Adam Speker

Picture of Adam Speker

Profile

Adam practices in the areas of defamation, confidence and privacy, other media related work and general common law.  He acts for both claimants and defendants.

 He has considerable experience in heavyweight trial litigation having acted for Claimants in Lillie & Reed v Newcastle City Council and Morgan & Doyle v Chief Constable of Northumbria (which settled on the second day of trial) and for Defendants in Miller v Associated Newspapers and Charman v Orion Publishing Group (at first instance and on appeal).

He has a particular interest in cases involving issues of liability online and is regularly instructed to advise on such issues. Cases include Al Amoudi v Brisard [2007] 1 WLR 113 and Kaupthing Bank HF v JP/Politkens Hus.

 Significant cases in 2009 and 2010 include:

  • acting for Associated Newspapers in an action brought by Shahrokh Mireskandari which has included appearing at numerous hearings;
  • appearing for Associated Newspapers on meaning applications in separate claims brought by Andrew Miller and Gordon Taylor;
  • acting for Dr Mohamed Asha who obtained a settlement which included payment of £115,000 damages against The Sun following an offer of amends;
  • defending a district council sued for libel over a comment made online in respect of a planning application in a claim that settled shortly before trial;
  • appearing as sole counsel at trial before Sharp J obtaining £30,000 damages for libel and harassment;
  • opposing a costs capping application made by The Mirror in an action brought by Matthew Peacock that later settled with payment of damages and costs;
  • acting for defendants on an application to determine whether it is necessary to establish reference in a malicious falsehood claim;
  • obtaining indemnity costs for a solicitor sued for libel by a will writer who alleged malice and discontinued his claim just before trial;
  • appearing for a children's guardian on an application for a reporting restriction order;
  • opposing an application to stop cricket being played on a village green.

Career

Called

1999 Called to the Bar

Education

Bristol University (BA History (Hons): First Class)
Common Professional Examination at College of Law, London
Inns of Court School of Law (Bar Finals: Very competent)

Areas of work

  • Defamation
  • Privacy and Confidence
  • Sports Law
  • Data Protection
  • Reporting the Courts
  • Pre-publication Advice
  • Public Access
  • Contempt
  • Harassment
  • Human Rights
  • Injunctive Relief
  • Malicious Falsehood
  • Media Law


Verbatim

 

 

 a "cool, calm favourite" 

[Legal 500 2006]

 

 

"Shows incredibly mature insight, well beyond his years of call" 

[Chambers and Partners 2009]


Testimonials

Recommended in the leading directories for the past few years as a specialist defamation and privacy junior. In the 2006 edition of Legal 500 he was described as a "cool, calm favourite" and in the 2005 edition as 'a careful thinker on legal issues' who is praised for his 'excellent attention to detail'.

In Chambers and Partners he is described in the 2010 edition as "wise beyond his years, and will undoubtedly go a long way." It went on, "He is noted for really going the extra mile and for being "good at turning round complicated matters and giving clear, practical advice." In 2009 he was described as showing 'incredibly mature insight, well beyond his years of call'. In previous editions he has been described as "a future star", "an incredibly decent guy", "extraordinarily bright and academically minded";  "conscientious, committed and proactive" and several years ago (!!) as "young but has exactly what it takes". 

Jointly short-listed (with Adrienne Page QC and Richard Osborne, then of SJ Cornish) for Liberty/Justice Human Rights Lawyer of the Year 2003 for his role as junior Counsel to the Claimants in the 79 day trial Lillie & Reed v Newcastle City Council [2002] EWHC 1600 where Eady J said, "Had it not been for the introduction of [conditional] fee arrangements a few years ago, and the courage and dogged determination of their various legal advisers.... a significant injustice would.. have gone unnoticed."

1998: Harmsworth Scholar of the Middle Temple

1998: Winner of The Times and 1 Essex Court law awards on 'Press and Privacy' published in The Times on 17/3/98

1997: Benefactors' Scholar of Middle Temple

Memberships

British Association for Sport and Law
Justice


Publications

(26 Jan 2006)

(6 Dec 2008)

Cases

Defamation

Miller v Associated Newspapers Limited

[2010] EWHC 700 31/03/2010

Bloom v Robinson-Millar

7 October 2009 07/10/2009

Marathon Mutual Ltd & Anor v Waters & Anor

[2009] EWHC 1931 (QB), [2009] All ER (D) 06 (Aug) 31/07/2009

Peacock v MGN Ltd

[2009] EWHC 769 (QB) 08/04/2009

Wakefield v Ford & Anor

[2009] EWHC 122 (QB) 29/01/2009

Tycon Energy Corp v The Motley Fool Limited

Unreported, 9 December 2008 09/12/2008

Mireskandari v Associated Newspapers Ltd

19 November 2008 19/11/2008

Apsion v The Bar Standards Board

D2006/098&099 10/10/2008

Charman v Orion Publishing Group & others (No.3) (CA)

[2007] EWCA Civ 972; [2008] 1 AllER 750 11/10/2007

Charman v Orion Publishing Group & others (No.3)

[2006] EWHC 1756 (QB); [2007] 1 All ER 622 13/07/2006

Tufano v Vincenti

[2006] EWHC 1496 (QB) 23/06/2006

Mahfouz and another v Brisard & another

[2006] EWHC 1191 (QB) 25/05/2006

Loughton Contracts Plc v Dun & Bradstreet Ltd

[2006] EWHC 1224 (QB) 25/05/2006

Al Amoudi v Brisard & Another

[2006] EWHC 1062 (QB); [2007] 1 WLR 113; [2006] 3 All ER 294 16/05/2006

Mahfouz and another v Brisard and another

[2005] All ER (D) 174 (Sep) 30/09/2005

Georgallides v Etzin

12 July 2005 12/07/2005

Miller v Associated Newspapers Ltd (No.4)

[2005] EWHC 773 (QB) 22/04/2005

Miller v Associated Newspapers Ltd (No.3)

[2005] EWHC 557 (QB) 08/04/2005

Matadeen v Associated Newspapers Ltd

17 March 2005 17/03/2005

Miller v Associated Newspapers Ltd (No.2)

[2005] EWHC 21 (QB) 18/01/2005

Blake v Associated Newspapers Limited

[2003] EWHC 1960 (QB) 31/07/2003

Stallwood & Stallwood v Smith

1 July 2003 01/07/2003

Sharma v Jay & Others

15 April 2003 15/04/2003

Data Protection

Tycon Energy Corp v The Motley Fool Limited

Unreported, 9 December 2008 09/12/2008

General Common Law

Wakefield v Ford & Anor

[2009] EWHC 122 (QB) 29/01/2009

Tycon Energy Corp v The Motley Fool Limited

Unreported, 9 December 2008 09/12/2008

Georgallides v Etzin

12 July 2005 12/07/2005

Sharma v Jay & Others

15 April 2003 15/04/2003

Harassment

Bloom v Robinson-Millar

7 October 2009 07/10/2009

Georgallides v Etzin

12 July 2005 12/07/2005

Sharma v Jay & Others

15 April 2003 15/04/2003

Human Rights

Tycon Energy Corp v The Motley Fool Limited

Unreported, 9 December 2008 09/12/2008

Apsion v The Bar Standards Board

D2006/098&099 10/10/2008

Charman v Orion Publishing Group & others (No.3) (CA)

[2007] EWCA Civ 972; [2008] 1 AllER 750 11/10/2007

Charman v Orion Publishing Group & others (No.3)

[2006] EWHC 1756 (QB); [2007] 1 All ER 622 13/07/2006

Georgallides v Etzin

12 July 2005 12/07/2005

Blake v Associated Newspapers Limited

[2003] EWHC 1960 (QB) 31/07/2003

Injunctive Relief

Bloom v Robinson-Millar

7 October 2009 07/10/2009

Georgallides v Etzin

12 July 2005 12/07/2005

Malicious Falsehood

Marathon Mutual Ltd & Anor v Waters & Anor

[2009] EWHC 1931 (QB), [2009] All ER (D) 06 (Aug) 31/07/2009

Media Law

Miller v Associated Newspapers Limited

[2010] EWHC 700 31/03/2010

Peacock v MGN Ltd

[2009] EWHC 769 (QB) 08/04/2009

Wakefield v Ford & Anor

[2009] EWHC 122 (QB) 29/01/2009

Tycon Energy Corp v The Motley Fool Limited

Unreported, 9 December 2008 09/12/2008

Mireskandari v Associated Newspapers Ltd

19 November 2008 19/11/2008

Charman v Orion Publishing Group & others (No.3) (CA)

[2007] EWCA Civ 972; [2008] 1 AllER 750 11/10/2007

Charman v Orion Publishing Group & others (No.3)

[2006] EWHC 1756 (QB); [2007] 1 All ER 622 13/07/2006

Mahfouz and another v Brisard & another

[2006] EWHC 1191 (QB) 25/05/2006

Loughton Contracts Plc v Dun & Bradstreet Ltd

[2006] EWHC 1224 (QB) 25/05/2006

Al Amoudi v Brisard & Another

[2006] EWHC 1062 (QB); [2007] 1 WLR 113; [2006] 3 All ER 294 16/05/2006

Mahfouz and another v Brisard and another

[2005] All ER (D) 174 (Sep) 30/09/2005

Miller v Associated Newspapers Ltd (No.4)

