Latest news

Media companies are becoming less willing to fight defamation actions all the way through to a verdict, according to a study by Sweet & Maxwell. The survey, based on the publisher’s online archive of law… Read More »

Mohammed Taranissi, the IVF doctor suing the BBC in relation to an edition of Panorama entitled ‘IVF Undercover’ and his clinic ARGC have been awarded their legal costs of responding to a defence of Reynolds qualified… Read More »

A jury has awarded £30,000 to the former chief of rail union ASLEF in respect of allegations published in Loco Journal in July 2006. Shaun Brady, who had previously brought a successful claim for unfair… Read More »

Sienna Miller has accepted £15,000 damages in an out-of-court settlement of the privacy action initiated against the publishers of the Daily Star over a paparazzi photo published in the newspaper.   The actress had brought proceedings over the… Read More »

For the second time in four years, 5RB last night was named ‘Defamation and Privacy Set of the Year’ at a ceremony at London’s Dorchester Hotel.   The award panel said of 5RB: “5RB is… Read More »

5RB held its second Conference at BAFTA, Piccadilly yesterday.  The keynote speaker at the Conference, which sold out, was Joshua Rozenberg, whose talk entitled ‘Another strap across the bottom’ discussed developments in privacy law including the… Read More »

Sheffield Wednesday FC and its Chief Executive, Kaven Walker, have dropped their libel claims against a number of the club’s fans over comments posted on the bulletin boards of supporters’ website owls.co.uk.   In regard… Read More »

Tesco has accepted a front-page apology by The Guardian to settle its claim against the newspaper over articles making false allegations of tax avoidance.   The newspaper had published a series of articles in February… Read More »

5RB is delighted to announce that after the completion of her pupillage, Yuli Takatsuki, will be joining chambers as a tenant from 1 October 2008.   From the same date, Andrew Monson and Iain Christie… Read More »

The libel action brought by Frank Warren, the well-known boxing promoter, against Random House the publisher has settled.  Mr Warren has accepted an offer of £115,000 in damages in addition to his costs.    Mr Warren complained… Read More »

Sir Salman Rushdie has received an apology and been granted a declaration of falsity by the High Court in respect of claims contained in a book about his time living under police protection. Former police officer Ron Evans,… Read More »

The United Nations has expressed concern that UK defamation law is discouraging critical media reporting on matters of serious public interest, including through the “phenomenon of ‘libel tourism’”. A Human Rights Committee report suggests the introduction a ‘public figure’ defence and the imposition… Read More »

Cost: £350 plus VAT                                  CPD Accredited Book Now The two years since the last 5RB Conference have seen important developments in media and sports law as the Courts have wrestled with the difficult balance to… Read More »

The Evening Standard has today published a prominent apology to Prince Philip for a story it published on its front page yesterday, which stated that the Prince had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. As intimated in its statement… Read More »

Buckingham Palace has issued a statement denying the truth of an Evening Standard article claiming that Prince Philip has prostate cancer and stating that a privacy complaint will be made to the Press Complaints Commission…. Read More »

George Galloway MP was today awarded £15,000 in libel damages by Mr Justice Eady in respect of a broadcast on a local and internet radio station which alleged that he held anti-Semitic views.   Jcom Radio, a Jewish community… Read More »

Ofcom has today fined the BBC a record £400,000 for “very serious” breaches of the Broadcasting Code after the broadcaster deceived its audience by faking winners of competitions and “deliberately conducting competitions unfairly”.  The largest single fine – £115k… Read More »

Max Mosley today succeeded in his High Court privacy action brought against News Group Newspapers over The News of the World‘s publication of a video and accompanying article which showed intimate scenes of Mr Mosley… Read More »

A woman has been awarded €90,000 (£71,000) damages against Associated Newspapers (Ireland) for publishing articles about her relationship with a priest based on unlawfully tapped phone conversations. The articles, published over three successive weeks in… Read More »

The President of the Family Division today ruled that the media may report details from a care case following the abduction of the child involved.   The case had attracted press attention after the child’s… Read More »