22
Hamlins LLP W
www.lawyer-monthly.com
JANUARY 2013
ill self-regulation
of the press work?
Hamlins discusses the findings of the Leveson Report
christopher Hutchings
Lord Justice Leveson’s Report was published back in December, outlining his recommendations for press regulation following a lengthy and in-depth investigation in the aftermath of the phone hacking scandal involving News International, a case which dominated much of last year’s
headlines. To find out more, Lawyer Monthly speaks exclusively to Christopher Hutchings, head of media law at Hamlins LLP, a firm that was involved in the Leveson Inquiry and who act for phone-hacking victims, making them well-placed to comment.
What are your initial reactions to the Report?
The UK media sector is hugely diverse. It is admired around the world but the actions of a section of the press, which resulted in the Leveson Inquiry, brought part into disrepute and caused deep public concern. The Inquiry exposed unhealthy relationships between the media and politicians and also the police.
We were involved at stages during the Leveson Inquiry, advising publishing clients in preparing to give evidence at the Inquiry and saw first-hand the lengths to which Lord Leveson, aided by a bank of lawyers, went to understand how the media operates. The Inquiry heard many months of evidence from those ranging from victims of phone hacking, a broad representation from the media, to police and politicians.
This has resulted in a Report running to over two thousand pages. The powerful critique of how sections of the media operate should not be drowned out by clamour, led by the press itself, as to the nature of the new regulatory body recommended by the Inquiry and how self- regulation will work going forward.
Is it what you expected or has it surprised you at all? If yes, in what way?
The Inquiry was reported comprehensively from day one at least by certain sections of the media. The evidence given at the various stages was analysed on what was effectively a real-time basis by the media, politicians and media lawyers. I was shocked by the evidence of systematic methods deployed by sections of the media in order to achieve a commercial
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112