Privacy
1.01.20
ICO hands down its first fine under the GDPR
On 17 December 2019 the Information Commissioner’s Office (‘the ICO’), the UK’s independent regulator for data protection and information rights, fined a London pharmacy £275,000 for failing to ensure the security of personal data, including ‘special category’ data. This is the first administrative fine to be handed down by the ICO under the new data…
Read more27.11.19
Claimant who refused to tell the court or his opponent who he was runs out of track
In ABC v Google LLC [2019] EWHC 3020 (QB) the High Court dismissed the latest attempt by an anonymous litigant-in-person (‘ABC’) to continue his ‘right to be forgotten’ claim against Google. The claim concerned Google’s failure to block access to historic news reports concerning ABC (whomever he may be). Extraordinarily, ABC pursued his claim for…
Read more22.10.19
Injunction granted in STI blackmail case
Often it can be difficult to predict with any certainty whether a Court will grant interim injunctive relief. Combine, however, an extremely wealthy claimant, the subject matter of his sex life, a freely entered into confidentiality agreement, the absence of a genuine public interest, a blackmail threat and Adam Speker, the barrister who is fast-becoming…
Read more10.10.19
Brett Wilson LLP and its lawyers recommended in Chambers and Partners 2020 directory
Brett Wilson LLP’s Defamation/Reputation Management and Criminal Defence teams have again been recommended by the prestigious Chambers and Partners directory. Partners Iain Wilson (noted for ‘finding solutions to problems that appear impenetrable’) and Max Campbell (described as ‘well regarded in the market for his notable expertise’) have been ranked as leading lawyers in Defamation/Reputation Management. …
Read more2.10.19
Strippers denied anonymity in privacy claim
In AAA -v- Rakoff [2019] EWHC 2525 (QB) Mr Justice Nicklin set out the importance of claimants (and their lawyers) setting out a clear and consistent basis for seeking anonymity in civil proceedings. Facts The First and Second Defendants Dr Sasha Rakoff and Not Buying it Limited (‘NBL’) campaign against sexual entertainment venues (SEVs), commonly…
Read more27.09.19
Brett Wilson LLP’s departments and lawyers ranked as leaders in their fields in the Legal 500
Brett Wilson LLP has been ranked in three categories in the prestigious Legal 500 directory of leading law firms:- Reputation Management Professional Discipline Crime (General) In addition, media law partners Iain Wilson (described as an ‘innovator’) and Max Campbell (‘thoughtful, high-quality lawyer’) and solicitors Tom Double and Elisabeth Mason have been individually recognised by the directory….
Read more25.09.19
ECJ confirms territorial limitations of ‘the right to be forgotten’
On 24 September 2019, whilst the country was focused on the United Kingdom Supreme Court as it ruled that the prorogation of the UK parliament was unlawful, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU or ECJ), handed down judgment in Google LLC, successor in law to Google Inc. v Commission nationale de l’informatique…
Read more23.09.19
Gender Identity Clinic faces privacy claims following ‘bcc’ data leak
The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust has admitted accidentally sending an email containing the email addresses of nearly 2,000 patients receiving treatment at its Fulham Palace Road Gender Identity Clinic. The email in question, sent on 6 September 2019, concerned an art competition, but was inadvertently “cc-ed” (open copied) to recipients, rather than “bcc-ed…
Read more18.09.19
Ben Stokes, The Sun and Gareth Thomas: muckraking journalism with no regard for private lives
The ‘silly season’ is supposed to be over and the most important constitutional case for many years is currently before the Supreme Court, but these matters did not stop The Sun from publishing on 17 September 2019 a grossly sensationalist and intrusive article about Ben Stokes, the England cricketer, and his family, on its front…
Read more20.08.19
New rules for media and communications claims
From 1 October 2019 new rules – in the form of a revised Part 53 of the Civil Procedure Rules, revised/new practice directions (PD 7A, 53A and 53B) and an all encompassing pre-action protocol – will apply to claims in England and Wales arising from media and communications disputes. The formal designation of a specialist…
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Articles are intended as an introduction to the topic and do not constitute legal advice.