About
Partners: Nick Brett, Iain Wilson, Max Campbell and Tom Double.
The Firm
Specialist media law and litigation firm. The firm acts predominantly for high profile individuals, professionals, HNWIs and SMEs, but also counts corporates of all sizes, charities, trade bodies, a Premier League football club, local authorities and other public bodies amongst its clients.
Principal Areas of Work
The firm boasts a renowned media law and communications department that specialises in defamation, privacy, harassment and data protection (with a particular focus on online publications). This work is predominantly, but not exclusively, claimant-focused. The firm is also well-known for its privately-funded criminal defence and regulatory/disciplinary work, asset forfeiture practice and commercial and corporate dispute work (with a focus on civil fraud), as well as its growing family law practice.
Defamation: The firm acted in two of the most important cases involving online publication: The Law Society & Ors v Kordowski [2011] EWHC 3185 (QB) (successful action on behalf of the legal profession to close down the infamous website Solicitors from Hell), Tamiz v Google Inc [2013] EWCA Civ 68 (established that Google Inc could be liable as a publisher in relation to material posted on its Blogger platform). Recent libel successes include Blackledge v Persons Unknown [2021] EWHC 1994 (an anonymous blog set up to defame a senior academic). Recent defendant successes include Riley & Anor v Heybroek [2020] EWHC 1259 (QB) (a claim brought by two celebrities concerning a Twitter dispute) and Wright v Ver [2020] EWCA Civ 672 (a claim brought by a man claiming to have invented Bitcoin) and Haviland v The Andrew Lownie Literary Agency Ltd & Anor [2022] EWHC 1688 (QB).
Privacy:
The firm acts for individuals seeking to prevent the unauthorised disclosure of confidential/private information or seeking redress following infringements. Cases are brought against the press and individuals. The firm is known for its pioneering work tackling ‘revenge porn’. Recent privacy successes include JQL v NTP [2020] EWHC 1349 (QB) (a claim arising from the publication of private information on Facebook) and GUH v KYT [2021] EWHC 1854 (QB) (a privacy injunction against a sex worker).
Data Protection: Over recent years the firm has acted for a large number of individuals, including many high-profile figures/business leaders, seeking to enforce their data protection rights against search engines such as Google LLC (‘the right to be forgotten’/‘right to erasure’) and due-diligence databases. The firm has been at the forefront of the development of the law in this area and its partners are regularly asked to provide expert comment to the media and legal press.
Harassment:
Recent successes include Smith v Backhouse [2023] EWCA Civ 874 in which the Court of Appeal gave important guidance on the use of undertakings to the court. The firm regularly acts in representative proceedings brought to protect workforces or other groups of individuals from harassment.
Regulatory/Disciplinary:
The firm advises professionals in investigations brought by the SRA, GMC and GDC. It also represents companies and individuals in investigations conducted by the FCA, Trading Standards and other regulatory bodies. The firm acted for the successful appellant in the landmark case of Beckwith v Solicitors Regulation Authority [2020] EWHC 3231 (Admin), in which the Court provided guidance on the regulation of professionals’ private lives.
Criminal Defence:
Typical clients are professionals or high-profile individuals facing prosecution for the first (and probably only) time in their lives, for whom the prospect of a criminal record and the ensuing stigma can sometimes be more significant than any sentence. The firm has particular expertise in dealing with highly sensitive allegations of a sexual nature. Recent successes include Mohammed v R. [2021] EWCA Crim 766, the 750th referral by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
NCA and asset forfeiture:
The firm deals with claims brought by the NCA (i.e. property freezing orders and civil recovery orders in the High Court). It has been involved in many of the most high-profile cases in this field (see, for example, Sanam v National Crime Agency [2015] WLR 2015, National Crime Agency v Saleh [2018] EWHC 1012).
Serious fraud (criminal):
The firm is regularly instructed in connection with allegations of serious fraud including bribery and corruption. Recent cases include the largest ever crypto-currency fraud and a corporate defendant being prosecuted by the SFO for corruption extra-territorially.
Civil fraud:
The firm acts for both claimants and defendants. It has been involved in various civil fraud claims before the Chancery Division for misrepresentation, unjust enrichment, dishonest assistance, knowing receipt, as well as claims under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. High profile examples include a claim for restitution for funds invested in an unauthorised collective investment scheme (O’Neil v Gale [2013] EWCA Civ 1554). The firm regularly deals with cases involving freezing injunctions and, in the criminal context, restraint orders under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
Corporate and commercial litigation:
The firm acts in corporate disputes, both business to business and intra business (e.g. breaches of shareholder agreements and partnership disputes), as well as insolvency-related matters.
