Gervase de Wilde
Call: 2012
Call: 2012
Gervase de Wilde is an established junior barrister who acts for claimants and defendants in media disputes of all kinds. His clients include national and international media companies, corporations and trades unions, and high profile individuals from business, the media and the arts, politics, and sport. His practice is principally focused on litigation, in which he appears both as sole or lead advocate and as part of a team. He has extensive advocacy experience relative to his year of call, and has appeared in a very wide range of different Courts and tribunals.
In 2025-26 he acted for the defendants, the Artist known as Banksy and his company Pest Control, (led by Andrew Caldecott KC) in Full Colour Black v Pest Control Ltd, for the defendants, Steve Coogan and the producers of the film The Lost King, (led by Antony White KC) in Taylor v Pathe, for the claimants (led by David Sherborne and as sole counsel) in Feldman v Gambling Commission, for the claimant (led by Adam Speker KC) in Odey v Financial Times, for the claimant in Aluko v Barton, and for the defendant theatre company in the High Court and the Court of Appeal in Currie v Soho Theatre.
Since 2023, Gervase has acted as sole counsel or lead advocate on behalf of the successful party in four High Court trials, bringing or defending claims in defamation, privacy, harassment, passing off, and data protection. In the same period, he has appeared four times in the Court of Appeal, and on an appeal from the Magistrates’ Court to the Divisional Court. He has extensive experience of reporting restrictions issues relating to proceedings in the criminal and family courts, as well as in media cases and other civil litigation, and of obtaining urgent injunctive relief in blackmail and harassment claims. A claim in which he successfully represented the victim of an elaborate cat-fishing scam became the subject of a hit podcast series and a 2024 Netflix documentary.
Before coming to the Bar, Gervase worked in the music industry and as an arts journalist, including on a national newspaper. He is an Editorial Board Member of the NGO Liberty’s investigative journalism unit, Liberty Investigates. Gervase is committed to access to justice and accepts pro bono and conditional fee instructions in appropriate cases.
Acting for the claimant (with Lily Walker-Parr) in a defamation claim over a website publication which the Court accepted was part of an international campaign of disinformation. Default judgment was entered for the claimant, and he was awarded £105,000 in damages, along with non-monetary relief, following a remedies hearing.
Acting for the successful defendants (led by Andrew Caldecott KC) on an application for indemnity costs and a third party costs order, in a defamation claim brought over an Instagram post by the well-known graffiti artist. The claim was defended on the basis of truth (including in relation to the ownership of the relevant intellectual property rights) and qualified privilege, and was discontinued following an application for summary judgment by the defendants.
Acting for the successful defendant/respondent theatre company in the Court of Appeal, in an appeal against a judge’s findings in favour of the same party on the natural and ordinary meaning of its press release.
Acting for the defendants (led by Antony White KC and with Hope Williams) in a defamation claim over the claimant’s portrayal in the film The Lost King. The case settled shortly before trial with the reading of a Statement in Open Court.
Acting for the claimant (led by Adam Speker KC) in a libel claim against the defendant publisher, which was case managed with related personal injury claims.
Acting for the successful claimant with Luke Browne in the former England footballer’s claim for defamation and harassment against the defendant. The claim was settled with the payment of over £339,000 in damages and costs.
Acting for the claimant, led by Jonathan Barnes KC, in the Court of Appeal on an important case on the qualified privilege that applies to various forms of reporting under s.15 of the Defamation Act 1996.
Acting for the successful claimant, the presenter Jeremy Vine, in a defamation and harassment claim against the footballer Joey Barton. Following a TPI, the claim settled for a total sum of £110,000.
Acting for the successful claimant at trial, in resisting summary judgment, and at a trial of preliminary issues, in claims for libel and misuse of private information. The claimant was awarded a total of £30,000 in damages against two defendants.
