5RB : Barristers : Richard Munden

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Richard Munden

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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 'muck in'."
- 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

Research Associate, Oxford Intellectual Property Research Centre, 2001 - 2002

Oxford Law Society Mooting Champion 2002

Publications

The Law of Privacy and the Media (Second Supplement, 2006)
Borrie & Lowe: The Law of Contempt (4th edition, forthcoming, 2010)
Law Brief Update, Media & Entertainment Law editor (monthly)