Family law:
The firm acts for individuals in divorce proceedings and related custody and financial matters.
Ranked Offices
Provided by Brett Wilson LLP
- London35-37 St John Street, London, Greater London, UK, EC1M 4BJ
- Web: www.brettwilson.co.uk
- Tel: 020 7183 8950
- Fax: 020 7183 8951
- View ranked office
Brett Wilson LLP rankings
Articles, highlights and press releases
42 items provided by Brett Wilson LLP
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.
ECJ confirms territorial limitations of ‘the right to be forgotten’
On 24 September 2019 the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU or ECJ), handed down judgment in Google LLC, successor in law to Google Inc. v CNIL, C‑507/17, effectively a sequel to the landmark data protection ‘Google Spain’ decision in May 2014.
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.
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.
Libel claim by man claiming to have invented Bitcoin dismissed on jurisdictional grounds
The decision of Mr Justice Nicklin in Craig Wright v Roger Ver [2019] EWHC 2094 (QB)
Morgan v Times Newspapers Limited
Court holds that article criticising conduct of barrister in Ben Stokes prosecution was defamatory at common law
Facebook ‘Keyboard warrior’ ordered to pay £55,000 in libel and harassment damages
Facebook ‘Keyboard warrior’ ordered to pay £55,000 in libel and harassment damages after false accusations of animal cruelty and orchestration of online hate campaign
Monir v Wood: Think before you allow someone else to tweet on your behalf
In a very detailed judgment in the case of Monir v Wood [2018] EWHC 3525 (QB), Mr Justice Nicklin set out the law in relation to various complex issues that can arise in a libel claim.
Recoverability of CFA success fees in defamation and privacy claims to be abolished
Recoverability of CFA success fees in defamation and privacy claims to be abolished (but ATE to remain for now)
Employer held liable for employee’s data breach, even though his objective was to damage them
On 22 October 2018, the Court of Appeal dismissed the supermarket chain’s appeal in the case of Various Claimants v WM Morrison Supermarkets PLC, where Morrisons had been held vicariously liable at first instance for a mass data breach caused by the criminal act of a rogue employee
Why Lord Hain was wrong to disclose Sir Philip Green’s name
Lord Hain’s decision to name Sir Philip Green in the House of Lords as the individual who obtained an interim-injunction against the Daily Telegraph has polarised opinion.
Defamation and privacy claims: making a statement in open court
In Sir Cliff Richard OBE v the BBC and Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police [2017] EWHC 1648 (Ch), Mr Justice Mann reviewed the law on statements in open court, and the grounds upon which the court might refuse to permit them.
£25,000 libel damages and indemnity costs for malicious complaint to employer
In , the Claimant Keith Singh, a Night Services Coordinator at the Priory Hospital in Roehampton, sued the Defendant Joseph Weayou, a Health Care Assistant at the same hospital, for libel and malicious falsehood in respect of an email Mr Weayou had sent on 24 August 2015 to the HR Manager and a seni
Defamation take-down requests to Google
This article explores how Google will often voluntarily remove content from its search engine results on a variety of other grounds, including that the content is defamatory
Data Breach : Compensation claims for mass data breaches
In January 2014, Andrew Skelton, an apparently disgruntled employee of Morrisons Supermarket posted a file containing the personal data of 99,998 Morrisons’ employees on a file-sharing website.
The misreporting of Max Mosley’s DPA claim against the press
It was reported last month in various newspapers that Max Mosley, the Former Formula One boss, has threatened to issue legal proceedings against The Daily Mail, The Times, The Sun and The Daily Mirror in respect of articles that he claims breach the Data Protection Act 1998 (“DPA”).
How to seek the delisting of search engine results following the first English decision on the “right to be forgotten”.
#MeToo, naming and shaming: a risky business?
“#MeToo”: Five letters that have been tweeted millions of times in the past month, and demonstrate the enormous power of social media and how it can bring about change for the good. The feeling of solidarity is a cathartic experience for many who have been the victim of sexual abuse, harassment or
The Court of Appeal considers the threshold for bringing a libel claim
Business as usual? The Court of Appeal considers the threshold for bringing a libel claim in Lachaux v Independent Print Ltd.
