Harry and Meghan’s defamation battle

Following the news that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are stepping back as members of the Royal Family, you could be forgiven for thinking that recent media coverage reads like a leaked script for season 4 of The Crown.

Amongst the many questions (or varying interest and relevance) which are being asked about this royal development, one which has caught some journalists’ eye is whether, and how, this will affect the Sussexes’ ongoing legal battle with the British tabloid press.

Our Joshua Schuermann was contacted by news and entertainment website E! to provide some insight on this issue. The full article by Corinne Heller and Beth Sobol can be accessed here.

As an experienced civil litigator and former media and defamation specialist, Joshua was well positioned to answer questions posed by the American press about the UK legal system.

Although most of you are unlikely to encounter legal issues which closely resemble those faced by Harry and Meghan, the key point of Joshua’s commentary is that, when assessing a legal dispute, it is vital to look beyond the strict legal issues at stake. It is crucial to see the broader picture – while this naturally varies from case to case, it usually includes issues such as funding, the level of disruption to personal and professional life, possible reputational fallout, and litigation risk.

As expert litigators, whatever the dispute you are faced with, Briffa can provide assistance, strategic advice, and insight to help you make the informed, correct decisions and ultimately achieve the best possible results.