Acting for the defendant broadcaster (led by Adam Wolanski KC and with Luke Browne) on two trials of preliminary issues and in the Court of Appeal ([2023] EWCA Civ 884) in a claim over an item on Channel 4 News. The claim was discontinued following service of the Defence.
Acting at trial (with Luke Browne) for the successful claimant in respect of very seriously defamatory allegations of sexual offences, published on social media. Defences under s.2 and s.4 of the Defamation Act 2013 failed and the claimant was awarded £110,000 in general and aggravated damages.
Acting for the defendant Police Commissioner at trial, on an interlocutory application, and at a trial of preliminary issues, in a defamation claim over a press release. The defence of truth succeeded, and judgment was entered for the defendant.
Acting at trial for the claimant (led by Jonathan Barnes) and in the Court of Appeal (led by Jonathan Barnes and Desmond Browne KC) in the first claim to consider the public interest defence under s.4 of the Defamation Act 2013.
Acting for the claimants at trial (led by David Sherborne) and subsequently in relation to reporting restrictions issues (as sole counsel) in a claim for misuse of private information and breach of confidence against a sector statutory regulator. Permission to Appeal has been granted against the dismissal of the claim, with an appeal to be heard in early 2027.
Acting at trial for the claimant, who was awarded £6,000 after his local authority misused his private information by accessing and sharing a comprehensive snapshot of his financial affairs and breached his GDPR rights.
Acting for the claimant reality TV star and campaigner Georgia Harisson in her misuse of private information claim for image-based abuse against her ex-boyfriend, Stephen Bear. The award of £207,900 following a hearing to assess damages was the highest ever award of compensation in a case of this kind.
Acting for the defendant publisher (led by Antony White KC and Alexandra Marzec) at a number of hearings at first instance and in the Court of Appeal in a claim for misuse of private information and breach of copyright. The claim was brought by the Duchess of Sussex over the publication of articles reproducing extensive extracts from a letter she had written to her estranged father.
Acting for the claimant in her claim for misuse of private information and harassment over a decade long ‘cat-fishing’ scam. The claim was settled with the payment of substantial damages and costs.
Acting at trial for the claimant in a claim for misuse of private information and breach of confidence over a Facebook post, in respect of which she was awarded £15,000 in general and aggravated damages and an injunction.
Acting for the claimant in a claim for misuse of private information, defamation, and harassment in relation to the publication of allegations of sexual assault by the defendants.
Acting for the claimants at trial (led by David Sherborne) and subsequently in relation to reporting restrictions issues (as sole counsel) in a claim for misuse of private information and breach of confidence against a sector statutory regulator. Permission to Appeal granted against the dismissal of the claim, with an appeal to be heard in early 2027.
Acting for the claimant (led by Alexandra Marzec) on a successful interim injunction application in breach of confidence, misuse of private information, and under the GDPR to prevent the threatened disclosure of private conversations the defendant had overheard between the claimants during business acquisition negotiations.
Acting at trial for the claimant in a claim for misuse of private information and breach of confidence over a Facebook post, in respect of which she was awarded £15,000 in general and aggravated damages and an injunction.
Obtaining summary judgment on the claimant’s claim for misuse of private information arising from a website created by the defendant disclosing details of his sexual relationship with the claimant. The application followed the obtaining of an interim injunction and an application challenging jurisdiction ([2018] EWHC 2674 (QB).
Acting at trial for the claimant, who was awarded £6,000 after his local authority misused his private information and breached his GDPR rights by accessing and sharing a comprehensive snapshot of his financial affairs.
Acting for the claimant (led by Alexandra Marzec) on a successful interim injunction application in breach of confidence, misuse of private information, and under the GDPR to prevent the threatened disclosure of private conversations the defendant had overheard between the claimants during business acquisition negotiations.
Acting for the claimant company and its marketing director (led by Justin Rushbrooke KC) in obtaining an interim injunction in malicious falsehood and under the Data Protection Act 1998. Subsequently acting as sole counsel on successful applications to commit the defendant for contempt of court and for summary judgment.
