Victoria Jolliffe

Picture of Victoria Jolliffe

Profile

Victoria acts for both claimants and defendants in defamation, malicious falsehood, harassment, privacy and other media related actions as well as general common law matters. She is recommended as a defamation junior in both Chambers & Partners and Legal 500. Victoria is public access accredited and can be instructed directly by members of the public and companies in suitable cases.

Victoria was instructed as junior counsel for the claimant in his successful appeal in Mardas v International Herald Tribune; Mardas v New York Times. She acted as sole counsel for the defendant in Buckley v Dalziel, the first case to establish that absolute privilege applies to police witness statements; and as sole counsel for the successful defendant in the abuse of process case Williams v MGN Ltd . In 2010 she successfully obtained compensation and an apology for a claimant in respect of a publication in a professional journal. 

Current cases of interest include:

  • Acting as junior counsel for the defendant in Lait v Evening Standard Ltd, a libel claim brought by a former Conservative MP;
  • Acting for a local authority in respect of libel proceedings arising from an employment issue;
  • Acting for the claimant in an online publication libel claim.

Victoria regularly provides pre-publication advice to newspapers, publishers, magazines and television companies and has recently advised media clients on election law issues.

She has advised on and obtained injunctions in  privacy actions and under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, and can also advise on related issues under the Data Protection Act 1998.

In addition to media law, Victoria advises and acts for the British Horseracing Authority in disciplinary matters. She also has experience of advising on FOIA requests and appeals to the Information Tribunal.  

Prior to coming to the Bar, Victoria worked in the television industry and as a freelance journalist. She completed pupillage at 5RB where her pupil supervisors were Jonathan Barnes, William Bennett, David Sherborne and Stephen Bate. In 2007 she spent 6 months on secondment to Channel 4 where she gained extensive experience in providing compliance advice and in 2008 she spent 3 months at OFCOM assisting in its premium rate phonelines investigation.

 

Career

Called

2005 Called to the Bar

Education

University of Leeds, Bachelor of Broadcasting (First Class)
Nottingham Law School, GDL (Distinction)
BBP Law School BVC (Very Competent)

Areas of work

  • Defamation
  • Privacy and Confidence
  • Sports Law
  • Intellectual Property
  • Reporting the Courts
  • Pre-publication Advice
  • Public Access
  • Contempt
  • Entertainment Law
  • General Common Law
  • Human Rights
  • Malicious Falsehood
  • Media Law
  • Publishing


Verbatim

Ranked in Chambers & Partners (Defamation and Privacy) as "up and coming" in 2009 and as a leading junior (Band 4) in 2010.

Leading junior - Defamation and privacy - Legal 500 (2009)

Sir Thomas More Bursary - Lincoln's Inn


Memberships

British Association for Sport and the Law

Cases

Defamation

Lait v Evening Standard Ltd

[2010] EWHC 642 (QB) 25/03/2010

Williams v MGN Ltd

[2009] EWHC 3150 (QB) 02/12/2009

Kahangi & Ors v Nourizadeh

[2009] EWHC 2451 (QB) 09/10/2009

Mardas v New York Times; Mardas v International Herald Tribune

[2008] EWHC 3135 (QB); [2009] EMLR 8 17/12/2008

Malik v Newspost Ltd & Ors

[2007] EWHC 3063 (QB) 19/12/2007

Buckley v Dalziel

[2007] EWHC 1025 (QB); [2007] 1 WLR 2933; [2007] EMLR 624; The Times, 7 June 2007 03/05/2007

Media Law

Lait v Evening Standard Ltd

[2010] EWHC 642 (QB) 25/03/2010

Williams v MGN Ltd

[2009] EWHC 3150 (QB) 02/12/2009

Mardas v New York Times; Mardas v International Herald Tribune

[2008] EWHC 3135 (QB); [2009] EMLR 8 17/12/2008

Malik v Newspost Ltd & Ors

[2007] EWHC 3063 (QB) 19/12/2007

Buckley v Dalziel

[2007] EWHC 1025 (QB); [2007] 1 WLR 2933; [2007] EMLR 624; The Times, 7 June 2007 03/05/2007

Publishing

Mardas v New York Times; Mardas v International Herald Tribune

[2008] EWHC 3135 (QB); [2009] EMLR 8 17/12/2008

News

25 Mar 2010

Expenses MP in libel setback

Aggravated damages principles clarified as Eady J strikes out meanings

3 Dec 2009

Convicted murderer's libel action fails

Claim struck out as an abuse of process

24 Sep 2009

5RB's juniors: the Legal 500 verdict

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

21 Jul 2009

Horseracing inquiry ends with admissions

“Krypton Four” penalised for inside information breaches

19 Dec 2008

'Magic Alex' libel claims reinstated

Jameel abuse of process appeal succeeds

1 Dec 2008

Fallon and BHA settle their differences

“Frank admissions” and assurances leave Jockey clear to ride next September

26 Jun 2008

Ofcom imposes record radio fine

Secret Sound competition costs GCAP £1.11million

8 May 2008

ITV pays £5.6 million price for phone in scandal

Ofcom announces record fine

4 May 2007

Hedge dispute clarifies privilege

Complainants' police witness statements are protected by absolute privilege


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