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Privacy and Media Law Solicitors

Privacy and Media Law Solicitors

We guard our clients’ rights and reputations through our extensive experience in the laws of defamation, privacy, data protection, cyber, breach of confidence and harassment.

“They are absolutely fantastic on all levels. They have such a personalised approach to service and care. They are very responsive and committed to clients” Chambers UK

Our lawyers have been involved in ground-breaking cases and have established some of the most significant developments in this area. We know how the media works and the importance of moving quickly to protect our clients.

We advise both corporate entities and individuals and our work encompasses a wide range of circumstances. We stop and shape stories before publication and broadcast to remove false allegations and private and confidential information through negotiation, court action and securing injunctions when necessary. We represent clients in high court litigation and we have worked in a number of leading cases in defamation, privacy, breach of confidence, phone-hacking and cyber-crime.

We also limit unfair damage to reputation by preventing the further spread of allegations and information, removing false or private information from the internet and tracking down anonymous posters and ‘trolls’ on social media. We also protect those who are being harassed or stalked and who are the victims of data breaches and cyber-crime. We also act for those being threatened with claims by deploying appropriate defences and protecting legitimate free speech.

We act discretely and sensitively to understand the issues clients face and solve them as quickly as possible. We work as a team. We have the benefit of being able to draw on the expertise of colleagues in other specialist teams within the firm, including criminal, employment, financial services, sports and education lawyers.

We are ranked in Band 1 for Defamation/Reputation Management by Chambers High Net Worth, quotes include: “Payne Hicks Beach are professional, discreet and incredibly efficient and personable, which is important”, “I trust Payne Hicks Beach implicitly to handle matters professionally and give honest advice and recommendations” and “Payne Hicks Beach are excellent in handling complex and sophisticated matters.”

We are available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week on the following mobile numbers: Dominic Crossley (07769908959), Hanna Basha (07789963968) and Andrew Willan (07507651779).

"They're an excellent firm specialising in this area, I would put them in the top tier." "They have a proper media law specialism. I find them a pleasure to work with." Chambers HNW

insights

Self-disclosure: To out or be outed?

Self-disclosure: To out or be outed?

Privacy and media experts Jamie Hurworth and Hanna Basha have had their article “Self-disclosure: To out or be outed?” featur…
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Digital Reality Check: AI Deepfakes and Cyber Risk

Digital Reality Check: AI Deepfakes and Cyber Risk

Today Amazon Web Services (AWS) suffered an outage taking down major banks and apps. A timely reminder that today’s digital t…
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Noel Clarke, Libel, and the Streisand Effect: A Costly Pursuit of Reputation

Noel Clarke, Libel, and the Streisand Effect: A Costly Pursuit of Reputation

Jamie Hurworth and Hanna Basha, both leading Privacy and Media experts at Payne Hicks Beach, examine Noel Clarke’s unsuccessf…
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Striking the balance between police transparency and privacy

Striking the balance between police transparency and privacy

Privacy and Media experts Jamie Hurworth and Hanna Basha alongside Defence and Investigations expert Mark Jones, have had the…
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Hanna Basha

Parliamentary privilege should be reviewed to protect sanctity of courts- Hanna Basha for The Times.

Privacy law expert Hanna Basha, Partner at Payne Hicks Beach wrote an insightful column for The Times today on the complicate…
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Finfluencing – A Criminal and Reputational Risk? 

Finfluencing – A Criminal and Reputational Risk? 

Privacy and Media expert Hanna Basha and Defence and Investigations expert Mark Jones, Partners at Payne Hicks Beach, explore…
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Privacy in the Modern World

Privacy in the Modern World: Transparency in the West vs Privacy in the East 

Transcript of speech from Dominic Crossley – 3 October 2024 – Transcontinental Trusts Istanbul 2024.
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Hargrave Case

Victory for Nick Hargrave in Davidoff & Ors v Hargrave.

