Justin Rushbrooke KC
Call: 1992 Silk: 2013
Call: 1992 Silk: 2013
Justin Rushbrooke KC took Silk in 2013 and was Joint Head of Chambers at 5RB from 2017-2022. His expertise encompasses defamation, malicious falsehood, privacy, breach of confidence, data protection, deceit, copyright, passing off, contempt of Court and related contractual and commercial disputes. As well as obtaining a landmark victory for Sir Cliff Richard in his privacy case against the BBC, he has particular experience and expertise in corporate libel complaints, and in defending solicitors accused of SLAPP-related misconduct by the SRA.
Justin is listed as a leading Silk in the current Chambers and The Legal 500 directories for defamation & privacy work, as well as for data protection work in The Legal 500. He was named The Times’ Lawyer of the Week in 2021 (for his success in the Duchess of Sussex’s privacy claim against Associated Newspapers Ltd) and Defamation Silk of the Year in the Chambers 2019 Bar Awards.
Justin’s claimant clients have included many well-known companies and figures from the worlds of entertainment, business, banking and finance, the media, sport and politics, some of whose identities are confidential. On the defendant side, before taking Silk he acted as a junior for most of the major UK newspaper publishers, and has more recently advised or represented publishers of all kinds including politicians, journalists, podcasters and bloggers as well as major US-based tech and media companies.
Justin’s recent clients include Mohamed Amersi, Sir James Dyson, the Duke of Sussex, and former President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine for libel; the Duchess of Sussex for privacy; Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein for media law aspects of her litigation against Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum of Dubai; Carter-Ruck Partner Claire Gill for SRA misconduct proceedings; and the CEO of a world-renowned sports company accused of sexual harassment, for whom anonymity and reporting restriction orders were obtained in the Employment Tribunal.
Acting for businessman and Tory donor in libel claim against the BBC.
Trial of libel claim brought by Sir James Dyson – honest opinion; serious harm.
Court of Appeal affirmed J K Rowling’s right to make unilateral Statement in Open Court upon acceptance of Offer of Amends.
Landmark case on common law ‘threshold of seriousness’ in libel claim brought by writer over book review by Lynn Barber. Claim for malicious falsehood succeeded at trial: [2012] E.M.L.R. 8.
Landmark case on abuse of process in defamation claims.
Acted for newspaper in landmark case establishing admissibility of ‘directly relevant background context’ in mitigation of damages for defamation.
Landmark privacy claim in respect of newspaper’s publication of letter from Meghan Markle to her father: summary judgment granted and upheld on appeal.
Interim injunction obtained for high-profile figure to prevent contempt of court and misuse of private information by BBC whilst criminal investigation ongoing.
Landmark case on privacy in respect of criminal investigations where suspect not charged.
Landmark injunction granted on contra mundum basis to restrain publication of private and confidential information concerning claimant who had been blackmailed by first defendant and her partner.
Order protecting confidentiality of third parties named in a schedule to CPR Part 18 Further Information filed by the claiman.
Justin acted for former wife in striking out claim for declaration brought by husband that she owed him an equitable duty of confidence in relation to information shared with her before they separated.
Landmark injunction granted on contra mundum basis to restrain publication of private and confidential information concerning claimant who had been blackmailed by first defendant and her partner.
Claim under DPA 2018 / GDPR brought by heavyweight boxer against US online boxing magazine.
Establishing that data protection inaccuracy and libel claims may be pleaded in parallel.
Order obtained under s.10(4) DPA 1998 requiring defendant to cease processing personal data relating to trade competitor’s marketing manager.
Interim injunction obtained for high-profile figure to prevent contempt of court and misuse of private information by BBC whilst criminal investigation ongoing.
Order for publication of fact-finding judgment (including findings of harassment by former husband) in wardship proceedings upheld by Court of Appeal.
Interim injunction obtained in malicious falsehood requiring competitor to take down Youtube videos making false and damaging claims about claimant’s products.
Interim injunction obtained against former employee threatening to disclose private and confidential information.
Landmark injunction granted on contra mundum basis to restrain publication of private and confidential information concerning claimant who had been blackmailed by first defendant and her partner.
Acted for successful defendant in slander, misuse of private information and harassment claim brought by married Orthodox Jew against Beth Din judge, also known as the ‘indecent proposal’ trial.
Justin has advised and represented high-profile figures from the world of sport and business who have obtained reporting restriction orders in employment tribunal proceedings and whose identities are confidential. The most recent of these was the CEO of a world-renowned sports company accused of sexual harassment, for whom Justin obtained permanent anonymity and reporting restriction orders in the Employment Tribunal in March 2026 (leading Jacob Dean KC).
Interim injunction obtained for high-profile figure to prevent contempt of court by BBC whilst criminal investigation ongoing.
Publication of welfare judgment in family proceedings between Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai and his former wife Princess Haya bint Al Hussein.
Order for publication of fact-finding judgment in wardship proceedings upheld by Court of Appeal.
Acting for Carter-Ruck partner, Claire Gill, in her successful application for summary dismissal of SLAPP-related professional misconduct proceedings brought by the SRA. The Tribunal found the proceedings to be so lacking in merit that they awarded costs in her favour.
Relationship between the tort of deceit in respect of alleged “paternity fraud” and financial proceedings under s.23 Matrimonial Causes Act 1973: husband’s tort claim struck out as abuse of process where MCA proceedings already on foot.
For more information
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