[2005] EWHC 773 (QB) 22/04/2005

Miller v Associated Newspapers Ltd (No.3)

[2005] EWHC 557 (QB) 08/04/2005

Miller v Associated Newspapers Ltd (No.2)

[2005] EWHC 21 (QB) 18/01/2005

Blake v Associated Newspapers Limited

[2003] EWHC 1960 (QB) 31/07/2003

Publishing

Charman v Orion Publishing Group & others (No.3)

[2006] EWHC 1756 (QB); [2007] 1 All ER 622 13/07/2006

Articles

Privilege, and this time we mean it

By Adam Speker. 24 Apr 2007

News

27 Apr 2010

Doctor accepts substantial libel damages

Newspaper apologises for untrue front page terrorism allegations

12 Jan 2010

Peaches accepts libel damages

Daily Star apologises to Peaches Geldof for 'prostitute' claim

17 Nov 2009

Peacock settles libel action

MGN pays damages over Celebs on Sunday article

9 Nov 2009

Ronaldo accepts libel damages

Mirror Group admits footballer was not 'on the lash' in LA and settles claim

7 Oct 2009

Accountant wins £30,000 damages for libel and harassment

Neighbour's conduct was obsessive and irrational

24 Sep 2009

5RB's juniors: the Legal 500 verdict

What the legal directory had to say about 5RB's junior barristers

30 Jul 2009

Jacob Zuma wins libel damages

Guardian makes unqualified offer of amends to President of South Africa

15 May 2009

Injunction application hit for six

Judge allows cricket to continue on village green

24 Nov 2008

Accountant wins ‘IVA Council’ claim

Insolvency practitioner obtains apology and damages over mis-selling allegations

21 Nov 2008

New edition of Gatley out soon

11th edition of leading practitioner's text on libel and slander on sale in December

20 Jun 2008

Ronaldo wins 'text message' damages

Manchester United star accepts apology and libel damages over Sun story

4 Apr 2008

Largest damages yet for internet libel

Social housing firm and CEO receive total of £119,000

19 Mar 2008

Adelson accepts apology, damages

Associated Newspapers apologises to US entrepreneur and settles libel claim

13 Feb 2008

Danish newspaper apologises to bank

Anglo-Icelandic bank accepts libel damages for internet publications

22 Jan 2008

New York to fight 'libel tourism'

Proposed legislation to prevent enforcement of foreign libel judgments

27 Nov 2007

Gatley Supplement now on sale

Leading defamation practitioners' text now fully updated

8 Nov 2007

5RB tops Chambers & Partners review

20 Barristers rated and recommended in the new annual survey

11 Oct 2007

Author succeeds on Reynolds Appeal

Court of Appeal vindicates journalist and dismisses libel claim brought by former Flying Squad officer

20 Sep 2007

5RB tops Legal 500

20 Barristers rated and recommended in Defamation, Privacy, Intellectual Property, Sport and Media & Entertainment Law

28 Jun 2007

Damages for trio cleared of murder

Chief Constable accepts innocence in malicious prosecution settlement

24 Oct 2006

5RB tops Chambers & Partners review

Nineteen barristers recommended in Annual Survey

27 Sep 2006

5RB tops Legal 500 survey

Twenty barristers recommended across core practice areas

24 Nov 2005

New media law titles available

New edition of Arlidge, Eady & Smith on Contempt; new Supplements to Gatley and The Law of Privacy & The Media

24 Oct 2005

Chambers' Review: 5RB top again

20 barristers recommended for Media, Entertainment, Defamation, Privacy, Intellectual Property & Sports Law

21 Sep 2005

5RB tops annual Legal 500 Review

17 barristers named as leaders in their field

15 Sep 2005

London hosts MLRC Conference

5RB's Desmond Browne QC to participate in worldwide media law event

22 Apr 2005

Indemnity costs in police libel case

Claimant faces enormous costs bill following failure to accept payment in

8 Apr 2005

Court dismisses police claim for libel

Police failures led to the wrongful arrest of the Hamiltons

17 Mar 2005

First defamation costs capping order

Queen's Bench Master grants cost-capping Order against CFA funded Claimant

24 Feb 2005

Hamilton 'rape' claims in new trial

Libel trial over police investigation of false allegations

5 Nov 2004

5RB top in Chambers & Partners Review

Seventeen 5RB members ranked

21 Oct 2004

Global acclaim for Gatley

10th edition is 'the definitive work'

13 Jul 2004

Law Commission Report on Local Authority Inquiries

Lillie & Reed case prompts defamation law reform proposals


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