Defamation (libel and slander) and malicious falsehood

The original core activity of the firm, defamation (libel and slander) work remains central to our practice and we have a reputation for excellence in the field. Our claimant practice is the largest in the United Kingdom and we also have a very substantial defendant practice. We act for a broad range of people and companies, including:

• individuals from every walk of life, from some of the most prominent and wealthy in the world, to those who, though they may be of little means, value their reputation just as highly
• companies of every size, up to multinational corporations
• charities, political parties and pressure groups
• book, magazine and newspaper publishers, broadcasting organisations and internet and on line publishers
  

For Claimants

Our libel lawyers are tough and determined in the pursuit of our client's objectives. We are also creative and innovative in our approach. Many of our cases have been at the cutting edge of developments in defamation law. We were the first firm to offer a Conditional Fee Agreement (no win, no fee) scheme designed specifically for defamation. This enables us to help people whatever their means if they have been wronged. We have also negotiated insurance to assist our clients in appropriate cases.

If you believe that you have been defamed, instruct us. We will give you prompt and clear advice. We settle many cases without recourse to litigation but where appropriate we will advise court action. In most cases we obtain an apology for our clients, compensation and recovery of all the costs. If we are acting under a CFA we do not charge professional fees unless a win is achieved. For more information about our CFA scheme please ask for our CFA brochure.

For Defendants

Our defamation lawyers endeavour to avoid or reduce the risk of complaints, through sound pre-publication advice. We undertake pre-publication reviewing for major magazine and book publishers and we also review material such as press releases, advertisements, and newsletters.

After publication our aim is to defuse complaints where possible. If the complaint is unmeritorious we are resolute and determined in defence. If the complaint has merit we will move quickly to resolve it with the minimum of fuss and cost possible.

Our CFA scheme also covers defendant work in appropriate cases.

If you are concerned about material you are considering publishing, instruct us to review the material for defamation and other legal dangers. This could save you from having to defend a costly action. If you are in receipt of a complaint in defamation, again prompt advice and action from us could save you time and money.

For information about defamation and malicious falsehood law, see our Frequently Asked Questions.

For articles on this subject, please see our Articles section.