BBC loses Qualified Privilege Defence
Mr Justice Gray ruled today that a BBC broadcast which accused a senior hospital manager, Mrs Marion Henry, of systematically falsifying waiting list figures, was not protected by qualified privilege, either at common law or… Read More »
Law for Journalists Conference 2005
The fourth annual Press Gazette Law for Journalists Conference 2005 took place 2 December 2005 in London. The Conference, sponsored by Wiggin LLP and chaired by Philippa Kennedy from Press Gazette, saw keynote speeches from the Director… Read More »
New Review of IP Announced
At today’s Advancing Enterprise Conference the Chancellor Gordon Brown announced that the Government was initiating an independent review of the existing intellectual property systems in the UK. The review is to be headed by Andrew Gowers,… Read More »
Data Protection appeal refused leave
The House of Lords has refused leave to appeal out of time in Durant v Financial Services Authority. After an oral hearing, the Appellate Committee (Lords Bingham, Carswell and Brown) ruled there was no prospect of the… Read More »
New media law titles available
5RB is pleased to announce the publication of a new edition of Arlidge, Eady and Smith on Contempt and a Supplement to the most recent edition of Gatley on Libel and Slander. A new cumulative Supplement to The Law… Read More »
Media warned over bombing claims
The Attorney General last night threatened newspapers with prosecution under the Official Secrets Act if they published the contents of a document recording a conversation between the Prime Minister and President Bush during which the… Read More »
5RB hosts Trade Mark Seminar
5RB’s Madeleine Heal, Christina Michalos and Mark Warby QC gave a seminar tonight at the Montague on the Gardens Hotel on various aspects of Trade Mark protection and other merchandising rights. Topics covered included: ‘Shape’ Trade Marks: Including… Read More »
Sports Law Conference: 30 Nov 2005
5RB’s Mark Warby QC will be speaking at the conference on Law for Sports Disciplinary Bodies to be held at the Marriott Marble Arch Hotel on Wednesday 30 November 2005. His topic will be Sentencing in… Read More »
BNP Candidate Loses Libel Action
A High Court jury today found that an election pamphlet produced on behalf of a Liberal Democrat candidate, Mark Morris, which criticised a BNP candidate, Mary Culnane, was not libellous of her. During a by-election campaign in… Read More »
Solicitor wins libel and harassment case
Brighton solicitor, Martin Cray, was today awarded total damages of £19,000 by the High Court in London against a former client, Anthony Hancock, who was found to have conducted a 2-year campaign of harassment against him…. Read More »
Challenge to ban on political advertising
Animal rights group Animal Defenders International have been granted permission to challenge by judicial review the ban on “political advertising” that prevents many campaign groups from promoting their views on radio and television as a violation of the right to freedom… Read More »
£250,000 damages for Rupert Lowe
Rupert Lowe, Chairman of Southampton FC, has been awarded £250,000 libel damages against The Times by a High Court Jury in London. The article, “Men Who Would be Kings Are A Ghastly Alternative”, published in August 2004, had suggested that Mr… Read More »
Chambers’ Review: 5RB top again
5RB has been described as the “preferred choice” in the 2006 Chambers & Partners Guide, which rated 20 5RB barristers (including all 6 QCs): more than any other Chambers in the field. “Tough cross-examiner” Desmond Browne is “the perfect bullish yet sensible advocate.”… Read More »
Naomi Campbell costs ruling
The House of Lords has today unanimously dismissed the Article 10-based challenge to the validity of CFAs in media cases brought by the Daily Mirror. Giving the lead judgment, Lord Hoffmann held that it… Read More »
Jockey Club sees off challenge
Mr Justice Stanley Burnton today handed down an important decision on an issue well-ventilated in writings on Sports Law and Judicial Review: the validity of the Court of Appeal’s 1993 decision that decisions of disciplinary… Read More »
Galloway case returns to Court
The Daily Telegraph‘s appeal against an award of £150,000 libel damages began in the Court of Appeal today. The newspaper, contended that the original decision of Mr Justice Eady in the High Court in… Read More »
‘Ferguson’ denied trade mark protection
With the refusal of his application to register ALEX FERGUSON as a trade mark in the UK, Sir Alex Ferguson has been denied exclusive rights to the use of his own name for photographs, posters and… Read More »
Five year ban for jockey
The Jockey Club Disciplinary Panel yesterday imposed a 5-year disqualification on the jockey Gary Carter, and fined him £2,000. In its decision, released yesterday, the Panel found that on 8 occasions in 2003 Carter, in… Read More »
Media challenge CPR change
Some of the UK’s largest media organisations are challenging a change to the Civil Procedure Rules which they say is an “unnecessary and disproportionate interference with the right to freedom of expression”. The amendment to Rule 5.4(5)(a)(i) provides… Read More »
New faces at 5RB
5RB is pleased to welcome Victoria Joliffe and Victoria Shore to Chambers today to begin their year-long pupillage training. Victoria Jolliffe was educated at school in Culford before securing a first class degree in Broadcasting at Leeds. She has worked in the television… Read More »