Barristers
Timothy Atkinson
Email:
ta@onebrickcourt.com
Call: 1988
SPECIALISATION
Timothy has a broad practice encompassing defamation and media law, including non-contentious reputation management in the commercial and public spheres. He acts for both claimants (individual and corporate) and defendants, in particular, local and other public authority defendants. He has, among others, acted for politicians, successful business persons, trades unions, police officers, senior figures in education, and the Church of England. He is retained by the Law Society Gazette to provide pre-publication advice. He has, in addition, advised and appeared as an advocate in Gibraltar (including its Court of Appeal) for several leading politicians and has advised in relation to matters in Singapore, Hong Kong and the Channel Islands. He has advised a series of prominent clients from India and the Middle East.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Timothy Atkinson is a "fearsomely bright" and highly regarded junior who undertakes a great quantity of defamation cases. He is being led by Richard Rampton QC as junior counsel for the defendants in McLaughlin & Others v London Borough of Lambeth & Khan, a notable libel claim brought by the management of a school concerning e-mails written by the borough council's chief auditor. Chambers and Partners 2013
Well-regarded junior Timothy Atkinson was led by Richard Rampton QC, acting on behalf of the claimant NMT Medical Research in a libel action concerning allegations of research misconduct. He gets his fair share of top-end work.
Chambers and Partners 2012
The “hardworking” Timothy Atkinson is singled out.
The Legal 500 2011/12
Timothy Atkinson undertakes a variety of work in his busy practice, and receives instructions from as far away as Hong Kong and the Channel Islands. His work comprises both claimant and defendant claims, and he has had a number of significant cases such as McFadden v News Group Newspapers. He further represented the chairman of the Bar Council of Gibraltar in a libel claim.
Chambers and Partners 2011
Timothy Atkinson receives praise for his ability to "be tough in a polite way, and to remain quietly persistent."
Chambers and Partners 2010
Timothy Atkinson is “a top-draw name” for libel and privacy issues.
Chambers and Partners 2009
“Displaying a great deal of good sense,” Timothy Atkinson is “an exceptionally gifted advocate,” whose key draw for clients is that “he’s not one to shy away from the truth.”
Chambers and Partners 2008
“Polished and decisive.”
Chambers and Partners 2007
“Accessible” Timothy Atkinson is “user friendly and awfully bright.”
Chambers and Partners 2006
ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
St Paul’s School, London
Balliol College, Oxford, (Brackenbury Scholar) BA (Hons)
Winner of Prize Postgraduate Fellowship to study in New York
City University, London. Dip Law
REPRESENTATIVE CASES OF INTEREST
- McLaughlin v Lambeth Borough Council – Acted for Defendants (led by Richard Rampton QC) in this high profile reported defamation and Article 8 claim
- Cammish v Hughes - Acted for Claimant in this defamation claim which was the subject of a significant decision on the Jameel jurisdiction in the Court of Appeal
- Theobald v Lincolnshire Media Ltd – Acted for successful Claimant, a local councillor and former pop star agent
- NMT Medical Inc. -v- Wilmshurst – Acted for Claimant (led by Richard Rampton QC) in this high-profile litigation
- McFadden v News Group Newspapers –Recovered substantial compensation for a police officer against a national tabloid
- Schofield v Neish – Represented the Chairman of the Bar Council of Gibraltar in a libel claim by the wife of the Chief Justice
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Dressell v Guardian Newspapers – Appeared for the Observer Newspaper in successful defence of a contractual claim by a source
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Ramis -v- Cutting Edge Press - Secured libel damages against a book publishing company (Cutting Edge) for a prominent businessman
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Billany -v- Martin - Successfully resisted defamation claim against High Master of Manchester Grammar and a subsequent data protection application against the school
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Olafsson -v- Gisurarson - Appeared for Claimant, an Icelandic entrepreneur, who was awarded £65,000 for defamation. Involved consideration of Lugano Convention
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Hamill -v- Manchester Evening News - Instructed by the newspaper in relation to Rehabilitation of Offenders Act
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Kearns -v- General Council of the Bar - Important Court of Appeal decision on Qualified Privilege in regard to publication between those with a pre-existing relationship
- Al-Fagih -v- H.H Saudi - Acted for the newspaper in the Court of Appeal – important extension of Reynolds privilege to cover an account of a political dispute
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Multigroup Bulgaria –v- Oxford Analytica - Decision concerning the capacity of a holding company to sue in libel
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Austin –v- Newcastle Chronicle & Journal - Successful in the Court of Appeal in relation to the issue of extending time for service of the Particulars of Claim
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Cunningham/Follett –v- Times Newspapers Ltd - Acted for the newspaper in regard to a libel arbitration in relation to a claim by two MPs
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Rakhimov –v- Jennings - Early application of the Alexander approach as regards the summary determination of the issue of meaning
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Maneka Gandhi –v- Harper Collins - Acted for the Indian Minister who received substantial damages for a serious libel in a biography of Indira Gandhi
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Alexander –v- Arts Council of Wales - Acted for the Defendant in an important Court of Appeal case on (i) summary disposal in the context of defamation/consideration of Safeway Stores –v- Tate (ii) the circumstances in which permissible to remove malice from a jury. Had earlier acted at the trial which the Defendant won.
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Cornelius –v- de Taranto - Acted for the Claimant – the first case in which damages for hurt feelings were awarded in a breach of confidence context
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Garfoot –v- Walker - Acted for Mr Garfoot who was awarded £400,000 by a jury for false allegations of rape
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Isola –v- Vox - Acted in Gibraltar for the former leader of Opposition both at first instance and in the Court of Appeal
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Waple –v- Surrey CC - Successful in the Court of Appeal in overturning a ruling that the publication was absolutely privileged
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McDonald’s Corp –v- Steel & Morris - Instructed by McDonald’s in the longest English civil trial ever and the subsequent appeal as well as various interim appeals to the Court of Appeal
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Ashby –v- Times Newspapers - Drafted successful defence of justification for the newspaper concerning allegations that an MP was gay
PUBLICATIONS AND SEMINARS
One of the editors of the new 3rd edition of Duncan & Neill published October 2009 together with Sir Brian Neill, Richard Rampton QC, Heather Rogers QC and Aidan Eardley
An editor of Atkin's Court forms on Libel & Slander
A contributor to Arlidge & Eady on Contempt
MEMBERSHIPS
Member of the Human Rights Lawyers Association