Richard Davidoff, Hannah Davidoff, Tamara Davidoff and Debby Davidoff have discontinued their defamation claim against Nick H…
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Steve Dymond

Decision of His Majesty’s Coroner in the inquest of Steve Dymond 

Today, after 5 1/2 years, His Majesty’s Coroner made a finding of suicide in the highly publicised inquest of Steve Dymond wh…
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Public Statements

Public statements can have privacy implications for politicians – Hanna Basha for The Times

Hanna Basha, Privacy and Media Partner, Payne Hicks Beach writes for The Times today on why politicians need to be wary of ma…
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Politicised cases: Russian citizenship, article 8 and sanctions

Politicised cases: Russian citizenship, article 8 and sanctions

Matt Ingham, Asylum Partner and Mark Jones, Defence & Investigations Partner at Payne Hicks Beach and Isaac Ricca Richard…
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PAUL KERNAGHAN’S INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF THE ICGS PUBLISHED 13 MAY 2024 

PAUL KERNAGHAN’S INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF THE ICGS PUBLISHED 13 MAY 2024 

Earlier this year, we submitted written evidence to Paul Kernaghan’s Independent Review of the Independent Complaints and Gri…
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Mark Jones

The rise of deepfakes how UHNWs are protecting their families

As protection from online harms is becoming an increasing concern for parents Mark Jones, Partner and Defence and Investigati…
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Ofcom

Ofcom warns social media platforms of potential under-18 ban for non-compliance

Hanna Basha, Media & Privacy Partner at Payne Hicks Beach spoke to Solicitors Journal and offered a critical perspective…
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Hanna Basha

Industry reax: Ofcom warns social media firms of bans without safety compliance

Hanna Basha, Privacy and Media specialist, Payne Hicks Beach, commented in the media about the urgency to protect children fr…
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Creating sexually explicit ‘deepfakes’ to become a criminal offence

Creating sexually explicit ‘deepfakes’ to become a criminal offence

Following the government’s proposal to criminalise the creation of deepfake sexually explicit images, regardless of whether t…
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The Companies House changes introduced by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act. 

The Companies House changes introduced by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act. 

Mark Jones and Henry Watkinson detail the changes to be aware of introduced by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency…
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Duchess wins High Court privacy case – Radio 4 Today interviews Dominic Crossley

Duchess wins High Court privacy case – Radio 4 Today interviews Dominic Crossley

The Radio 4 Today Programme interviewed Dominic Crossley, Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution and Privacy Law Specialist a…
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Hanna Basha

Legal issues that arise from ‘deepfakes’ being used in online scams

Hanna Basha, Partner in the Media & Privacy team, spoke on the topic on ITV News on 13 May 2024.
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Criminal and regulatory reform

Are your reputation and privacy at risk if you donate to a political party?

In their latest article Hanna Basha, Partner, and Nick Grant, Senior Associate, explore how donors to political parties need…
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Online Safety Act receives Royal Assent

Online Safety Act receives Royal Assent

Henry Watkinson and Hanna Basha of our Dispute Resolution Team go in-depth on the implications of the new Act in their latest…
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Dominic Crossley

Hancock’s WhatsApp messages: Public Interest or Private Betrayal – Dominic Crossley for PR Week

Did the Daily Telegraph call it right or have they opened themselves up to a legal clash?
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Naming and shaming’ by the FCA

The covid-19 inquiry and Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages

Are we set for a showdown between Baroness Hallett, who chairs the covid-19 inquiry, and the government regarding the diaries…
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Hanna Basha

The BBC ‘wrong guy’ – Hanna Basha for Media Watch

Hanna Basha, Litigation Partner in the Media & Privacy recently commented for ABC Media Watch on the potential for a clai…
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5 years on from the “Pestminster” Scandal: What next for investigations into MP’s conduct?

5 years on from the “Pestminster” Scandal: What next for investigations into MP’s conduct?

The call for written evidence to assist Paul Kernaghan’s independent review of the Independent Complaints and Grievance Schem…
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Deepfake porn

Deepfake porn – the fightback – Mark Jones featured in The Times

With the news that Taylor Swift has become a victim of deep fakes, Mark Jones, Partner at Payne Hicks Beach is quoted at leng…
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UK Online Safety Act

UK Online Safety Act – The New “Communication Offences”

The Online Safety Act (the “Act”) received Royal Assent on Thursday 26 October.
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contentious probate solicitors

Increased compelled powers for the UK Serious Fraud Office – Mark Jones and Henry Watkinson for Fraud Intelligence.

On 15th January 2024, section 211 of The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 came into force, expanding the sc…
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Deepfakes: is the law capable of protecting individuals in light of new technology?

Deepfakes: is the law capable of protecting individuals in light of new technology?

Following the Met’s decision that the deepfake audio of London Mayor Sadiq Khan ‘does not constitute a criminal offence…
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