Adrienne Page KC
Call: 1974 Silk: 1999
Call: 1974 Silk: 1999
Acting for and advising both claimants and defendants, Adrienne Page KC has been instructed in many high-profile cases in her field, including the only two cases in which the Supreme Court has considered provisions of the Defamation Act 2013 (see below Serafin and Lachaux).
Adrienne has been listed by Chambers UK Bar Guide since 2020 as a “Star Individual” in Defamation and Privacy, and, in The Legal 500, she is listed as a ‘Leading Silk’ in the field.
Adrienne has acted for claimants or for defendants, including media defendants, in countless defamation claims, at first instance, in the Court of Appeal and in the Supreme Court. She was leading counsel in the only two cases in which the Supreme Court has considered provisions of the Defamation Act 2013.
For the Respondents to Laurence Fox’s appeal to the Court of Appeal against the dismissal at trial of his libel counterclaims and the judgment against him for the two Claimants, another important judgment on the serious harm requirement under s.1 of the Defamation Act 2013 (leading Godwin Busuttil of 5RB).
For the successful Claimants at the 8-day trial of their defamation claims against the publishers of the Mail on Sunday in which judgment was handed down in June 2024 dismissing the newspaper’s section 4 public interest defence(leading Godwin Busuttil of 5RB). In the light of the wide range of issues that fell to be determined, Nicklin J described these proceedings in his earlier judgment following the CMC as “the most significant piece of defamation litigation that [he has] seen in a very long time”.
Acting for the successful Claimant (leading Tom Blackburn SC of 5RB) at the trial of the publisher’s defence under section 15 of the Defamation Act 1996, which was dismissed by Steyn J in her judgment handed down in August 2024.
For the Claimant in a meaning determination in a claim against Telegraph Media Group Limited(leading Jacob Dean of 5RB).
Acting for the Mirror newspaper (leading Ben Gallop and Samuel Rowe of 5RB) in its successful defence at trial in November 2023 of the libel claim brought by Sir James Dyson, complaining of a Mirror columnist’s opinion on the move of Dyson’s head office to Singapore following his support of the Brexit campaign.
For the Claimant in the long-awaited trial of his claims against the two newspapers for articles published in 2014, which took place before Nicklin J in February/March 2021 (leading Godwin Busuttil of 5RB). The defences of the newspapers under section 4 of the Defamation Act 2013 were defeated and the Claimant was awarded a total of £120,000 damages. On its way to trial, the case went to the Court of Appeal (on two separate issues) and to the Supreme Court on the proper approach to section 1 of the 2013 Act (with Godwin Busuttil of 5RB as junior counsel).
Acting for the Respondent (Claimant) to an appeal to the Supreme Court, successfully resisting the Appellants’ appeal against the Court of Appeal’s finding that Jan Serafin had been subject to unfair judicial treatment at his libel trial, where Serafin had been unrepresented and the Defendants had been represented by leading counsel. This was the first consideration by the Supreme Court of the defence of publication on matter of public interest under s.4 of the Defamation Act 2013.
Acting for the Respondent (Claimant) to an appeal to the Supreme Court, successfully resisting the Appellant newspapers’ appeal from the Court of Appeal decision upholding the finding at trial of Warby J that the Claimant had proved serious harm to his reputation pursuant to s.1 of the Defamation Act 2013. This was the first consideration by the Supreme Court of the serious harm requirement under s.1.
For the Claimants in their successful appeal to the Court of Appeal against the Defendants’ jurisdiction challenge under the Brussels Recast Regulation to their libel and malicious falsehood claim commenced in England and Wales.
For the Claimant, at trial and, following the award of damages for libel of £110,000, in successfully resisting the Defendant/Appellant’s attempt to appeal the decision of Warby J.
Acting for the newspaper defendant in striking out the claim of Sir Stelios for libel on the ground that the words published were non-defamatory opinion and therefore not actionable, with Ben Gallop of 5RB.
Acting for the newspaper defendant in striking out the claim of Ms Burleigh on the ground that the words published were not defamatory of her and therefore not actionable.
Acting for the Claimant at its trial to determine meaning.
Acting for the Claimant at his trial to determine meaning, which led to a settlement involving an apology to Lord Sheikh and payment of substantial damages.
Acting for the Claimant whose libel and misuse of private information against The Sunday Times was the subject of settlement in 2019 whereby Times Newspapers apologised to Dr Poulter in open court and paid him substantial damages following a trial to determine defamatory meaning.
Adrienne regularly advises and represents parties in privacy and breach of confidence claims. The aim is almost invariably to avoid a case getting into court and so they rarely feature as reported cases.
Acting for the Claimant at the trial of his claim for misuse of private information and deceit.
Acting pro bono for English PEN, Article 19 and Index on Censorship as freedom of expression Interveners in the Supreme Court, which ruled upon the proper scope of the tort in Wilkinson v Downton.
Adrienne regularly advises on and represents parties in harassment claims. In July 2026, she was instructed to seek an injunction to restrain harassment of employees by a former employee of a large corporation.
Adrienne has given pre-publication advice in all sorts of situations, ranging through television documentaries, dramatisations of true stories, newspaper reports and private organisations seeking to communicate sensitive or controversial information so as to minimise the risk of a claim.
Acting for Channel 4 in the Traveller Movement’s judicial review of Ofcom’s rejection of a standards complaint in respect of the broadcaster’s series Big Fat Gypsy Weddings and Thelma’s Gypsy Girls.
For more information
For more information or to instruct Adrienne please get in touch with our clerking team, who can deal with your enquiry and provide any required information: