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09 September 2010
Issue: 7432 / Categories: Legal News
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Libel tourism doubts

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New era sees claims from celebrities triple

The number of libel cases bought by celebrities and sports stars nearly trebled in the past year, and there were more defamation cases overall.
There were 57 reported defamation cases in 2007-08, 78 the folloing year, and 83 over the past year (2009-10). Last year, some 30 cases were brought by celebrities, including Peter Andre, Lily Allen and David Beckham, compared with 11 cases the year before.

According to publishers Sweet & Maxwell, which commissioned the research, the rise may partly be down to closer working relationships between agents and law firms. Also, increased use of digital media monitoring services of print and online media by the managers of celebrities give a more reliable record of when the media might have published damaging material.

Some sections of the media have attributed the rise in claims to the use of “no win, no fee” agreements.

Media lawyer, Korieh Duodu of Addleshaw Goddard LLP, said the number of defamation cases could have been higher if celebrities had not also started to use

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

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Sponsored by
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NEWS
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NLJ this week: Mazur and more—inside the litigation frontline

From blockbuster judgments to procedural shake-ups, the courts are busy reshaping litigation practice. Writing in NLJ this week, Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School hails the Court of Appeal's 'exquisite judgment’ in Mazur restoring the role of supervised non-qualified staff, and highlights a ‘mammoth’ damages ruling likened to War and Peace, alongside guidance on medical reporting fees, where a pragmatic 25% uplift was imposed

NLJ this week: Social media bans for children spark legal dilemmas
Momentum is building behind proposals to restrict children’s access to social media—but the legal and practical challenges are formidable. In NLJ this week, Nick Smallwood of Mills & Reeve examines global moves, including Australia’s under-16 ban and the UK's consultation
NLJ this week: Leasehold reform risks creating ‘forgotten freeholders’
Reforms designed to rebalance landlord-tenant relations may instead penalise leaseholders themselves. In this week's NLJ, Mike Somekh of The Freehold Collective warns that the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 risks creating an ‘underclass’ of resident-controlled freehold companies
NLJ this week: Court of Appeal clarifies when a claim truly begins
Timing is everything—and the Court of Appeal has delivered clarity on when proceedings are ‘brought’. In his latest 'Civil way' column for NLJ, Stephen Gold explains that a claim is issued for limitation purposes when the claim form is delivered to the court, even if fees are underpaid
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The traditional ‘single, intensive day’ of financial dispute resolution (FDR) may be due for a rethink. Writing in NLJ this week, Rachel Frost-Smith and Lauren Guiler of Birketts propose a ‘split FDR’ model, separating judicial evaluation from negotiation
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