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Media and reputation

Unwanted media attention or the publication of private and confidential information can significantly damage your reputation, impact your privacy and affect your professional position. If the worst should happen, you need an expert strategy in place - immediately.

As respected leaders in the field of media law, we are known and recommended for providing robust, pragmatic and holistic advice to business leaders, politicians and celebrities, families and family offices, corporations and charities; ensuring protection of their information, reputation, privacy and brand.

Defending your good name

Defamatory, false and/or malicious allegations can cause you serious harm – our team has vast experience in using legal tools, industry knowledge and long-standing relationships with the media to help you successfully manage reputational risks affecting you, your family or your organization.

We frequently engage in pre-publication advice, assistance and negotiation, applying for emergency injunctions when needed. Containment is key and we utilize relationships with colleagues and contacts worldwide to obtain specialist, local advice and assistance where necessary.

Content published on social media can have an immediate and far reaching impact. We are well-versed in dealing with online issues and securing remedies, including the removal or correction of inaccurate or otherwise unlawful material and swiftly and successfully dealing with online harassment, bullying and blackmail.

Discretion is key to our approach

We never forget that we are dealing with personal and sensitive issues and we advise our clients with the utmost care, sensitivity and discretion.

For further help or information

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14 May 2021 - Events

Webinar: The arbitration of international trust disputes: the next frontier in international dispute resolution?

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Distinctions

2020 Ranked in Chambers UK - Reputation management

Leading firm for defamation/reputation management

Leading firm - Defamation/reputation management in the UK

Leading individuals for defamation/reputation management

Leading firm for reputation management

‘‘

Exceptional advice, personal support and guidance at a moments notice. Their expertise and support were second to none; the network of contacts and handling of difficult late media responses gave me confidence; access to a huge range of expertise within the team was very reassuring and the breadth of expertise and cover at all times was offered. I never felt I was on my own.

Joy Youart - Healthcare Consultant
‘‘

The team are very responsive in demanding situations and work calmly and efficiently, with great skill and care.

General counsel, private investment office
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I thank you once again for the incredible job done so far…I truly thank you and all your team for the tremendous work.

International investment banker
‘‘

Withers is without doubt the only law firm I will ever use in any of my affairs that require legal services. I have been their client for 5 years and have only ever experienced outstanding excellence in the unique service they provide. In my experience with Withers, I always felt like I was dealing with the absolute best of the best. One of the things I appreciate the most is that everybody I worked with had enormous compassion and kindness towards me. A very rare, very important quality that too many law firms lack.

Belinda Steiner
‘‘

I have always found their style and approach to be responsive, effective and efficient with the expertise and experience to provide the highest level of legal service allowing us to make informed decisions.

Miss Mojdeh Zand, Head of Legacy Administration - RSPB
‘‘

Withers provides excellent levels of service and compares very favourably with its competitors, the quality of their work is first class. Highly responsive – they gave sensible measured advice and ensured that I got the best possible result in the circumstances.

Legal 500 UK, 2020
‘‘

They have always been very sensible and pragmatic, but also knowledgeable and efficient. If you have them on a case, you know everything is sorted.

Chambers HNW, 2020
‘‘

I think the firm is excellent. We find them incredibly responsive and they give sound advice. They are very good to work with, incredibly reliable and very trustworthy.

Chambers HNW, 2020

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How the media and reputation team can help

Managing a media crisis

Bringing or defending defamation claims

Preserving privacy

Online news outlets and social media

Handling harassment and blackmail

Court reporting

Parcours

Taking Google case to the European Court of Human Rights

In a case which will drive the online publication of defamatory content, we have brought a claim for our client in the European Court of Human Rights. Google did not remove anonymous defamatory remarks about our client, despite being notified, and we have progressed the claim to the ECHR having pursued a remedy against Google in the English courts.

Reputation protection during a high profile divorce

During our client's highly sensitive and hard-fought divorce, our Media and Reputation team played a key role to ensure that our client's public reputation was protected in the face of significant media interest. The team also provided counsel on communications from our client, which were required to uphold his rights in balance with the other party's.

Bringing injunctive proceedings in the UK on behalf of a Middle Eastern businessman

We represented a businessman based in the Middle East in relation to bringing urgent injunctive proceedings against an individual in the UK. The claim included elements of harassment, breach of confidence, misuse of private information and breaches of the Data Protection Act 1998. We successfully obtained undertakings in the form of the Order which we had applied for to stop the campaign of harassment over social media against our client.

Russian client wrongly classified as a politically exposed person

We assisted a Russian client wrongly classified as a politically exposed person (or 'PEP') working with his German law firm. His incorrect classification as a PEP led to financial and reputational harm not to mention the delay caused while he was forced to produce substantial due diligence ahead of potential business deals. We liaised with the third-party organisation who had categorized our client as a PEP swiftly to ensure they understood the complexities of the background and the true position. This resulted in his PEP-status being removed accordingly mitigating the damage caused by clearing up the misreporting and helping them update their records.

Advising on confidentiality

Working with our employment team, we represented a Middle Eastern national in respect of reputational advice regarding a settlement agreement. This included detailed advice on confidentiality undertakings and ensuring the enforceability of the agreement.

Successful financial services senior executive

Withers was called on to act for a well-known managing partner of an international investment firm when his reputation was under threat. Our robust approach to reputation management prevented the filing of false statements in a form U-5 (Uniform Termination Notice for Securities Industry Registration) that would have had a detrimental effect on his future career and earnings.

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