Chambers and Partners, 2010 Edition
A client’s guide to the UK Legal Profession
Researchers Comments
This outfit acts for a mixture of celebrity, corporate and high net worth individual clients in defamation, privacy and reputation management matters, with an excellent profile that continues to attract a steady stream of new clients. Of late, it has obtained damages, an apology and a statement in court for Kaupthing Bank in its claim against a Danish newspaper. It is also representing JK Rowling's son in a ground-breaking privacy claim brought against Big Pictures.
Senior partner Keith Schilling is "the scourge of newspapers – he has a big practice and a phenomenal reputation." Interviewees compare Gideon Benaim to "a sparky Catherine wheel of ideas, who is always trying to find clever, new ways of doing things." Rachel Atkins is another highly regarded member of the team. Her litigation practice focuses on reputation management on behalf of corporate entities and high-profile individuals. Rod Christie-Miller "has absolutely top-notch technical knowledge and is always very up to date, which he combines with a great ability to explain things to clients and put them at their ease." John Kelly impresses interviewees with his reputation management practice, having recently acted for clients as high-profile and diverse as Northern Rock and Madonna.
Jenny Afia remains a favourite with clients for her work on both pre and post-publication matters. Clients identify Chris Scott as an up-and-coming associate due to his strong eye for tactics and detail.
The Firm
Schillings is one of Britain's top law firms dedicated to safeguarding the reputations of international corporations, brands, celebrities and high profile business people. The firm's track record in defamation, privacy and copyright cases is second to none.
Schillings provides extensive litigation and commercial legal advice to top international companies, governments, politicians, chief executives, high profile business people, Hollywood film stars, musicians and celebrities from the world of entertainment and sport.
Its clients include supermodel Naomi Campbell, actress Nicole Kidman, actor Hugh Grant, seven times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, Harry Potter author JK Rowling, pharmaceuticals maker GlaxoSmithKline, leading investment bank Kaupthing, steel maker Arcelor Mittal of the Harrods Group, and the London Stock Exchange.
Defamation, privacy and copyright are at the heart of the firm's work, prompting The Independent newspaper to call Schillings a "spectacularly efficient media law firm."
From newspapers, television and radio to the internet, Schillings has the expertise to respond rapidly and effectively to protect corporations, high profile individuals and celebrities when their reputations are threatened in the media.
The firm is at the cutting-edge of reputation management. Schillings is characterised by its dynamic, flexible approach. It also has a track record of achieving results over the last 25 years.
With unrivalled skills and connections, Schillings ensures that its clients' cases are handled with absolute discretion.
Clients value Schillings for its incisive judgment, rigour and speed.
For Schillings, legal advice is not just about litigation. The firm strives to ensure that high profile court cases are the last resort: the exception, not the rule.
The firm uses the law to protect the reputations, privacy and confidentiality of clients by helping them and their PR advisers to manage what is published and broadcast about them. It is their ability to adapt to the threats posed by the everchanging media landscape which keeps them at the forefront of this specialist area.
The firm's partners have won a reputation for securing landmark rulings.
Its groundbreaking privacy work in a claim by Naomi Campbell against the Daily Mirror in 2004 secured a landmark ruling by the House of Lords to protect personal privacy.
In 2006, Schillings helped City stockbrokers Collins Stewart Tullett plc to resolve a major defamation case against the Financial Times. The newspaper agreed to publish a front page apology, to pay £300,000 in damages as well as legal costs.
In addition to media law, Schillings has flourishing sports, music, commercial litigation and matrimonial practices.
Principal Areas of Work
Schillings' main practice is dedicated to protecting the reputations of both corporate and private clients.
Schillings has represented commercial and corporate clients including GlaxoSmithKline, Icelandic bank Kaupthing, Grant Thornton, Northern Rock, The Law Society of England and Wales and Arcelor Mittal.
The firm has also acted for private clients including Nicole Kidman, Will Smith, Nicolas Cage, Keira Knightley, Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Kate Winslet, Wayne Rooney, Roman Polanski and Lord Browne of Madingley.
The Sports Practice mainly acts in contentious and crisis matters involving regulatory bodies, the decisions of selectors, in criminal cases and matters of reputation. The firm's clients include the Wasserman Media Group (formerly SFX Sports), Rio Ferdinand and Harry Redknapp.
Solicitors in the Music Practice act for artists, managers and record companies providing commercial, practical and timely contractual and media management advice to clients such as Amy Winehouse, Britney Spears, and Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne.
The Commercial Litigation Practice is involved in significant litigation and intellectual property disputes. The firm's industry expertise and tenacity ensures swift solutions to disputes. It handles high profile employment matters and specialises in acting for senior executives in dispute with their employers, including Piers Morgan in relation to his departure from the Daily Mirror newspaper.
The Matrimonial Practice has considerable experience representing high profile and wealthy clients, especially in divorce cases with substantial assets at stake.
Schillings represented the first wife to be awarded half the marital assets in a high net worth divorce in a 2002 ruling by the court of appeal, a landmark decision recognising the work of wives as homemakers.
Reproduced from the Chambers and Partners 2009 edition.