The Legal 500

One Brick Court is a leading set of chambers specialising in media and information law. The set is recognised as a leader in the fields of defamation, privacy, confidence, malicious falsehood, freedom of information, data protection, contempt, reporting restrictions, harassment, and all media related law.

The set: One Brick Court has been a leading specialist in libel since the 1880s. Many eminent libel lawyers and judges have been members, including Sir Gerald Slade, Sir Neville Faulks, Colin Duncan QC, Sir Brian Neill, Sir David Hirst, Sir David Eady, Dame Victoria Sharp and Edward Garnier QC MP, the solicitor general.

Members of chambers act for corporate, media and individual claimants and defendants, as well as government departments, local authorities, NGOs and trades unions. Members appear in all divisions of the High Court, the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and Privy Council. Members also appear before professional, disciplinary and regulatory tribunals (including the First Tier and Upper Tribunals, Ofcom and sports disciplinary tribunals), as well as arbitrations and mediations. Members of chambers make representations on reporting restrictions and other media-related issues in all tribunals, including the criminal and family courts, coroners’ courts and employment tribunal. Chambers regularly receives instructions from solicitors worldwide, including Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

Members of One Brick Court combine the highest standards of legal learning, experience and practical judgement with able and committed advocacy (both jury and appellate). Members write and contribute to leading works on media law, including Halsbury’s Laws (Libel and Slander), Duncan and Neill on Defamation, Bullen & Leake & Jacob’s Precedents of Pleadings, Carter-Ruck on Libel and Privacy, Atkins Court Forms on Defamation, Confidence, Privacy, Data Protection, Freedom of Information and Regulation of Investigatory Powers.

One Brick Court won ‘Set of the Year’ for Defamation/Privacy at the Chambers Bar Awards in 2006, 2007 and 2009. Andrew Caldecott QC (2005, 2007 and 2009) and Richard Rampton QC (2006) have both won ‘Silk of the Year’ and in 2008 Catrin Evans won ‘Junior of the Year’.

Chambers prides itself on being a modem and friendly set with an approachable and efficient clerking team.

Types of work undertaken: Chambers has been instrumental in the development of privacy law and the development of free speech under the Human Rights Act, with members appearing in many of the leading cases in this developing area, notably Naomi Campbell v MGN Ltd, Cream Holdings v Banerjee, and Lord Browne v Associated Newspapers, Greene v Associated Newspapers Ltd, Reynolds v Times Newspapers, and Jameel v WSJE. Members in the past year have acted in many of the high-profile media law case, including Spiller v Joseph, Butturina v Times News, HEFCE v IC and Guardian News & Media, R v Morley & ors, R v Ofcom (ex parte Gaunt), Flood v Times Newspapers, Ajinomoto v Asda.

As well as defamation and privacy/breach of confidence, members deal with data protection, freedom of information, contempt, media reporting restrictions in criminal and civil cases, harassment, malicious falsehood, negligent mis-statement, obscenity laws and censorship and all claims relating to the tension between the rights to reputation and privacy and freedom of expression. Related human rights issues are handled, together with judicial review.

Members offer a fast and competitive pre-publication advice service, for which they are able to receive instructions directly from media clients and can provide out-of-hours and weekend cover for urgent injunctions.