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14.07.23

Could The Sun be facing the “mother of all privacy claims”?

On 11 July 2023, on the News Agents podcast, broadcaster Jon Sopel asked whether The Sun could be facing “the mother of all libel claims” for publishing allegations against a then unnamed BBC presenter.  On 13 July 2023, Vicky Flind confirmed that her husband Huw Edwards was the broadcaster in question.  It might be too…

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26.06.23

Retired ophthalmologist awarded £30,000 libel damages for Facebook slur

In December 2022 Dr Than Wai, a retired ophthalmologist, originally from Myanmar, issued libel proceedings against Dr Htay Kywe, a retired General Practitioner, also originally from Myanmar, in respect of allegations made by Dr Kywe on the ‘Moe Joe News’ Facebook page. The words sued upon (that Dr Wai was, in essence, a “stoolie”) were…

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16.06.23

High Court provides rare guidance on the meaning of ‘editor’ in defamation claims

This article considers the decision of Mr Justice Saini in Chris Packham CBE v Dominic Wightman and others [2023] EWHC 1256 (KB).  The claimant, a naturalist, campaigner and television presenter, was awarded £90,000 in damages by the High Court in respect of allegations published by the first and second defendants in articles in Country Squire…

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9.05.23

Press Release: UCU General Secretary Jo Grady pays Paul Embery Twitter libel damages

UCU General Secretary Dr Jo Grady has agreed to pay substantial damages to firefighter, trade unionist and writer Paul Embery, after defaming him on Twitter. In a statement read in the High Court today before His Honour Judge Lewis, Mr Embery’s solicitor Tom Double explained that Dr Grady had libelled Mr Embery after he had…

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27.02.23

Brett Wilson partners recommended as top reputation and privacy lawyers in Spear’s 500

Media law partners Iain Wilson and Max Campbell have been recommended as top reputation and privacy lawyers in the prestigious Spear’s 500 legal directory.  The directory purports to be the definitive guide to the top private client advisers and service providers for HNW individuals.

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Has the SRA lost perspective on SLAPPs?

Brett Wilson Partner Iain Wilson writes about the recent SRA Thematic Review in the The Law Society Gazette. The article can be found be found here.

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13.01.23

Proving the extent of publication in Twibel claims

Since the first High Court Twitter libel trial of Cairns v Modi [2012] EWHC 756 (QB), the online platform has provided a fertile source of work for libel solicitors.  Indeed, in 2022, three of the most high-profile libel trials in England and Wales (Banks v Cadwalladr [2022] EWHC 1417 (QB), Wright v McCormack [2022] EWHC…

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20.10.22

Brett Wilson LLP and its lawyers recommended in Chambers and Partners 2023 directory

Brett Wilson LLP’s media and communications law and criminal defence departments have again been recommended by the prestigious Chambers and Partners directory as leading departments in their field. In the firm’s media and communications law department, partners Iain Wilson (noted for ‘his exhaustive knowledge and valuable insight’), Max Campbell (‘first-class acumen and frighteningly accurate ability to…

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11.10.22

Press release: Academic pays nearly £50,000 in damages to colleague falsely touted online as a sex worker

Former UCL academic Dr Christopher Backhouse has paid US academic Dr Erica Smith £49,975 in damages to settle High Court privacy and harassment proceedings. In a statement read in the High Court today before Mr Justice Nicklin, Dr Smith’s solicitor explained that between November 2020 and May 2021, Dr Smith was the victim of an anonymous…

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23.08.22

Press Release: Anna Palus to take legal action against Nick Kyrgios over Wimbledon final outburst

Brett Wilson LLP has been instructed to bring defamation proceedings against Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios over allegations he made against spectator Anna Palus during the 2022 Wimbledon final. Ms Palus has issued the below press statement:- “On Sunday 10 July 2022 I attended the final of the Wimbledon tennis championships with my mother. It…

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Articles are intended as an introduction to the topic and do not constitute legal advice.