The Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases of 2025 recognises the most high-profile and high-value disputes on the horizon. Georgia Terry features in The Pan-NOx Emissions Group Litigation (Dieselgate).

The Pan-NOx Emissions Group Litigation is the culmination of the Dieselgate story, which broke in late 2016. It is the largest group action in English legal history. The High Court group action comprises over 1.2 million claimants and the total alleged damages are more than £6bn. It is alleged that diesel vehicles sold in the UK by 19 separate car manufacturers contained “prohibited defeat devices” (PDDs), which reduce the effectiveness of emission control systems.

In this 10-week technical trial in October 2025, the High Court will determine legal and factual issues relating to the alleged existence of the PDDs in vehicles belonging to five manufacturers designated as the Lead Defendants. The trial will be followed by three weeks of closing submissions in Spring 2026 and an eight-week quantum trial expected to start in October 2026. The Mercedes, Ford, Renault Nissan and Peugeot Citroen groups have been selected as Lead Defendants and various sample vehicles for each of those manufacturers will be considered at the trial.

Georgia Terry is part of the counsel team representing the Ford Defendants, instructed by McGuireWoods London LLP.