Acting for the claimant in a claim for harassment against the defendant, a former local radio DJ. Summary judgment was entered against the defendant on the harassment claim and his defamation and harassment counterclaim was struck out.
Acting for the successful claimant with Luke Browne in the former England footballer’s claim for defamation and harassment against the defendant. The claim was settled with the payment of over £339,000 in damages and costs.
Acting for the claimant, whose claim was for harassment and defamation in respect of the defendant YouTuber’s videos suggesting he had dishonestly raised funds for litigation and had harassed the defendant and incited serious threats of violence against him. The claimant was subsequently awarded £40,000 in respect of his defamation claim.
Acting for the successful defendant/counterclaimant at trial. The claimant’s claim for passing off was dismissed and the defendant/counterclaimant was awarded £75,000 in general and aggravated damages for a campaign of defamation and harassment.
Acting for the applicant businessman in obtaining an interim injunction preventing harassment and misuse of private information on a without notice application concerning blackmail carried out through the ‘Seeking Arrangement’ website. A final order was subsequently entered for the claimant.
Acting for Tesco Plc on an application in respect of its identification as the complainant in a blackmail case which led to a criminal prosecution.
Gervase regularly worked as a ‘night lawyer’ between 2013 and 2018 for national newspapers and broadcasters, and has provided pre-publication advice to national and international media and publishing organisations. He provides pre-publication advice to journalists and publishers.
Acting for the claimants on a successful application for a restricted reporting order (RRO) postponing publication of certain findings in a trial judgment dismissing claims for misuse of private information and breach of confidence until after criminal proceedings against the claimants had concluded.
Acting for a non party (led by Richard Whittam KC) in an application in which the Court considered the interaction of anonymity orders and reporting restrictions in proceedings where individuals had been investigated for, and ultimately charged with, criminal conduct.
Acting for the claimant (led by Lord Pannick KC and Jessica Boyd KC) in an appeal brought by way of judicial review against the magistrates’ court’s decision to lift the order anonymising him as a non-party in asset forfeiture proceedings brought by the NCA.
Acting for HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein (led by Justin Rushbrooke KC) in a decision concerning the publicity to be afforded to a judgment in wardship proceedings concerning the parties’ children.
Acting for Tesco Plc (led by William Bennett KC) on an application in respect of its identification as the complainant in a blackmail case which led to a criminal prosecution.
Acting for the publisher TMGL in a successful application before the President of the Family Division to lift an anonymity order made in consolidated judicial review and family proceedings to protect the identity of the claimant, a transgender man who had given birth to a child and was seeking to be registered as the father.
Acting for the media on an application by the father to permit information to be release into the public domain regarding the international abduction of his children by their mother, and at a subsequent application in relation to the imposition of reporting restrictions on the draft judgment ([2019] EWHC 448 (Fam); [2019] 3 F.C.R. 470).
Acting for Associated Newspapers Ltd in the Court of Appeal in relation to an application for the disclosure of video which showed the killing of an insurgent by ‘Marine A’, Alexander Blackman.
Acting for the successful defendants (led by Andrew Caldecott KC) on an application for indemnity costs and a third party costs order, in a defamation claim brought over an Instagram post. The claim was defended on the basis of truth (including in relation to the ownership of the relevant intellectual property rights) and qualified privilege, and was discontinued following an application for summary judgment.
Acting for the successful defendant/counterclaimant at trial. The claimant’s claim for passing off was dismissed and the defendant/counterclaimant was awarded £75,000 in general and aggravated damages for a campaign of defamation and harassment.
Acting for the defendant publisher (led by Antony White KC and Alexandra Marzec) at a number of hearings at first instance and in the Court of Appeal in a claim for misuse of private information and breach of copyright. The claim was brought by the Duchess of Sussex over the publication of articles reproducing extensive extracts from a letter she had written to her estranged father.
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