Spear’s Review

‘All cases, whether they are a privacy claim or not, have a reputation angle,’ says Andrew Willan, a partner in Payne Hicks Beach’s litigation, arbitration and dispute resolution practice.

Acting for clients engaged in commercial disputes or state-backed attacks is not unusual for Willan, who often finds himself in the Family Court, Commercial Court and Coroners’ Courts, and who is comfortable dealing with cases that pull him ‘in a number of different directions’ – from pre-publication disputes to data breaches and harassment.

He regularly advises high-profile, high-net-worth individuals, including celebrities, sportspeople, politicians, entrepreneurs and businesspeople. The field of reputation management is evolving, he acknowledges, as clients face new and dynamic threats. ‘Gone are the days where you can just expect blanket privacy,’ he says. ‘Every significantly wealthy individual has to expect their profile to be in the public domain to some extent, so it’s important for clients to pre-empt issues.’