John Kelly
Partner
John Kelly is a Partner at Schillings, who specialises in protecting the rights and reputations of corporates, brands and high profile individuals internationally. John’s client’s include High Net Worth Individuals, Chief Executives, Board Members and FTSE 100 companies. John heads Schillings International Practice.
John is an expert in using the laws of defamation, privacy and breach of confidence to protect client’s reputations from being attacked. Such attacks can come from traditional sources such as print and broadcast media, as well as competitors and online. John has used these skills to prepare clients in how best to protect against reputational attacks. John has particular expertise in crisis issues, including dealing with consumer affair and investigative television programmes.
John works with clients and their communications teams to develop strategic plans to protect reputations and brands. He is experienced in co-ordinating international campaigns and multi-jurisdictional litigation to achieve these aims. Such international campaigns have involved the US, Europe, Asia and Australia.
He has extensive experience in protecting clients’ reputations using a mixture of the laws of defamation, privacy and intellectual property combined with the use of technology to combat the growth of digital threats.
“The biggest challenge for clients is to be prepared and to take quick and decisive action to protect their reputations,” he says. “Without this the damage that can be inflicted on both individuals and corporations can be absolutely devastating.”
John represents a number of high profile individuals who have been the victim of phone hacking. He has also used his media law skills to advise high-profile individuals in the entertainment industry including Madonna, Nicole Kidman, the Osbournes, Matt Lucas and Angelina Jolie.
John also heads the firms Sports practice and has represented sports agents, players and clubs, and has advised a number of premiership and international football clubs as well as governing bodies and individuals. As well as advising premiership and international football clubs and agents he also provides sports stars with advice on contract disputes, sponsorship deals as well as general media management. The firm’s clients include Wayne Rooney, Christiano Ronaldo, Lance Armstrong, Michael Owen, Michael Essien, Tiger Woods and Roman Abramovich.
John is frequently asked to speak at international conferences and seminars and to comment on media issues.
John is ranked in ‘Best of the UK’ for Reputation Management/Defamation by Chambers and Partners Directory and is noted as being an “excellent litigator”, “always on the ball, wonderfully resourceful and supportive”.
Recent articles written by John Kelly
+ Steve Coogan settles phone hacking case
+ Court of Appeal orders Glenn Mulcaire to reveal who instructed him to hack Steve Coogan's voicemails
+ Time for Australia to embrace privacy as a basic human right
+ An Australian Federal Court Ruling Sparks Freedom of Speech Debate