Finsbury Park Mosque wins libel damages against controversial World Check database
<i>First published on the Brett Wilson Media Law Blog on 3 February 2017</i><br/>The company that runs Finsbury Park Mosque this week obtained libel damages from Reuters Ltd, the international news agency which publishes the controversial ‘World Check’ database.<br/>Finsbury Park Mosque was led by Abu Hamza until 2003.…
Moroccan Prince wins libel and data protection appeal against Arabic news publisher
<i>First published on Brett Wilson Media Law Blog on 1 February 2017</i><br/>Prince Moulay Hicham Ben Abdallah Al Alouai of Morocco (‘the Prince’) has won an appeal against Elaph Publishing Limited (‘Elaph’) that now allows him to advance a claim under the Data Protection Act 1998 (‘DPA’) and also overturned a previous…
Serious Fraud Office agrees to defer prosecution of Rolls Royce plc
<i>First published on the Brett Wilson Crime, Fraud and Regulatory Law Blog on 30 January 2017</i><br/>Following a four year investigation into corruption and bribery, the Serious Fraud Office (‘SFO’) have entered into a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (‘DPA’) with Rolls Royce Plc, the global engineering giant. …
Harassment Warnings/Police Information Notices: Restraining Orders without due process?
<i>First published on the Brett Wilson Crime, Fraud and Regulatory Law Blog on 30 January 2017</i><br/>The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 (PHA) was introduced to target stalking. For the most part, Parliament had strangers in mind, whether physically following a victim and/or persistently giving them unwanted…
Can an entire CPS department be ‘professionally embarrassed’ and have to withdraw from a prosecution
<i>First published on the Brett Wilson Crime, Fraud and Regulatory Law Blog on 9 January 2017</i><br/>On 16 December 2016, a road rage prosecution against two defendants was dismissed after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) advocate withdrew on the day of trial, citing 'professional embarrassment'. Despite the…
Claimants obtain interim injunction preventing disclosure of extramarital affair
<i>First published on the Brett Wilson Media Law Blog on 2 January 2017</i><br/>In <a href="http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2016/2810.html">TRK & BVP v ICM [2016] EWHC 2810</a> Mr Justice Warby granted an interim without notice injunction preventing a spurned lover from disclosing private information obtained from the alleged hacking of his former lover's computer system.…
Is a police investigation a private matter?
<i>First published on the Brett Wilson Media Law Blog on 29 November 2016</i><br/>A recent decision by Nicol J in <a href="http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2016/2760.html">ERY v Associated Newspapers Ltd [2016] EWHC 2760 (QB)</a> has found that a suspect in a police investigation has a reasonable expectation of privacy which is likely to trump the press’s right to freedom…
Leveson 2 and Section 40 libel costs
<i>First published on the Brett Wilson Media Law Blog on 3 November 2016<br></i><br/>The Leveson Inquiry examined the practices of the British press. It was intended that Part 1 of the Inquiry would address ‘the culture, practices, and ethics of the press’ and Part 2 would address ‘the extent of unlawful or improper…
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.
ECJ confirms territorial limitations of ‘the right to be forgotten’
On 24 September 2019 the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU or ECJ), handed down judgment in Google LLC, successor in law to Google Inc. v CNIL, C‑507/17, effectively a sequel to the landmark data protection ‘Google Spain’ decision in May 2014.
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.
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.
Libel claim by man claiming to have invented Bitcoin dismissed on jurisdictional grounds
The decision of Mr Justice Nicklin in Craig Wright v Roger Ver [2019] EWHC 2094 (QB)
Morgan v Times Newspapers Limited
Court holds that article criticising conduct of barrister in Ben Stokes prosecution was defamatory at common law
Facebook ‘Keyboard warrior’ ordered to pay £55,000 in libel and harassment damages
Facebook ‘Keyboard warrior’ ordered to pay £55,000 in libel and harassment damages after false accusations of animal cruelty and orchestration of online hate campaign
Monir v Wood: Think before you allow someone else to tweet on your behalf
In a very detailed judgment in the case of Monir v Wood [2018] EWHC 3525 (QB), Mr Justice Nicklin set out the law in relation to various complex issues that can arise in a libel claim.
Recoverability of CFA success fees in defamation and privacy claims to be abolished
Recoverability of CFA success fees in defamation and privacy claims to be abolished (but ATE to remain for now)
Employer held liable for employee’s data breach, even though his objective was to damage them
On 22 October 2018, the Court of Appeal dismissed the supermarket chain’s appeal in the case of Various Claimants v WM Morrison Supermarkets PLC, where Morrisons had been held vicariously liable at first instance for a mass data breach caused by the criminal act of a rogue employee
Why Lord Hain was wrong to disclose Sir Philip Green’s name
Lord Hain’s decision to name Sir Philip Green in the House of Lords as the individual who obtained an interim-injunction against the Daily Telegraph has polarised opinion.
Defamation and privacy claims: making a statement in open court
In Sir Cliff Richard OBE v the BBC and Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police [2017] EWHC 1648 (Ch), Mr Justice Mann reviewed the law on statements in open court, and the grounds upon which the court might refuse to permit them.
