Reputation management, defamation and privacy

In business, reputation is vital and is often an organisation's most valuable asset. A positive reputation takes many years of investment to build, but it can be destroyed in an instant.

Digital media and the exponential growth of social media have increased the variety of ways in which reputation and privacy can be attacked - often repeatedly, anonymously and from various sources. Once a bad story breaks it can spread rapidly via social media and rolling news channels, perhaps turning a minor local issue into a major global risk. If material is posted onto the internet it can remain there indefinitely, causing ongoing damage unless action is taken.

Our experience encompasses:

Defamation (primarily, libel and slander)
Confidential information and privacy law
Advertising law and regulation, including ambush marketing.

Reputation management, defamation and privacy experience

Acting for a major international bank in a libel action against the Wall Street Journal Europe.
Working to prevent the defamation of a financial services client on multiple websites across Europe and Africa.
Obtaining a privacy injunction to prevent the disclosure of highly personal information relating to two employees of a client.
Obtaining an interim injunction for a politician in Germany regarding defamatory comments on websites.
Using privacy rights to prevent the broadcast of highly sensitive material about a corporate client.
Acting for an educational institution in securing an injunction to prevent the publication of a salacious story already in the hands of newspapers.

Defamation

The rules of libel and slander (defamation) are the main legal tool available to prevent unjustified media coverage. If you think that you or your company are going to be the subject of adverse publicity, then you need to know the legal options.

We cannot talk publicly about the work we do pre-publication for corporate and individual clients, for obvious reasons. However, the intervention of lawyers on your behalf pre-publication can help to alter the way that the media outlet approaches the story.

After publication, the prospect of a defamation claim may result in the immediate apology which you need to reassure your stakeholders and restore your reputation. Leaving an inaccurate story on the record without challenge means it is likely to be repeated in the future, perhaps every time you receive any publicity.

Defamation legal experience

Advising on all aspects of international enforcement of judgments against online and published media in respect of defamation issues as well as press intrusion into personal lives of key stakeholders.
Acting for a major international bank in a libel action against a global news group.
Acting for one of the UK's largest foreign language newspapers, in defending a libel claim relating to the publication of a typographical error.
Working to prevent the defamation of a financial services client on multiple websites across Europe and Africa.
Regularly advising companies across all sectors in many jurisdictions on press coverage, press statements, false and misleading claims made by competitors.

Privacy and confidentiality

Personal privacy legal advice

Social networking websites and a voracious media show less and less respect for personal privacy. The right to privacy varies from country to country but if any private information about you is being made available publicly against your will then you can almost certainly do something about it.

We have extensive experience in obtaining emergency injunctions for company directors, celebrities and ordinary individuals to prevent the publication of private information.

Confidentiality laws

The ease of copying digital information means that confidential information can be accessed and shared illegitimately in a growing number of ways. Companies need to be alive to the dangers and put in place strategies to minimise risk. If information has escaped and is being used to your disadvantage then injunctions or other relief can be obtained.

We assist companies to protect their confidential information across all industry sectors, frequently in disputes with an international dimension.

Privacy and confidentiality legal experience

Acting for a CEO of a listed company to prevent the publication by the media of extremely sensitive personal information.
Advising on and obtaining Court Orders to reveal information relating to an individual conducting a campaign of anonymous abusive e-mails.
Obtaining a rare injunction to prevent the publication of highly personal information relating to medical workers employed by a client.
Using privacy rights to prevent the broadcast
of highly sensitive material about a corporate client.
Acting for a high profile public body which faced claims by its former Chief Executive for defamation, breach of confidence and invasion of privacy following comments made to the media concerning the circumstances of the departure.