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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