Carter-Ruck and Schillings line up on committee to review press freedom
The controversial issue of superinjunctions and the freedom of the press are to be examined by a committee set up by the Master of the Rolls, Lord Neuberger, it was announced today (6 April). The committee includes Carter-Ruck media partner Alasdair Pepper and Schillings chief executive Rod Christie-Miller, both of whose firms have faced media scrutiny in recent months for their use of superinjunctions to prevent news organisations from revealing the identities of those involved in legal disputes.
April 06, 2010 at 07:27 AM
2 minute read
The controversial issue of superinjunctions and the freedom of the press are to be examined by a committee set up by the Master of the Rolls, Lord Neuberger, it was announced today (6 April).
The committee includes Carter-Ruck media partner Alasdair Pepper and Schillings chief executive Rod Christie-Miller, both of whose firms have faced media scrutiny in recent months for their use of superinjunctions to prevent news organisations from revealing the identities of those involved in legal disputes.
Other members on the committee, which will meet for the first time next month (4 May) include:
• Bar Council chairman Desmond Browne QC;
• Ministry of Justice head of legal policy Michelle Dyson;
• Lord Justice Moore-Bick;
• Mr Justice Tugenhadt;
• Marcus Partington, legal director at Trinity Mirror; and
• Guardian News & Media director of editorial legal services Gill Phillips.
The establishment of the committee follows the recent publication of a report by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on press standards, privacy and libel.
The report states: "[We] strongly urge that a way is found to limit the use of superinjunctions as far as is possible and to make clear that they are not intended to fetter the fundamental rights of the press to report the proceedings of Parliament. Given the importance of these issues, we hope that a clear statement regarding the way forward is made before the end of this Parliament."
Last October questions were raised about the freedom of the press in the UK when Carter-Ruck attempted to block The Guardian from reporting an MP's question about an injunction obtained by the law firm on behalf of its client Trafigura.
The injunction banned coverage of a confidential report on oil company Trafigura – which reached a settlement with claimants after being accused of dumping toxic waste off the Ivory Coast – and of the existence of the injunction itself. The gagging order was later lifted.
The issue also made headlines in January when an order obtained by John Terry was overturned by the High Courtt, revealing that the England football captain had had an affair with an ex-girlfriend of his former team-mate Wayne Bridge.
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