Chiefly advising on defendant-side work, the media and communications disputes practice at Simons Muirhead Burton represents some of the UK’s most prominent publishers and broadcasters. The firm also has a strong track record in defending major European publishing houses, NGOs, and trade unions. Team head Jeffrey Smele - a key contact for major publishers - has significant experience in pre-publication clearance, newsgathering issues and regulatory complaints. Louis Charalambous is recognised for his deep knowledge of libel and privacy claims. Razi Mireskandari, who also leads the firm’s dispute resolution practice, brings extensive experience in media litigation. Stephen Shotnes specialises in pre-publication and dispute resolution matters concerning publishers, while Martin Soames focuses on publishing disputes. Dinah Shiloh is a seasoned litigator who acts for both claimants and defendants in libel, privacy, confidentiality and harassment cases. Emma Linch is another standout in the team, who concentrates on defamation and misuse of private information matters.
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘So responsive and excellent summaries of the law, with commercial reality embedded into the advice. Really great to work with, especially for an in-house lawyer who is usually short on time.’
'Jeffrey Smele stands out; he has a pragmatic approach to legal advice that's straight to the point and simplifies complicated law. He always delivers exactly what we need in terms of manageable advice to understand risk. The team is a breeze to work with!’
Key clients
- News Group Newspapers Limited (‘NGN’), publisher of The Sun
- Reach / MGN Ltd (publisher of the Mirror)
- New York Times/Serial Productions
- ITN
- Penguin Random House
- Simon & Schuster
- The London Review of Books
- Channel 4
- Verso Books
- Lad Bible
Work highlights
- Acting for ITN and Channel 4 in a libel claim filed by Dyson Technology Ltd, Dyson Ltd and Sir James Dyson over allegations made in a Channel 4 news broadcast concerning forced labour issues at a factory in Malaysia, which was a major supplier of Dyson products.
- Acting as panel legal representatives for a major media insurer, successfully defending threatened claims for a wide range of insured clients, including several MPs, social workers, and regulatory bodies.
- Defending United Learning Trust in a libel claim filed by a former senior teacher of Holland Park School over statements published on the school’s website.
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Practice head
Jeffrey Smele
Other key lawyers
Louis Charalambous; Razi Mireskandari; Stephen Shotnes; Martin Soames; Maninder Gill; Dinah Shiloh; Emma Linch