Defamation Solicitors

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Defamation Solicitors

What is Defamation?

You may well be able to take legal action against an individual or a business that has made a defamatory statement about you.  A defamatory statement is one which would lower you in the estimation of an ordinary, reasonable member of society. When that statement is written down or recorded it is called libel and when it is spoken it is slander.

Since the introduction of the Defamation Act 2013 there has been an additional requirement that the statement has caused or is likely to cause serious harm to your reputation. The Courts have been deliberating on what constitutes serious harm’ for the purposes of the Act but appear to have taken a common sense approach; the gravity of the allegation and the extent of the publication will act as signposts to the seriousness of any damage. For example, an accusation made to one person that you don’t tuck your shirt in will, almost always, cause less harm to your reputation than an allegation made in a national newspaper that you are a terrorist.

What defences are available?

If you have a viable claim in defamation the publisher may, nevertheless, be able to mount a defence. Most obviously, if what they have said about you is true, no matter how damaging to your reputation, they would be able to defend your claim.

Also, people can say what they like about you to the police or in court and are protected from a defamation claim by a defence known as Absolute Privilege. If they are lying then wasting police time is a criminal offence and they risk prosecution for perjury or contempt.

Where the person making the statement has an interest in making it or a duty to make it and the person informed of the allegation has a corresponding interest or duty in receiving that information, they may be able to rely on a similar defence known as Qualified Privilege. For example, this defence might be available in the workplace to someone who made a defamatory complaint about you to your employer or, perhaps, a professional body.

 

Such complaints often attract the protection of Qualified Privilege and it will defeat a defamation claim unless you can demonstrate that the person was acting maliciously.

The Defamation Act 2013 also contains defences of Honest Opinion and Publication on a Matter of Public Interest.  Where a publisher was expressing an opinion, indicates the basis for that opinion and can demonstrate that their opinion could be held by an honest person on the basis of either a fact that existed at the time of the publication or a purported fact in a privileged statement published before the publication, then they will be able to rely on an Honest Opinion defence.

In establishing whether a publisher can rely on the Publication on a Matter of Public Interest defence, the Courts will look at all of the circumstances of the case and decide whether the offending statement was on a matter of public interest and whether the person making it reasonably believed that making the statement was in the public interest.

How much will it cost?

Any kind of litigation can be expensive but we will conduct a cost/benefit analysis of the situation with you at the outset and provide ongoing costs estimates and updates as the matter progresses. At Grant Saw we have all the benefits of being based in London but our fees are competitive compared to city centre firms.

Everyone’s situation is different, however it would generally be possible to take instructions, advise and draft an initial letter of claim for around £1,500-£2,500 plus VAT.

If you would like to meet and discuss your options we can offer an initial one hour meeting at a set fee of £300 plus VAT. Lastly we are happy to consider acting for you on a no-win-no-fee basis in circumstances where we think your claim has a good prospect of success and the potential defendant has the means to satisfy a judgment for damages and a costs award.

