Philip
qualified in 1984 and joined the entertainment and media
firm Wright Webb Syrett a year later where he worked
in the litigation department until its merger with Davenport
Lyons in March 1995. He has continued to operate
in this field working mainly for media organisations.
Philip has acted for prominent individuals, politicians,
actors, writers and entertainers in claims against
publishers which brought him into contact with most
media organisations. In the last 15 years he has concentrated mainly
on defendant work. Philip has acted for many national newspapers although
principally for the Express and Mirror titles. He is also an adviser to
Centaur Media Plc on its media issues relating to their titles, the most well
known of which are The Lawyer, Money Marketing, Mortgage Strategy and Marketing
Week. These titles also focus on the web, which brings different legal
problems. In addition he advises IPE Investment and Pensions Europe and
Omnibus Press, part of the Music Sales Group.
Philip has been interviewed on national radio broadcast
and television news programmes on issues involving
the media such as libel and privacy. He has written
magazine articles and lectures extensively to journalists. Philip was
on the Law Society Committee on Privacy and on the Law Society Committee on Defamation
and was closely involved in the drafting of the Pre-action Protocol for Defamation.
High profile cases handled by Philip over the last
20 years:
-
Cases brought against the
British Media by Carmen Proetta, the witness
to the IRA shooting in Gibraltar as featured
on the television programme “Death
on the Rock”.
-
Gordon Kaye’s claim against the Sunday
newspaper that secretly photographed him in hospital. The
case resulted in the Court of Appeal calling
for a law of privacy.
-
Representing the Sunday Express in its successful
defence against the malicious falsehood and contempt
prosecution brought by Moors murderer Ian Brady.
-
Acted for the Sunday Express
in Milne v Express Newspapers on the new “Offer of Amends Procedure” which
was introduced by the 1996 Defamation Act.
-
The Lawyer Magazine in the recent ruling on embargoed
judgments in the Da Vinci case.
Philip now spends a considerable amount of time
advising many media organisations in respect of problems
that arise pre litigation.
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