Reputation and privacy are valuable assets for any high-net-worth individual. When these are placed under threat — whether by the press, individuals on social media or other actors — the right reputation and privacy lawyer can be indispensable.
Indeed, representation has arguably never been more essential. Disinformation is on the rise, a dual threat that has arisen from nefarious actors spreading deep fakes and amoral machines — ‘intelligent’ chatbots and AIs which unwittingly spread falsehoods about HNWs.
Meanwhile, the political climate affecting HNWs has never been more severe. The UK government has brought forward legislation to make it easier for cases deemed to be so-called ‘strategic lawsuits against public participation’ (‘SLAPPs’) to be dismissed by courts — although HNW advisers argue the changes may impede their clients’ ability to robustly defend their reputations. Spear’s reveals the industry leaders to know.
Click the links below to jump to a section of this article:
- Methodology
- Reputation and privacy lawyers: the names to know
- Best reputation and privacy lawyers: the complete list
- Contact us
[See also: the Spear’s ranking of the best reputation managers]
Methodology
Each year, the Spear’s Research Unit reassesses and refreshes its rankings of the leading providers in each sector by gathering data from and about the advisers and firms themselves, assessing submission forms, collating nominations, carrying out peer reviews, reviewing data from third-party sources, gathering references and recommendations, canvassing experts and conducting hundreds of interviews.
Advisers are evaluated using a proprietary scoring system that assigns different weightings to certain attributes. These scores feed directly into each new set of rankings in the Spear’s Indices. Each of these indices are published first online (according to the research calendar) and then in print. Print publication takes the form of the annual Spear’s 500 directory, which includes the top advisers in every index.
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[See also: A guide to The Spear’s 500: Everything you need to know]
Each featured adviser is profiled on spears500.com. The site allows users to search the Spear’s database of more than 4,000 entities to find one (or more) to meet their specific requirements by filtering for specific attributes such as an adviser’s location, their specialist expertise and information about their client base.
Reputation and privacy lawyers: Some of the top names to know
Iain Wilson – Brett Wilson
Iain Wilson is one of the founding partners of Brett Wilson, and one of Spear’s Top Flight advisers in this year’s ranking of the best reputation lawyers. A leading practicioner of media law in England and Wales, Wilson specialises in limiting the damage done to his clients by unwanted, negative or intrusive publication, including combatting defamation in the press and harassment campaigns perpetrated by individuals on social media and elsewhere.
Read Iain Wilson’s full profile at Spears500.com
Jenny Afia – Schillings
Schillings partner and one of our Top Flight advisers Jenny Afia is regularly sought out by the highest-profile clients. Having represented the likes of Johnny Depp and the Duchess of Sussex, to name just two examples, she has a wealth of experience handling the biggest privacy and reputation cases on the biggest stage.
Read Jenny Afia’s full profile at Spears500.com
Nicholas Taylor – Healys
The head of tech and media for the London/Brighton-based law firm Healys, Nicholas Taylor is featured among this year’s Recommended reputation lawyers. Nicholas Taylor specialises in media law and disputes between public figures – with the latter including defamation and privacy claims, breach of confidentiality and the protection of intellectual property and other important rights.
Read Nicholas Taylor’s full profile at Spears500.com
Hanna Basha – Payne Hicks Beach
Spear’s Top Recommended reputation and privacy lawyer Hanna Basha is a specialist in defamation, privacy, data protection, harassment and breach of confidence cases. She has acted in a number of landmark cases in her impressive career, and was part of the team representing Naomi Campbell in her high-profile privacy claim against the Mirror.
Read Hanna Basha’s full profile at Spears500.com
Alex McCready – Vardags
Trusted by royal families, billionaires and CEOs, Spear’s Top Recommended adviser Alex McCready is a standout among the lawyers to have risen to the partnerships of leading private client firms in recent years. She is renowned for her work in cyber threats and pre-publication withdrawals.
Read Alex McCready’s full profile at Spears500.com
Gregory Monk – Vardags
A new addition to the Spear’s 500 rankings, Vardags’ Gregory Monk specialises in crisis management. He most frequently handles delicate matters ranging from defamation and blackmail threats to company leaks and confidential information disputes. His clients include high-profile politicians, executives, and individuals facing the fallout from public scandals.
Read Gregory Monk’s full profile at Spears500.com
Niri Shan – Taylor Wessing
Niri Shan is known for delivering a discreet service to clients that include UHNWs, family office principals and royal families – including that of Dubai, who have relied upon Shan to work on a highly sensitive case that attracted global media attention. This year, he is one of Spear’s Top Flight advisers, featuring at the top-end of the reputation and privacy lawyers ranking.
Read Niri Shan’s full profile at Spears500.com
Best reputation and privacy lawyers: the complete list
Click on the individual names to be directed to more detailed profiles on spears500.com. The table is ordered alphabetically by name.
Contact us
- To apply for inclusion in The Spear's 500, complete our submission form.
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