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Alexandra Marzec
Alexandra Marzec
Barrister dealing with libel and slander; misuse of private information and breach of confidence; other publication-related torts. From 2009, has represented defendants in the phone-hacking litigation: fist, Glenn Mulcaire, a private investigator sued by a great number of claimants for voicemail interception and, from 2014 to date, Mirror Group Newspapers sued in respect of the same cause of action, including representing MGN as junior counsel at trials as to damages in March 2015. Alex represented Associated Newspapers (Daily Mail and Sunday Mail) at trial in Garcia v Associated (2014); AAA v Associated (2013) – a privacy case concerning what could be reported re the non-marital child of a well-known politician; and Trimingham v Associated (2012), in which the partner of another politician, Chris Huhne, sued for misuse of private information and harassment. In 2012 to 2014, Alex represented an international businessman sued for libel by Turkish entities for more than £100m (Ontulmus v Collett [2014] EWHC 4117). Alex also acts for claimants, including mohammed Veliu, a journalist accused of involvement in terrorism who was awarded the highest-ever (so far) award of compensation under the Offer of Amends scheme. In 2013 Alex advises a number of national newspapers as to a proposed Leveson-compliant new press arbitration scheme, and as to the lawfulness of (then) governmental proposals for the reform of press law.
Chloe Strong
Chloe Strong
Chloe practises across the range of Chambers’ specialties, with a particular focus on defamation, privacy, copyright and harassment claims, as well as Norwich Pharmacal applications. She has been instructed as a junior in two privacy and libel trials over the past year and, in early 2015, acted on the Media Lawyers Association’s intervention in the Coventry v Lawrence appeal at the Supreme Court, which addressed the compatibility of the pre-LASPO CFA regime with the ECHR. Chloe regularly provides pre-publication advice to national newspapers, broadcasters, and publishers including the Times, the Sunday Times, Harper Collins and the BBC. Prior to her career at the Bar, Chloe trained as a corporate solicitor at Linklaters LLP, and served as Lord Neuberger’s judicial assistant (then Master of the Rolls) at the Court of Appeal. She assisted the Super-injunctions Committee to produce its report in May 2011, including drafting the Model Order now included in the CPR Practice Guidance for privacy injunctions. Chloe is a contributing author to two of the leading textbooks in her specialist fields: Gatley on Libel and Slander (Sweet & Maxwell, 12th ed, 2013) and The Law of Privacy and the Media, Warby, Moreham and Christie (OUP, 3rd ed, due late 2015). Chloe formed part of the Civil Justice Council’s Working Group on costs in defamation proceedings, which reported in April 2013. Chloe is public access qualified and able to take instructions directly from lay clients.
Desmond Browne KC
Desmond Browne KC
Specialises in media law, privacy and defamation. Recent cases include: Berezovsky v Michaels [2000] 1WLR 1004: HL; Ashworth Hospital v MGN [2002]1WLR 2033: HL; Loutchansky v Times Newspapers [2002] QB 321, 783: CA; Campbell v MGN [2004]2 AC 457: HL; Don King v Lewis [2005] EMLR 45: CA; Douglas v Hello (No.3) [2006] QB 125: CA; Boehringer lngelheim v Vetplus [2007] FSR 29: CA; McKennitt v Ash [2008] QB 73: CA; Warren v Random House [2009] QB 600: CA; Imerman v Tchenguiz [2011] 2 WLR 1401: CA; Al Amoudi v Kifle [2011] EWHC 2037: QB (£175,000 libel award); Berezovsky v Terluk [2011] EWCA Civ 1534: CA (£150,000 award upheld); KC v MGN [2013] EMLR 8: CA; Al Amoudi v Kifle: [2013] EWHC 293 QB (£180,000 libel award); AAA v Associated Newspapers [2013] EMLR 2: CA; Cruddas v Times Newspapers [2015] EWCA 171: (£50,000 award); Rowland v Mitchell: [2014] EWHC: QB: 4015: (£80,000 agreed damages).
Gervase de Wilde
Gervase de Wilde
Gervase joined 5RB in October 2013 following the completion of his pupillage in Chambers. He converted to the law after working as a national newspaper journalist. His work since becoming a member of Chambers has included acting for and advising media companies, including national newspapers, public authorities, private individuals and companies. Recent and current instructions include: acting for Hodge Jones and Allen (led by Justin Rushbrooke QC) in their successful claim against The Times brought under s.1(2) of the Defamation Act 2013; achieving the de-listing of defamatory search results by means of a High Court claim brought under the ‘Right to be Forgotten’; defending a privacy claim for a national newspaper; acting for media applicants to lift reporting restrictions at both the Old Bailey and Southwark Crown Court; and drafting written submissions both to the Court of Appeal (resulting in the lifting of an anonymity order) and to the Information Commissioner (on the application of the DPA 1998 to journalism). Gervase has appeared in the High Court, Crown Court, County Court and the Employment Tribunal. Gervase provides pre-publication advice to newspapers The Daily Mail, Metro, The Observer and The Guardian, and to the broadcaster ITN. He also advises Harper Collins and others on book publication. He writes about and has taught media law, has written extensively for the Inforrm media law blog, and is a contributor to the forthcoming third edition of Tugendhat & Christie on The Law of Privacy and the Media (chapters on Copyright, and on the Internet and Social Media).
Godwin Busuttil
Godwin Busuttil
Specialises in media work generally: defamation; malicious falsehood; privacy/confidence; data protection; contempt of court/reporting restrictions; internet; recent cases include: Cliff Richard v BBC [2017] EWHC 1291 (Ch); Lachaux v Lachaux [2017] 4 WLR 57; Lachaux v Independent Print Ltd [2016] QB 402, [2015] EWHC 3677 (QB), [2015] EWHC 915 (QB), [2015] EWHC 620 (QB); BES Ltd v Scrivener [2015] EWHC 2948 (QB); QRS v Beach [2015] 1 WLR 2701, [2015] EWHC 1489 (QB); Dar Al Arkan v Al Refai [2014] EWCA Civ 749; Tamiz v Google Inc [2013] 1 WLR 2151; Cammish v Hughes [2013] EMLR 13. For more details, see www.5rb.com.
Justin Charles Neil Rushbrooke KC
Specialises in media and entertainment law, in particular libel (including corporate and trade libels), privacy, confidence, contempt, passing off/trade marks, costs/CFAs, contractual disputes and cases involving the internet. Recent/notable cases include: Rothschild v Associated Newspapers (CA); Baturina v Times Newspapers [2011] EMLR 19 (CA); McLaughlin v Lambeth & Khan [2011] EMLR 8; Polonsky v Figes (the Amazon reviews case); OPQ v BJM [2011] EMLR 23; Thornton v Telegraph Media Group [2010] EMLR 25; Ambrosiadou v Coward [2010] 2 FLR 1775; Tesco v The Guardian [2009] EMLR 5; Adelson v Associated Newspapers [2008] 1 WLR 585 (CA); Frank Bruno v News Group Newspapers [2007]; Collins Stewart v The Financial Times [2006] EMLR 5; Jameel (Yousef) v Dow Jones [2005] QB 946 (CA); Jameel (Mohammed) v Wall Street Journal [2005] QC 904 (CA); Polanski v Condé Nast Publications Ltd [2005] 1 WLR 579 (HL); Maccaba v Lichtenstein [2005] EMLR 109; McManus v Beckham [2002] 1 WLR 2982 (CA); Burstein v Times Newspapers [2001] 1 WLR 579 (CA); Godfrey v Demon Internet [2001] QB 201; Berezovsky v Michaels [2000] 1 WLR 1004 (HL).
Richard Alexander John Munden
Richard Alexander John Munden
Specialises in the areas of defamation, private and confidential information, harassment, data protection, contempt and reporting restrictions, copyright, and media and entertainment related contractual disputes. Cases include Moyes v Rooney & HarperCollins (libel); Dar Al Arkan v Al Refai (libel, confidence, conspiracy); Von Hannover v Germany (No 2) (privacy, human rights); McGrath v Amazon (libel, abuse of process); Phillips v Edmondson & News Group Newspapers (privacy, phone-hacking); Cruddas v Times (libel, malicious falsehood); IslamExpo Ltd v Spectator (libel); Frank Warren v Herbie Hide (libel); Kewell v Lineker & Telegraph (libel); Lily Allen v Associated Newspapers (privacy); Aston Barrett v Universal-Island Records (copyright, contract). See further full profile at www.5rb.com.
William Bennett KC
William Bennett KC
William originally practised in criminal law before moving into defamation in 1996, since when he has specialised in defamation, breach of confidence/privacy and other freedom of speech-related areas. In defamation, he has appeared in leading cases on withdrawing issues from juries (Alexander v Arts Council of Wales), interim injunctions (Holley v Smyth), offers of amends (Milne v Express Newspapers, Diana Rigg v Associated Newspapers, Jimmy Nail v News Group), qualified privilege (Wood v West Midlands Police), jurisdiction (Harrods v Dow Jones, Lennon v Daily Record) and damages (Purnell v Rubython). William particularly enjoys appearing before juries, building on the experience gained at the beginning of his career in criminal practice. He is a CEDR-accredited mediator.
Christina Michalos KC
Jonathan Barnes KC