Cigarettes multinational British American Tobacco (BAT) has turned to longtime adviser Slaughter and May as it faces possible High Court action after field workers in Malawi accused the giant of forced and child labour, according to people close to the matter.
The London-headquartered company stands accused of having made significant profits from tobacco leaves picked by farmers who have said they were forced to work for derisory pay in a climate of fear, such that they felt compelled to put their children to work too.
