Jonathan Scherbel-Ball
Call: 2010
Call: 2010
Jonathan Scherbel-Ball is a leading junior practising in all aspects of media, communications and information law.
Jonathan has been shortlisted for Junior of the Year by Legal 500 in Technology & Data (2022) and Media & Arts (2024). He is a member of the AG’s ‘A’ Panel of Junior Counsel.
Jonathan acts for a broad range of clients, including individuals from the world of entertainment and media, ultra-high net worth individuals, leading politicians, broadcasters, news publishers, social media platforms, and numerous public and governmental authorities. He has particular expertise in the right to be forgotten, investigative journalism, source protection, political extremism, data protection and information law, and internet intermediary liability.
Jonathan regularly advises leading media organisations and individuals on libel and privacy cases.
Junior Counsel for the BBC in its defence of a libel claim brought in relation to a BBC Panorama investigation.
Junior Counsel for the Claimant journalist in his libel claim against the musician Roger Waters.
Junior Counsel for the Defendant and Counterclaimant in a seven day libel and harassment trial.
Acting for Claimant at a trial on meaning in a libel and malicious falsehood claim.
Counsel for the Defendant in preliminary trial on meaning.
Junior Counsel for the Defendant in a claim concerning legacy litigation arising out of ‘The Troubles’.
Acting for the BBC in in its defence of a libel and breach of confidence claim for US$450m arising out of a BBC Panorama investigation into the acquisition of oil and gas concessions in Senegal.
Junior Counsel for the Defendants in their successful strike out of libel and privacy claims.
Junior Counsel for the Defendant in its successful defence of a libel claim arising out of an apology to former US first lady, Melania Trump.
Counsel for The Times in a preliminary issue trial on meaning in relation to an article concerning the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
Jonathan advises many high profile individuals, publishers and technology companies in relation to claims for misuse of private information.
Counsel for the Media Lawyers Association, intervening in a claim to the European Court of Human Rights in respect of the right to be forgotten.
Junior Counsel for the Defendants in their successful strike out of libel and privacy claims.
Junior Counsel for The Sun in its successful defence of a privacy claim.
Junior Counsel for Google in the first right to be forgotten case to be determined substantively by a UK Court.
Junior Counsel for the BBC resisting five day hearing for an interim injunction to prevent repeated publication of a BBC Spotlight investigation into public interest issues.
Jonathan regularly acts for businesses, publishers and individuals facing breach of confidence claim, including with regards to source protection.
Claim for unlawful accessing of journalistic sources by police bodies and intelligence services.
Junior Counsel for the BBC in the ‘Paradise Papers’ data leak litigation, resisting an interim application for delivery up of documents.
Jonathan regularly provides contentious and non-contentious advice to a wide range of organisations and individuals in relation to data protection and information law. His clients in this area include individuals in the public eye, leading technology companies, broadcasters and public authorities. He regularly appears in the First-Tier Tribunal in relation to FOIA appeals.
Counsel for the Applicant in a FOIA appeal concerning information relating to records of criminal offences by Cabinet Ministers.
Counsel for the Applicant in a FOIA appeal concerning a serious case review.
Counsel for Channel 4 in relation to FOIA appeal concerning internal records concerning NDAs.
Claim for unlawful accessing of journalistic sources by police bodies and intelligence services.
Counsel for Google in privacy and data protection claim.
Counsel for the Ministry of Defence in appeal to the First Tier Tribunal in respect of a FOIA request.
Counsel for CAFCASS in a case about the interaction of data protection law with adoption rules.
Junior Counsel for the NCA in a leading case on data protection law.
Junior Counsel for Google in the first right to be forgotten case to be determined substantively by a UK Court.
Junior Counsel for Google in application to serve out in respect of a data protection claim and other torts.
Counsel for the SoS for Justice in a judicial review claim concerning data protection law.
Junior Counsel for Google in one of the first right to be forgotten claims brought in England.
Junior Counsel for the BBC in a series of appeals to the First Tier Tribunal in respect of FOIA requests concerning journalistic material.
Jonathan advises a range of individuals and organisations in relation to claims for harassment by publication.
Junior Counsel for the Defendant and Counterclaimant in a seven day libel and harassment trial.
Junior Counsel for the Defendants in its application to strike out harassment claim.
Junior Counsel for Google in case about threshold liability for internet intermediaries for various torts including harassment.
Counsel for local media publisher successfully striking out claim in harassment.
Jonathan has two decades of experience providing robust pre-publication advice to national and international broadcasters, publishers, academic institutions and think- both based in the UK and the US, together with advising government on major publications. He is known in particular for his pre-publication advice on issues relating to political extremism and terrorism.
Jonathan has appeared on behalf of the media at many high profile criminal trials, inquiries or court cases seeking to challenge or vary reporting restrictions.
Acting for the BBC in successfully challenging reporting restrictions relating to the Afghan Inquiry into the actions of special forces in Afghanistan.
The Shoreham air disaster.
Allegations of perverting the course of justice.
LIBOR-rigging allegations.
Reporting of Employment Tribunal claims.
Family court anonymity.
Press access for reporting the Family Court.
Jonathan appeared for the local newspaper publisher, Newsquest in a judicial review claim concerning open justice principles in police misconduct hearings.
For more information
For more information or to instruct Jonathan please get in touch with our clerking team, who can deal with your enquiry and provide any required information: