Reputation & Media

Privacy and Data Protection Lawyers

Expert Privacy Lawyers

We all have a right to respect for our privacy, irrespective of who we are or our public profile.

Whether someone has obtained your sensitive information without consent, is threatening to reveal your most intimate communications to others, or is otherwise causing you distress through repeat intrusions into your private life, our experts in the laws of privacy, confidentiality, data protection, harassment and blackmail, can provide you with a fact-sensitive and personalised solution to suit your needs.

These intrusions can often be prevented from becoming a crisis by advance planning and we are available 24/7 to respond. We have often prevented the publication of private material, both online and in the press. Sometimes it may be best to pursue litigation and court injunctions/relief. We will explain and support you through the process, using our experience in all manners of dispute resolution to help vindicate your rights and to prevent further harm. We believe that acting swiftly, and in our clients’ best interests, can often avoid costly legal action. That is a victory for us – nobody wants to be involved in lengthy litigation.

We have helped to secure fantastic outcomes for our clients (both with and without issuing proceedings). This includes substantial damages, apologies both in court and in newspapers, and injunctions and undertakings to remove and prevent further intrusive publications and actions. We have often prevented the publication of private material, both online and in the printed press. We will also utilise our family and matrimonial experience where developments during divorce proceedings and marriage breakdown may threaten the exposure of your private information.

Our Practice Areas

Misuse of Private Information

Data Protection

Breach of confidence

Phone Hacking

Blackmail and Harassment

Misuse of Private Information

If someone has obtained your private information without consent, is threatening to or has revealed this to others, or is otherwise repeatedly intruding into your private life, our experts in the law of privacy can assist. We have regularly prevented our clients’ private information from being disseminated or published in print, broadcast or online, by taking immediate action. We are available 24/7 to assist. We will use our knowledge of the litigation (and pre-litigation) process to help protect your rights and to prevent further harm. We have secured injunctions and achieved undertakings for our clients to reduce damage to you or your business by preventing misuse of private information. We also act for our clients during divorce proceedings and matrimonial breakdown, where there may be threats to utilise your private information or cause other damage to you.

Data Protection

The constant exchange and accrual of personal data is a fact of our daily interactions with technology. There are considerable risks that data gets into the wrong hands or is used for malign purposes. This has made us well versed in both national and international data protection rules and regulations and we are experienced in protecting the rights enshrined by these provisions. Previous work for our clients has included preventing threatened data breaches from occurring; securing compensation for data leaks; requesting that inaccurate, out-of-date, and information in breach of data protection laws was removed from search engines and source publishers; discovering how and why our clients’ data had been obtained in the first place; and successfully requesting access to our clients’ personal data. Our multidisciplinary approach, utilising contacts in the business intelligence and related fields, ensures that we consider the reputational ramifications of a data protection breach and can guide you through the personal consequences. We do our utmost to protect you, taking a snapshot into the future, ensuring you and your business are protected.

Breach of confidence

Information intended to be confidential and for limited use should stay that way. Now we hold, create, and disseminate more information than ever before, and therefore the risk of it getting into the wrong hands is high. Data leaks, server hacks, and misappropriation by corporate espionage have all become common occurrences and it is estimated that last year trade secret theft cost businesses £1 trillion. If you are concerned that your confidential information is at risk, our team of expert privacy lawyers will work closely with our distinguished network of contacts in the IT and intelligence world to advise on the best course of action. We will act quickly to intercept the disclosure by securing injunctions and, if necessary, search orders to prevent a breach. We will help to ensure you are compensated fully for the unauthorised disclosure or use of your confidential information.

Phone Hacking

For decades, we now know that UK tabloids were reporting on peoples’ private lives from unlawfully listening to people’s voicemails. Having founded the firm that was Lead Solicitor for hundreds of claims that have been brought against both the News Group and the Mirror Group, we have substantial experience in securing compensation for victims of phone hacking. If you believe your voicemails and other private communications might have been intercepted, we can advise and assist.

Blackmail and Harassment

No-one should feel compelled to do something by threats, or feel undue distress by someone imposing an oppressive environment on them. Opponents are now very sophisticated, and we are often protecting high profile individuals and successful businesses, politicians and celebrities from unlawful attacks by those who want to harm them, often business opponents or those with ulterior motives. As longstanding experts in defamation, privacy and reputation management law, we have helped our clients tackle falsehoods and acts of intrusion into their private life that formed part of a sustained and ongoing campaign of harassment and blackmail. We have successfully secured undertakings, apologies, injunctions, and damages for our clients to prevent the risk of future acts of harassment and blackmail and to ensure to them compensation for the harm already caused.