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Richard Munden
Profile
Recommended as a junior in defamation and privacy by Chambers & Partners and Legal 500, Richard also specialises in malicious falsehood, breach of confidence, contempt and reporting restrictions, intellectual property (particularly copyright), data protection, and media and entertainment related contractual disputes.
Matters in which Richard has recently been instructed include:
- a wide variety of defamation matters, including acting for successful libel claimants including boxing promoter Frank Warren and businessman Mark Emlick, and for various successful libel defendants including individuals, commercial companies and newspapers;
- making and resisting applications for injunctions for misuse of private information and harassment, including a successful claim against Facebook;
- advising and acting for defendants in a number of claims under the Data Protection Act;
- resisting the disclosure of social work and counselling records in criminal proceedings;
- advising and acting on various copyright matters relating to the music, television and publishing industries, including a claims by a well-known entertainer against a national broadcaster and by a film production company against a website for unauthorised use of their footage;
- a passing off and trade marks dispute following the dissolution of a franchise agreement; and
- contractual claims involving music management contracts, publishing disputes and a claim relating to a series of popular music documentary films.
Significant cases in which Richard has been involved include Mond v Mason (a successful claim for libel, malicious falsehood and causing loss by unlawful means by a group of accountancy firms involving numerous interlocutory applications); SD Marine v Powell (libel claim over website postings, raising issues as to the offer of amends procedure); Barrett v Universal-Island Records (contract and copyright claims brought by Aston "Family Man" Barrett, the legendary bass player from Bob Marley & The Wailers) and Moyes v Rooney (acting for Wayne Rooney and HarperCollins Publishers in respect of the libel claim brought against them by Everton manager David Moyes).
Richard regularly advises national tabloid and broadsheet newspapers (including the Daily Mail and the Guardian), specialist publications and book publishers. High-profile books on which Richard has advised include Royal butler Paul Burrell's memoirs, a biography of jockey Kieren Fallon, an investigation into US 'private army' Blackwater and titles by or about celebrities from Jade Goody to David Cameron. He has also advised broadcasters and has spent periods working in-house at both the BBC and Channel 4.
Richard undertakes appropriate work on a pro bono basis. He recently advised the UK arm of a multinational anti-cluster bomb campaign on this basis, and is currently acting pro bono for a couple being sued for libel by an accountant. He is also qualified to accept instructions directly from individuals and companies without a solicitor through the Bar's Public Access scheme.
Career
Called
2003 Called to the Bar
Education
Truro College
University of Warwick, LLB (First Class)
St Peter's College, Oxford, BCL
Areas of work
- Defamation
- Privacy and Confidence
- Sports Law
- Intellectual Property
- Data Protection
- Reporting the Courts
- Pre-publication Advice
- Public Access
- Contempt
- Copyright
- Entertainment Law
- General Common Law
- Malicious Falsehood
- Media Law
- Music Law
- Passing off
- Professional Negligence
- Publishing
Verbatim
"a lawyer who exudes confidence and maturity" ... Solicitors report that he is "a pleasure to work with due to his enthusiasm and drive."
- Chambers & Partners
"An extremely enthusiastic, bright and able new star, Richard has helped us on various matters of different disciplines which he has dealt with with ease as he is happy to lead and also
- Julian Diaz-Rainey, Partner, Halliwells LLP
"Excellent. Approachable and thorough in dealing with what was a very sensitive matter."
- Saadia Khan, Bindmans LLP
"An excellent grasp of the law and procedure and turns papers around quickly. He is destined for great things."
