Barristers
Timothy Atkinson
Email:
ta@onebrickcourt.com
Call: 1988
SPECIALISATION
- Defamation
- Malicious Falsehood/Trade libel
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Privacy and Confidence
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Injunctions
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Harassment
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Reporting Restrictions
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Contempt of Court
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Protection of Sources
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Data Protection
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Freedom of Information
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Regulation of Investigatory Powers
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Access to Court Documents
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Production Orders
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Pre-publication Advice
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Obscenity laws & Censorship
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Negligent Misstatement
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Media-related judicial review
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Human Rights Law, particularly articles 8 and 10 of the ECHR
Timothy has a broad practice encompassing all aspects of media and information law. His clients have included national newspapers, broadcasters, magazines and book publishers,etc. He has advised and appeared as an advocate in Gibraltar for several leading politicians and he has also undertaken work for the Treasury. Timothy has also received instructions from Hong Kong and Channel Island jurisdictions.
RECOMMENDATIONS
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
- NMT Medical Inc. -v- Dr. Wilmhurst - Junior Counsel for Claimant led by Richard Rampton QC.
- McFadden v News Group Newspapers – Currently representing a police officer against the Sun Newspaper
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Schofield v Neish – Currently representing 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 – Appears 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
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Pell –v- Express Newspapers Ltd - Drafted Mr Pell’s statements of case in relation to his eventually successful claim concerning defamatory articles in the Sunday Express – the case involved detailed consideration of the offer of amends defence under the Defamation Act 1996
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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
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Jackson –v- MGN Ltd - Instructed as second junior on behalf of the pop star, Michael Jackson, to draft skeleton argument for an appeal to the Court of Appeal in relation to the defendant’s application for a stay pending production of the Claimant’s medical records
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 on Libel & Slander
INTERESTS
History, religion, Japan, music, travel and watching cricket.