Rebecca is a solicitor in the media group, part of our EMIP Department. She joined Hamlins as a trainee in 2013 having obtained a Distinction in her LPC from the University of Law. Rebecca specialises in privacy and defamation, as well as related aspects of reputation management such as pre-broadcast and pre-publication interventions to prevent or limit attacks on individuals and companies. She also has experience with internet take-down requests, complaints under the Data Protection Act, and harassment claims.
Rebecca assisted Christopher Hutchings in representing one of eight representative claimants in the High Court in the first ever civil phone-hacking trial, against Mirror Group Newspapers Limited. She has an in-depth knowledge and understanding of civil phone-hacking claims against both News Group and Mirror Group Newspapers.
Rebecca works with many of the leading barristers in the field. She provides pre-publication advice to publishers and has pursued libel claims for individual claimants and commercial organisations alike. For example, she assisted former Crystal Palace Football Club owner Simon Jordan in obtaining damages and a statement in open court from OK! magazine, and helped to obtain an apology from The Sun in relation to an article it published about the RBoS Shareholders Action Group Limited.
Prior to becoming a solicitor, Rebecca spent over seven years as a journalist on national publications, most notably as Features Editor of Country Life magazine and Deputy Literary Editor of The Independent on Sunday. Her previous career and experience as a journalist at a senior level gives her a unique perspective on libel and privacy claims and a commercial understanding of the publishing world. Rebecca continues to be published, providing legal commentary for national and industry titles.