"Libel Specialist Solicitors"
17 Fleet Street, London, EC4Y 1AA
Fully Regulated by the Law Society of England and Wales

Libel law protects individuals from unjustified attacks on their reputation. A person is libelled if the words expose him or her to the risk of being:

• hated, ridiculed, or viewed with contempt, or
  
• shunned or avoided, or
  
• lowered in the standing of right thinking members of society, or
  
• discredited in his trade, business, office, or profession.
  

The law tries to balance the equally important but often opposing demand of freedom of expression.  The job of a journalist often involves saying things about people which they prefer not being said. The law allows you to report on what is true or comment on a fact based on truth. There are also situations protected by qualified privilege preventing libel challenges where there is a duty to give information and a corresponding interest to receive it.  This area of law is being developed with a new protection for "responsible" journalism which means getting the story right and acting on good advice.