Meet the Media, libel and privacy team
Ray Crudgington
Managing Partner
Managing Partner
greenwich
02083054224
ray.crudgington@grantsaw.co.uk
Maria Lati
Maria Lati
Partner
Partner and Head of Residential Property
blackheath
02083054229
maria.lati@grantsaw.co.uk
Mike Clary
Family
Partner and Head of Family
greenwich
02083054237
mike.clary@grantsaw.co.uk
Kalpa Prajapati
Partner
Partner and Head of Private Client
blackheath
02083053536
kalpa.prajapati@grantsaw.co.uk
Mario Savvides
Commercial Property
Partner and Head of Commercial Property
greenwich
02083053531
mario.savvides@grantsaw.co.uk
Sarah-Kate Jackson
Litigation
Partner and Head of Litigation
greenwich
02083054236
sarah-kate.jackson@grantsaw.co.uk
Adina-Leigh Collins
Litigation
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053556
adina-leigh.collins@grantsaw.co.uk
Aimal Gram
Commercial Property
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053524
aimal.gram@grantsaw.co.uk
Aisha Mohammed
Aisha Mohammed
Residential Property
Professional Support Lawyer
greenwich
02083054228
aisha.mohammed@grantsaw.co.uk
An Le Tran
Commercial Property
Professional Support Solicitor
greenwich
02083054226
anle.tran@grantsaw.co.uk
Ana-Maria Badeanu
Ana-Maria Badeanu
Corporate and Commercial
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053539
ana-maria.badeanu@grantsaw.co.uk
Angela Shaw
Angela Shaw
Private Client
Solicitor
blackheath
02083054234
angela.shaw@grantsaw.co.uk
Angus Young
Litigation
Solicitor
greenwich
02083054225
angus.young@grantsaw.co.uk
Atifha Aftab
Atifha Aftab
Family
Solicitor
greenwich
02083054238
atifha.aftab@grantsaw.co.uk
Bimal Kotecha
Litigation
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053523
bimal.kotecha@grantsaw.co.uk
Charlotte Warren
Charlotte Warren
Private Client
Solicitor
blackheath
02083054231
charlotte.warren@grantsaw.co.uk
Claire Mac Mahon
Litigation
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053537
claire.macmahon@grantsaw.co.uk
Deborah Taite
Residential Property
Solicitor
blackheath
02083053542
deborah.taite@grantsaw.co.uk
Emily Pearce
Residential Property
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053526
emily.pearce@grantsaw.co.uk
Georgia Beales
Litigation
Paralegal
greenwich
02083054206
georgia.beales@grantsaw.co.uk
Jeremy Brooks
Jeremy Brooks
Private Client
Solicitor
blackheath
02083053534
jeremy.brooks@grantsaw.co.uk
Joanna Godden
Notary Public
Notary
greenwich
02083083627
joanna.godden@grantsaw.co.uk
Lauren Smith
Employment
Paralegal
greenwich
02083053543
lauren.smith@grantsaw.co.uk
Mandeep Clair
Family
Solicitor
greenwich
02083054235
mandeep.clair@grantsaw.co.uk
Michael Pope
Corporate and Commercial
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053540
michael.pope@grantsaw.co.uk
Michelle Pinnington
Michelle Pinnington
Residential Property
Solicitor
blackheath
02083054216
michelle.pinnington@grantsaw.co.uk
Noella Gooden
Noella Gooden
Employment
Solicitor (Australian qualified)
greenwich
02083053543
noella.gooden@grantsaw.co.uk
Raj Waghela
Raj Waghela
Residential Property
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053529
raj.waghela@grantsaw.co.uk
Randeep Thethy
Randeep Thethy
Residential Property
Solicitor
greenwich
02083054209
randeep.thethy@grantsaw.co.uk
Sarah Hogan
Sarah Hogan
Residential Property
Solicitor
blackheath
02083054214
sarah.hogan@grantsaw.co.uk
Simona Morina
Simona Morina
Litigation
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053521
simona.morina@grantsaw.co.uk
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Simone Gavioli
Litigation
Solicitor
greenwich
02083053548
simone.gavioli@grantsaw.co.uk
Susan Collins
Commercial Property
Solicitor
greenwich
02083054200
susan.collins@grantsaw.co.uk
Tatiana Zenina
Tatiana Zenina
Private Client
Solicitor
blackheath
02083054239
tatiana.zenina@grantsaw.co.uk
Trisha Djemal
Trisha Djemal
Residential Property
Consultant Solicitor
blackheath
02083053546
trisha.djemal@grantsaw.co.uk
Tyrone Grant
Residential Property
Head of Leasehold Enfranchisement
blackheath
02083053522
tyrone.grant@grantsaw.co.uk
Denise
Accounts Staff
greenwich
02088586971
enquiries@grantsaw.co.uk
Helen Arney
Helen Arney
Support Staff
HR Manager
greenwich
02083054233
helen.arney@grantsaw.co.uk
Jamie
Support Staff
Head of IT
greenwich
02088586971
enquiries@grantsaw.co.uk
Jayne Lye
Support Staff
Office Manager
greenwich
02083054204
jayne.lye@grantsaw.co.uk
Kasia
Accounts Staff
greenwich
02088586971
enquiries@grantsaw.co.uk
Michael Tobin
Michael Tobin
Support Staff
Marketing and Business Development Manager
greenwich
02083053550
michael.tobin@grantsaw.co.uk
Laura Danquah
Solicitor and Compliance Manager
greenwich
02083054222
laura.danquah@grantsaw.co.uk
Sue Holness
Support Staff
Customer Services
greenwich
02083054221
sue.holness@grantsaw.co.uk