Chris Zabilowicz

Chris is a barrister and U.S. attorney admitted to practise law in England & Wales, New York and California. He joined 5RB as a tenant in October 2025 upon the successful completion of his pupillage. He specialises in defamation, privacy, data protection, breach of confidence, blackmail, malicious falsehood, harassment, reporting restrictions and contempt of court. He accepts instructions in both English and U.S. matters.

Chris acts for both claimants and defendants. Since joining 5RB, he has appeared both led and unled in the English High Court and County Court and unled in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Amongst other clients, Chris has advised and/or represented the likes of Heads of State, Heads of Government, UK Government departments, world politicians, non-governmental organisations, multinational corporations, national newspaper publishers, social media platforms, celebrities and high-net-worth individuals.

Recent public work includes:

• Acted as sole counsel for the successful applicant, Graham Norton, in proceedings before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against Meta Platforms, Inc., obtaining discovery orders under 28 U.S. Code §1782 to identify the individual behind a campaign of harassment targeting Mr Norton through a Facebook page. This was covered by The Irish Times, The Independent and the London Evening Standard.
• Acted as sole counsel for the claimant in Ameyaw v Anthony at a trial of preliminary issues concerning meaning, whether the words complained of were defamatory at common law, and whether they were statements of fact or opinion.
• Acted as sole counsel for the successful claimant in Davies v Weston, a claim concerning prolonged online impersonation and catfishing which attracted significant national media coverage and concluded with a settlement and Statement in Open Court (as sole counsel). This was covered by the BBC, The Daily Mail, The Times and ITV’s This Morning.
• Acted as sole counsel for the second defendant in a four-day contempt trial in Garrett v Schestowitz & Anor, arising from alleged breaches of an injunction imposed following a defamation trial.
• Acted (led by Adam Speker KC) for the successful applicant, The Free Speech Union, obtaining urgent injunctive relief at a hearing convened before the duty night judge at 12:30am, and further relief at the return date, following a cyberattack on the organisation’s IT systems and the theft of confidential information.

Having previously practised as a trial attorney in Los Angeles, Chris brings a unique capability to the English Media Bar. He is particularly well-placed to advise or act in matters with a U.S. dimension or involving U.S. clients. As reflected in his recent work, Chris’ cross-jurisdictional practice includes bringing 28 U.S. Code § 1782 applications in U.S. federal district courts to assist claimants and defendants involved in media law disputes in England & Wales.

During pupillage, Chris was supervised by Jonathan Scherbel-Ball, David Hirst, Gervase de Wilde and Felicity McMahon, and undertook a placement at The Times.

Prior to 5RB

Before joining 5RB, Chris practised for nearly two years as a trial attorney in Los Angeles. He also served for one year as a law clerk/judicial assistant to The Hon. Mr Justice Gerard Hogan (a former Advocate General at the Court of Justice of the European Union) at the Supreme Court of Ireland, and spent six months working at a litigation firm in the British Virgin Islands.

Chris read jurisprudence (law) at the University of Oxford for his undergraduate degree and undertook an LL.M. degree at the University of Pennsylvania, where he received the Thouron Award, a scholarship that covered his full tuition and provided a generous living stipend. He completed his Barrister Training Course at BPP Law School in London as a Lord Denning and Advocacy Scholar. While studying at Oxford, Chris was elected President of the Oxford Union.