Defamation/Reputation Management
UK Guide 2025 : UK-wide
Band 2
About
Provided by Payne Hicks Beach LLP
Payne Hicks Beach guards our clients’ rights and reputations through our extensive experience in the laws of defamation, privacy, data protection, cyber, breach of confidence and harassment.
Our lawyers have been involved in ground-breaking cases and have established some of the most significant developments in this area. We know how the media works and the importance of moving quickly to protect our clients.
We act for high net worth and ultra high net worth individuals, entrepreneurs, company owners and directors on cases that encompass a wide range of circumstances and situations. We stop and shape stories before publication and broadcast to remove false allegations and private and confidential information through negotiation, court action and securing injunctions when necessary. We represent clients in High Court litigation and we have worked in a number of leading cases in defamation, privacy, breach of confidence, phone-hacking, data theft and cyber-crime.
We limit unfair damage to reputation by preventing the further spread of allegations and information, removing false or private information from the internet and tracking down anonymous posters including on social media. We also protect those who are being harassed, stalked or blackmailed and who are the victims of data breaches and cyber-crime.
We act discretely and sensitively to understand the issues clients face and solve them as quickly as possible.
Chambers Review
Payne Hicks Beach has an active reputation management department with recent involvement in a number of high-profile defamations, privacy and breach of confidence disputes. The team works closely with the firm's family and private client departments to provide a comprehensive service to high net worth individuals, corporate clients and public figures. The lawyers maintain noteworthy strengths in handling phone hacking, harassment and Data Protection Act issues for claimants.
Work Highlights
- Payne Hicks Beach represented Georgia Harrison in the High Court claim against Stephen Bear for misuse of private information following the publication of her private information on the OnlyFans website.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"It is a small but very experienced team. It is very good at managing HNW and high-profile clients."
"The level of expertise was very high and diligent. I appreciated the wealth of experience and knowledge the team provided during the critical and time-sensitive moment."
"The lawyers are brilliant at getting up to speed fast on fact-heavy cases and isolating the key points. Whether dealing with a partner or an associate, all lawyers really get into case details."
"They responded to a critical issue with a forensic level of detail despite considerable time pressure and worked with integrity, empathy and considerable intellect."
"It is a small but very experienced team. It is very good at managing HNW and high-profile clients."
"The level of expertise was very high and diligent. I appreciated the wealth of experience and knowledge the team provided during the critical and time-sensitive moment."
"The lawyers are brilliant at getting up to speed fast on fact-heavy cases and isolating the key points. Whether dealing with a partner or an associate, all lawyers really get into case details."
"They responded to a critical issue with a forensic level of detail despite considerable time pressure and worked with integrity, empathy and considerable intellect."
Notable Practitioners
Dominic Crossley is head of dispute resolution at Payne Hicks Beach. He is widely respected for his significant experience acting for high-profile and leading clients on a broad range of critical defamation and privacy matters.
"Dominic is a great lawyer who has worked on some very high-quality cases."
"He is hugely impressive and very personable. Clients hold him in extremely high regard."
Hanna Basha is recognised for her expertise in representing high-profile clients in an array of reputation management concerns. Her experience includes advising on privacy injunctions and confidentiality agreements, as well as data protection issues.
"Hanna provided an exceptionally effective response to a complex critical issue under considerable time pressure. She is an outstanding lawyer and is responsive, pragmatic, knowledgeable and skilled."
"Hanna Basha is brilliant. She is calm in stressful situations but a streetfighter when it is called for."
"Hanna Basha is an excellent lawyer with an incredible talent to problem-solve under pressure. I am grateful for her professionalism, intelligence, depth of knowledge, responsiveness and communication."
"Hanna brings warmth, empathy and humour as well as judgement, intellect and an eye for detail. She is a pleasure to work with, a trusted adviser and our first call in a crisis."
Andrew Willan is active on the claimant side of defamation disputes, counting a number of high-profile individuals among his clients.
"Andrew is well respected and has a following."
"Andrew is a really good partner and a very safe pair of hands."
Nick Grant is particularly expert on pre-broadcast and pre-publication advice and frequently works on high-stakes libel and misuse of confidential information claims.
"An exceptional lawyer, he is responsive, thoughtful, thorough and extremely knowledgeable. Nick's intellect, judgement, integrity and empathy make him a trusted adviser indispensable in a crisis."
"He is extremely knowledgeable, capable of absorbing fact-heavy briefs and providing clear advice on strategy."
"Nick is on his way up. He is getting vast experience across the board and going places in the future."
Ranked Lawyers at
Payne Hicks Beach LLP
UK-wide
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Provided by Payne Hicks Beach LLP