£25,000 libel damages and indemnity costs for malicious complaint to employer
In , the Claimant Keith Singh, a Night Services Coordinator at the Priory Hospital in Roehampton, sued the Defendant Joseph Weayou, a Health Care Assistant at the same hospital, for libel and malicious falsehood in respect of an email Mr Weayou had sent on 24 August 2015 to the HR Manager and a seni
Defamation take-down requests to Google
This article explores how Google will often voluntarily remove content from its search engine results on a variety of other grounds, including that the content is defamatory
Data Breach : Compensation claims for mass data breaches
In January 2014, Andrew Skelton, an apparently disgruntled employee of Morrisons Supermarket posted a file containing the personal data of 99,998 Morrisons’ employees on a file-sharing website.
The misreporting of Max Mosley’s DPA claim against the press
It was reported last month in various newspapers that Max Mosley, the Former Formula One boss, has threatened to issue legal proceedings against The Daily Mail, The Times, The Sun and The Daily Mirror in respect of articles that he claims breach the Data Protection Act 1998 (“DPA”).
How to seek the delisting of search engine results following the first English decision on the “right to be forgotten”.
#MeToo, naming and shaming: a risky business?
“#MeToo”: Five letters that have been tweeted millions of times in the past month, and demonstrate the enormous power of social media and how it can bring about change for the good. The feeling of solidarity is a cathartic experience for many who have been the victim of sexual abuse, harassment or
The Court of Appeal considers the threshold for bringing a libel claim
Business as usual? The Court of Appeal considers the threshold for bringing a libel claim in Lachaux v Independent Print Ltd.
Finsbury Park Mosque wins libel damages against controversial World Check database
<i>First published on the Brett Wilson Media Law Blog on 3 February 2017</i><br/>The company that runs Finsbury Park Mosque this week obtained libel damages from Reuters Ltd, the international news agency which publishes the controversial ‘World Check’ database.<br/>Finsbury Park Mosque was led by Abu Hamza until 2003.…
Moroccan Prince wins libel and data protection appeal against Arabic news publisher
<i>First published on Brett Wilson Media Law Blog on 1 February 2017</i><br/>Prince Moulay Hicham Ben Abdallah Al Alouai of Morocco (‘the Prince’) has won an appeal against Elaph Publishing Limited (‘Elaph’) that now allows him to advance a claim under the Data Protection Act 1998 (‘DPA’) and also overturned a previous…
Serious Fraud Office agrees to defer prosecution of Rolls Royce plc
<i>First published on the Brett Wilson Crime, Fraud and Regulatory Law Blog on 30 January 2017</i><br/>Following a four year investigation into corruption and bribery, the Serious Fraud Office (‘SFO’) have entered into a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (‘DPA’) with Rolls Royce Plc, the global engineering giant. …
Harassment Warnings/Police Information Notices: Restraining Orders without due process?
<i>First published on the Brett Wilson Crime, Fraud and Regulatory Law Blog on 30 January 2017</i><br/>The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 (PHA) was introduced to target stalking. For the most part, Parliament had strangers in mind, whether physically following a victim and/or persistently giving them unwanted…
Can an entire CPS department be ‘professionally embarrassed’ and have to withdraw from a prosecution
<i>First published on the Brett Wilson Crime, Fraud and Regulatory Law Blog on 9 January 2017</i><br/>On 16 December 2016, a road rage prosecution against two defendants was dismissed after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) advocate withdrew on the day of trial, citing 'professional embarrassment'. Despite the…
Claimants obtain interim injunction preventing disclosure of extramarital affair
<i>First published on the Brett Wilson Media Law Blog on 2 January 2017</i><br/>In <a href="http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2016/2810.html">TRK & BVP v ICM [2016] EWHC 2810</a> Mr Justice Warby granted an interim without notice injunction preventing a spurned lover from disclosing private information obtained from the alleged hacking of his former lover's computer system.…
Is a police investigation a private matter?
<i>First published on the Brett Wilson Media Law Blog on 29 November 2016</i><br/>A recent decision by Nicol J in <a href="http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2016/2760.html">ERY v Associated Newspapers Ltd [2016] EWHC 2760 (QB)</a> has found that a suspect in a police investigation has a reasonable expectation of privacy which is likely to trump the press’s right to freedom…
Leveson 2 and Section 40 libel costs
<i>First published on the Brett Wilson Media Law Blog on 3 November 2016<br></i><br/>The Leveson Inquiry examined the practices of the British press. It was intended that Part 1 of the Inquiry would address ‘the culture, practices, and ethics of the press’ and Part 2 would address ‘the extent of unlawful or improper…