5RB - Leading barristers' chambers specialising in all areas of Media & Communications Law

Ben Gallop

Call: 2017

"Ben is a star before his time. He is one of the brightest people at the Bar. With any regulatory issue we would go straight to Ben even before a silk."


Chambers UK 2025

"Ben is an absolutely phenomenal junior and already has an incredibly successful career. From a media perspective he is the go-to junior."


Chambers UK 2025

"Ben is my go-to junior for defamation and privacy-related issues and provides invaluable experience beyond his years of call."


Chambers UK 2025

"Ben is tremendous on his feet in court and forensic in his approach. A true rising star."


Legal 500 2025

"He is absolutely fantastic and one of the best juniors at the libel and data Bar."


Chambers & Partners 2026

Ben Gallop specialises in all aspects of media, communications and information law, acting for both claimants and defendants. His clients have included national newspaper and magazine publishers, broadcasters, politicians and other high-profile individuals, NGOs, charities, and public authorities.

He has acted in a broad range of disputes and appeared, in the Court of Appeal and High Court, as well as in matters before the County Court and tribunals. Recent work includes acting for the defendants in high profile and long running trials brought by the actor Noel Clarke against the publisher of the Guardian (Clarke v GNM [2025] EWHC 2193 (KB)) and by Baroness Lawrence and others against Associated Newspapers.

Ben is a co-author of the 6th edition of Duncan & Neill on Defamation and Other Media and Communications Claims, and has contributed to a number of leading texts including The Law of Privacy and the Media, and Arlidge, Eady and Smith on Contempt of Court.

Expertise

Ben is an experienced defamation junior, having appeared led and unled in a number of high-profile cases. Recent work includes acting for the Guardian in defence of libel proceedings brought by the actor and director Noel Clarke (Clarke v GNM [2025] EWHC 2193 (KB), and for the BBC in ongoing litigation brought by the founders of “One Taste” (Daedone & Ors v BBC).

Notable Cases

Vince v Staines [2025] EWHC 412 (KB)

In which Ben appeared unled at the trial of preliminary issue for the publisher of Guido Fawkes.

El-Saeiti v Islamic Centre Manchester [2025] EWHC 266 (KB)

In which Ben appeared for the defendant unled.

Sussex v Associated Newspapers Ltd [2023] EWHC 3120 (KB)

In which Ben acted (led by Andrew Caldecott KC) in the successful defence of libel proceedings brought by the Duke of Sussex against the Mail on Sunday.

Dyson v MGN Ltd [2023] EWHC 3092 (KB)

In which Ben appeared (led by Adrienne Page KC) for the successful defendant, the publisher of the Mirror, at trial and throughout.

Ben has an established practice as a privacy junior in cases involving the media and elsewhere.

Notable Cases

Acting for Associated Newspapers Limited in the defence of claims alleging historic unlawful information gathering.

Daedone & Ors

Acting for the BBC in defence of the privacy claim.

ZXC v Bloomberg

Acting with Andrew Caldecott KC, for the Media Lawyers Association in its application to intervene before the Supreme Court.

Ben has experience of the full spectrum of data protection and related information law disputes, in addition to his core practice involving cases against the media and is often called to provide advice in non-contentious matters.

Ben has also been instructed in a number of cybersecurity cases where injunctive relief is sought or considered following ransomware or related incidents.

Notable Cases

Pacini & Geyer v Dow Jones Inc

Acting for the publishers of the Wall Street Journal in significant right to be forgotten litigation.

Acting for a newspaper publisher in defence of data protection proceedings.

Ben has acted in a broad spectrum of injunction proceedings, for both claimants and defendants, in cases where urgent relief is sought.

Notable Cases

University Colleges Union v Persons Unknown [2025] EWHC 192 (KB)

Acting for the claimant in ransomware proceedings.

Ben provides pre-publication advice in complex or challenging matters where litigation may follow and is regularly instructed by broadcasters and newspaper and book publishers.

Ben is (with John Stables) the author of the media regulation chapter – the only one of its kind – in The Law of Privacy and Experience and brings a wealth of experience in media regulatory matters having previously been Head of Complaints at the Independent Press Standards Organisation.

Ben regularly appears in contentious reporting restrictions matters, on behalf of applicants for restrictions and those (most often the media) resisting. Recent work includes appearing at the Old Bailey on behalf of a number of news publishers.

Notable Cases

R v Roussev

Appearing at the Old Bailey on behalf of a number of news publishers

Queensgate Investments v Millet [2021] ICR 637

Acting for the Media Lawyers Association in the leading case on privacy for interim relief applications in the Employment Tribunal.

R v Whatley

A successful application to discharge a s.(4)(2) postponement order.

Acting for a number of media organisations in a successful application for letters of reference written by an MP to the Crown Court Judge who sentenced her son for drugs offences.

[2019] EWHC 3202 (Fam)

Acting for the local authority in proceedings concerning British orphans in Syria.

"Ben is a star before his time. He is one of the brightest people at the Bar. With any regulatory issue we would go straight to Ben even before a silk."


Chambers UK 2025

"Ben is an absolutely phenomenal junior and already has an incredibly successful career. From a media perspective he is the go-to junior."


Chambers UK 2025

"Ben is my go-to junior for defamation and privacy-related issues and provides invaluable experience beyond his years of call."


Chambers UK 2025

"Ben is tremendous on his feet in court and forensic in his approach. A true rising star."


Legal 500 2025

"He is absolutely fantastic and one of the best juniors at the libel and data Bar."


Chambers & Partners 2026

For more information

For more information or to instruct Ben please get in touch with our clerking team, who can deal with your enquiry and provide any required information:

  clerks@5rb.com
  +44 (0)20 7242 2902
  Privacy Policy

Additional Information

  • BPTC (Outstanding), City University
  • MA Law, Pembroke College, University of Cambridge
  • LLM (Distinction), University College London

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