Keren Adams joined the Human Rights Law Centre in 2017 to lead the Centre’s work on corporate accountability.
Her team’s work focuses on ensuring accountability for serious human rights abuses by Australian companies operating overseas and improving pathways to justice and remedy for workers and communities harmed by their operations. Keren is currently leading human rights complaints on behalf of communities in Bougainville living with large-scale pollution from Rio Tinto’s former Panguna mine and on behalf of the family of Reza Berati, who was murdered by guards at the Manus Island Detention Centre.
Prior to joining the Human Rights Law Centre, Keren was a partner at UK human rights firm Leigh Day, where she litigated a range of landmark human rights cases. These included the UK’s then largest-ever group claim against oil trader Trafigura on behalf of 30,000 victims of toxic waste dumping in the Cote d’Ivoire and against sugar giant Tate & Lyle on behalf of 200 rural farmers dispossessed by landgrabs in Cambodia. She also led successful claims against the UK Government relating to the unlawful detention and abuse of prisoners in Afghanistan and Iraq and for complicity in the US rendition and torture program after 9/11. Keren also previously worked at Victoria Legal Aid and at Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, where she specialised in civil sexual assault claims.
Keren currently serves on the Advisory Board of the Australian OECD National Contact Point and has previously advised the Australian Government on the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights. She is a founder and steering committee member of the Australian Corporate Accountability Network.
Opinion
Did your phone cost a young woman her health?
The Age July 16 2017
The human cost of fast fashion is still too high
The Sydney Morning Herald April 23 2018