997 | Leveraged finance, structured finance, infrastructure |
| Paul Weiss | 2001 | Private equity, leveraged finance |
| Quinn Emanuel | 2008 | Litigation |
| Sidley Austin | 1974 | Leveraged finance, capital markets, corporate/M&A |
| Simpson Thacher | 1978 | Leveraged finance, private equity, funds |
| Skadden | 1988 | Finance, corporate/M&A, arbitration |
| Weil | 1996 | Restructuring, private equity, leverage finance |
| White & Case | 1971 | Capital markets, arbitration, energy, resources and infrastructure |
| Law firm | Type | First-year salary |
|---|---|---|
| White & Case | US firm | £32,000 |
| Stephenson Harwood | International | £30,000 |
| A&O Shearman | Magic Circle | £28,000 |
| Charles Russell Speechlys | International | £28,000 |
| Freshfields | Magic Circle | £28,000 |
| Herbert Smith Freehills | Silver Circle | £28,000 |
| Hogan Lovells | International | £28,000 |
| Linklaters | Magic Circle | £28,000 |
| Mishcon de Reya | International | £28,000 |
| Norton Rose Fulbright | International | £28,000 |
Law Firm | Trainee First Year | Trainee Second Year | Newly Qualified (NQ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A&O Shearman | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Clifford Chance | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Linklaters | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Slaughter and May | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
Law Firm | Trainee First Year | Trainee Second Year | Newly Qualified (NQ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A&O Shearman | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Clifford Chance | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Linklaters | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
| Slaughter and May | £56,000 | £61,000 | £150,000 |
Law Firm | Trainee First Year | Trainee Second Year | Newly Qualified (NQ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashurst | £52,000 | £57,000 | £125,000 |
| Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner | £50,000 | £55,000 | £105,000 |
| Herbert Smith Freehills | £56,000 | £61,000 | £135,000 |
| Macfarlanes | £56,000 | £61,000 | £140,000 |
| Travers Smith | £54,000 | £59,000 | £120,000 |
| Firm | Merger year | Known for in London |
|---|---|---|
| BCLP | 2018 | Real estate, corporate/M&A, litigation |
| DLA Piper | 2005 | Corporate/M&A, real estate, energy, resources and infrastructure |
| Eversheds Sutherland | 2017 | Corporate/M&A, finance |
| Hogan Lovells | 2011 | Litigation, regulation, finance |
| Mayer Brown | 2002 | Finance, capital markets, real estate |
| Norton Rose Fulbright | 2013 | Energy, resources and infrastructure, insurance, finance |
| Reed Smith | 2007 | Shipping, finance, TMT |
| Squire Patton Boggs | 2011 | Corporate/M&A, pensions, TMT |
Law Firm | Trainee First Year | Trainee Second Year | Newly Qualified (NQ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashurst | £52,000 | £57,000 | £125,000 |
| Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner | £50,000 | £55,000 | £105,000 |
| Herbert Smith Freehills | £56,000 | £61,000 | £135,000 |
| Macfarlanes | £56,000 | £61,000 | £140,000 |
| Travers Smith | £54,000 | £59,000 | £120,000 |
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