- Leszek Werenowski, Principal, Werenowski & Co
Testimonials
Leading junior - Defamation and privacy - Legal 500 (2009)
'Up and Coming' - Defamation and privacy - Chambers UK (2010)
Scholarships etc
Pegasus Scholar 2007 (3 months working in Sydney at Mallesons Stephen Jaques, the New South Wales Supreme Court and Fairfax Media)
Levitt Scholar, Lord Denning Scholar, and Hardwicke Scholar of Lincoln's Inn
Borrie & Lowe: The Law of Contempt (4th edition, forthcoming, 2010)
Law Brief Update, Media & Entertainment Law editor (monthly)
Memberships
Bar Pro Bono Unit
Human Rights Lawyers Association
Cases
Defamation
North London Central Mosque Trust v Policy Exchange & Anor
[2009] EWHC 3311 (QB) 26/11/2009
Noorani v Calver (No 2 Costs)
[2009] EWHC 592 (QB) 25/03/2009
Noorani v Calver (No 1)
[2009] EWHC 561 (QB) 17/03/2009
Hughes v Alan Dick & Co Ltd
[2008] EWHC 2695 (QB) 23/10/2008
Mond & Ors v Mason & Ors
[2008] EWHC 1649 (QB) 24/06/2008
SD Marine Ltd v Powell
[2006] EWHC 3095 (QB) 06/12/2006
Hussein v William Hill
[2006] EWHC 25 (QB) 20/01/2006
Intellectual Property
Barrett v Universal-Island Records & Others
[2006] EWHC 1009 (Ch); [2006] EMLR 567 15/05/2006
Reporting the Courts
R v Swansea Crown Court, ex parte BBC
T20077088 22/01/2008
Copyright
Barrett v Universal-Island Records & Others
[2006] EWHC 1009 (Ch); [2006] EMLR 567 15/05/2006
Entertainment Law
Barrett v Universal-Island Records & Others
[2006] EWHC 1009 (Ch); [2006] EMLR 567 15/05/2006
General Common Law
Mond & Ors v Mason & Ors
[2008] EWHC 1649 (QB) 24/06/2008
Barrett v Universal-Island Records & Others
[2006] EWHC 1009 (Ch); [2006] EMLR 567 15/05/2006
Injunctive Relief
Mond & Ors v Mason & Ors
[2008] EWHC 1649 (QB) 24/06/2008
Malicious Falsehood
Mond & Ors v Mason & Ors
[2008] EWHC 1649 (QB) 24/06/2008
Media Law
North London Central Mosque Trust v Policy Exchange & Anor
[2009] EWHC 3311 (QB) 26/11/2009
Noorani v Calver (No 2 Costs)
[2009] EWHC 592 (QB) 25/03/2009
Noorani v Calver (No 1)
[2009] EWHC 561 (QB) 17/03/2009
Hughes v Alan Dick & Co Ltd
[2008] EWHC 2695 (QB) 23/10/2008
Mond & Ors v Mason & Ors
[2008] EWHC 1649 (QB) 24/06/2008
R v Swansea Crown Court, ex parte BBC
T20077088 22/01/2008
SD Marine Ltd v Powell
[2006] EWHC 3095 (QB) 06/12/2006
Hussein v William Hill
[2006] EWHC 25 (QB) 20/01/2006
News
21 Apr 2010
Mosque Trust granted permission to appeal
Permission granted to charity to appeal strike out ruling on capacity in libel claim over Policy Exchange 'extremist literature' report
24 Sep 2009
5RB's juniors: the Legal 500 verdict
What the legal directory had to say about 5RB's junior barristers
27 Jul 2009
Frank Warren wins libel damages
Boxing promoter awarded £35,000 over allegations made by boxer Herbie Hide
23 Mar 2009
Liverpool libel trial collapses
Indemnity costs after claimant discontinues claim over malicious telephone calls
24 Nov 2008
Accountant wins ‘IVA Council’ claim
Insolvency practitioner obtains apology and damages over mis-selling allegations
31 Jul 2008
George Galloway wins libel damages
Respect Party MP awarded £15,000 for radio station's anti-Semitic slur
6 Jun 2008
Job seeker wins Express apology
Mother-of-five accepts libel damages, apology over 'scrounger' slur
3 Jun 2008
Rooney book libel case settles
Everton manager accepts apology and damages over 'leak' allegations
16 Mar 2006
Wailers royalties battle begins
Bob Marley's bass guitarist brings claim against Island Records