Felicity McMahon elected to Middle Temple Bench
5RB is delighted to announce that the Masters of the Bench of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple have elected 5RB member, Felicity McMahon, to join their ranks as a Master of the Bench… Read More »
Clarke trial begins
The trial of liability in Clarke v Guardian News and Media will begin today before Mrs Justice Steyn. The trial is due to last six weeks and this is the most substantial libel action to… Read More »
Second appeal refused in Clarke v GNM
The Court of Appeal (Warby LJ) has dismissed a further application for permission to appeal by actor and director Noel Clarke, in his ongoing litigation against the publisher of the Guardian. Mr Clarke had sought… Read More »
Appeal dismissed in Clarke v GNM
The Court of Appeal (Popplewell LJ, Phillips LJ and Warby LJ) has dismissed an appeal by actor and director Noel Clarke in ongoing litigation against the publisher of the Guardian. The appeal was against an… Read More »
Opinion and meaning determined in Ware v Waters & Al Jazeera
The High Court has given judgment following a trial of preliminary issues in the defamation claim brought by John Ware, the journalist/broadcaster, against Roger Waters, the musician and founder of Pink Floyd, and Al Jazeera… Read More »
Headteacher harassment case settles
A claim for harassment brought by a secondary school headteacher against the parents of two girls who attended his school has settled. Kevin Flanagan, the headteacher of Pensby High School in Merseyside, brought proceedings against… Read More »
5RB hosts BVL and PASS Internships
In the last month, 5RB hosted two internships designed to promote social mobility at the Bar and offer students insight into life at 5RB. PASS The first was hosted in conjunction with the Pegasus Access… Read More »
Conference5RB 2025 – Programme released!
We are delighted to announce that the Conference5RB 2025 programme is now available. The spaces are limited. If you haven’t yet secured your place, there’s still time to register. Here are the delegate pass options: Full price:… Read More »
John Ware’s Defamation Case Against Roger Waters and Al Jazeera: Preliminary Issues Heard in Court
A trial of preliminary issues took place yesterday before Mrs Justice Eady in the defamation claim brought by John Ware against Roger Waters and Al Jazeera Media Network. The claim concerns an interview that Mr… Read More »
Access to court documents sought in Yang Tengbo v SoS for the Home Department
Today, the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (“SIAC”) heard argument over the release to the media of documents from the case of H6 vs Secretary of State for the Home Department (SC/205/2023). Yang Tengbo was excluded… Read More »
Court dismisses application to strike out defence in Clarke v GNM
Mrs Justice Steyn DBE dismissed the application of the claimant, Noel Clarke, to strike out the Guardian’s defence of his claim for libel. The claimant had alleged that Guardian journalists had deleted relevant documents and… Read More »
Jacob Dean appointed as KC
5RB is delighted to announce that Jacob Dean has been appointed King’s Counsel. The formal ceremony will take place on 24th March 2025. Jacob was called to the bar in 1995 and has practiced at… Read More »
Important Appeal Against Judges’ Anonymity Handed Down
The Court of Appeal (Sir Geoffrey Vos, Master of the Rolls and Warby and King LJJ) has allowed the appeal against the decision of Williams J to anonymise three judges who presided over historic proceedings… Read More »
Landmark Admission by News Group Newspapers Over Unlawful Information Gathering
The Duke of Sussex and Lord Watson have won a landmark unlawful information gathering claim against News Group Newspapers Limited (“NGN”), in what has been described as a historic admission of guilt. NGN has, for… Read More »
Landmark privacy trial against News Group
Today, The High Court begins an eight-week trial in the Mobile Telephone Voicemail Interception Litigation (MTVIL) before Mr Justice Fancourt. Central to these proceedings are allegations of widespread unlawful information-gathering practices at The News of… Read More »
Clarke v The Guardian PTR
Mrs Justice Steyn will today hear the pre-trial review in the libel and data protection action brought by actor and director Noel Clarke against Guardian News and Media. 5RB’s Alexandra Marzec and Ben Gallop are instructed by the… Read More »
Reporting Restrictions Re: The Sharif Children
Today, the Court of Appeal will hear the appeal against the decision of Williams J to grant anonymity to judges in historic family justice proceedings concerning Sara Sharif and her family. The appeal raises questions… Read More »
Amazon knocks out boxing film libel and privacy claims
Claims in libel and privacy brought by a mother over a documentary film about her daughter, double Olympic gold boxing champion Nicola Adams OBE, have today been dismissed. Ms Adams’ mother claimed that aspects of… Read More »
Significant judgment on reporting privilege
The Court of Appeal has delivered an important judgment on the qualified privilege that applies to various forms of reporting under s.15 of the Defamation Act 1996, which clarifies the approach to the section and… Read More »
Anonymity Order lifted in H6 v Secretary of State for the Home Department
On 16 December 2024, Chamberlain J heard an application brought by Yang Tengbo (formerly referred to as “H6”) to discharge an Order that had directed the Special Immigration Appeals Commission to maintain his anonymity. The… Read More »