Beth has experience of trial and heavyweight application advocacy as both sole counsel and led junior and experience of appellate advocacy as led junior. 

She has experience of all areas of media law, from editorial (defamation, privacy, copyright, reporting restrictions) through to commercial (breach of confidence in commercial contexts, contract and regulatory disputes concerning finance and licensing) and public and regulatory law (freedom of expression and freedom of information). 

Beth acts for claimants and defendants, including individuals in the public eye, large corporates, national newspapers and broadcasters. 

Beth acts for claimants and defendants, including individuals in the public eye, large corporates, national newspapers and broadcasters.   

 She has delivered training on freedom of expression on behalf of the Media Institute of Southern Africa in Zimbabwe and on behalf of the Council of Europe to members of the judiciary of the Western Balkans in Pristina, Kosovo.

Defamation

• Blake, Seymour and Thorp v Fox [2022] 4 WLR 77; [2022] EWHC 2726; [2022] EWHC 3542, [2024] EWHC 146 (KB),  [2024] E.M.L.R. 6. Junior counsel to the successful Claimants/Defendants to the counterclaim at trial, in the Court of Appeal and at five interim hearings. 
   
• Paisley v Linehan [2024] EWHC 1976 (KB); [2025] EWHC 228 (KB); [2025] EWHC 624 (KB). Junior counsel to the Defendant, Graham Linehan, a writer and television director, in  a defamation, privacy, misuse of private information and data protection claim concerning a series of publications on Substack, and involving complex issues around the determination of meaning and liability in relation to comments posted under articles. 
   
• Miller and Power v Turner [2023] EWHC 2799 (KB). Junior counsel for the Claimants/Defendants in a libel claim and harassment counterclaim. Led by Liam Walker KC. 
   
• X v X (unreported, October 2022) counsel for the First and Second Defendants in a claim brought over allegations of sexual assault. The claim was disposed of, with wasted costs being ordered against the Claimant’s legal representatives.  
   
• Davies v Carter [2021] EWHC 3021 (QB) for the successful Claimant at trial (unled) in a claim in libel and harassment arising out of online publications.
   
• XXXX known as Jean Hatchet v Shanu Varma [2021] EWHC 1709 (QB), for the successful Claimant in a libel case arising from allegations of fraud made on Twitter, obtaining £45,000 in damages at trial (unled) and recovery of all costs incurred.

Privacy, Confidence and Data Protection

• Johnson v Chief Constable of Bedfordshire Police and ors (2024-) for the Claimant in a claim arising out of the filming and retention of footage for the TV programme 24 Hours in Police Custody. 
   
• JJH v DTH (unreported,  June 2024) sole counsel for the Claimant in a privacy claim involving an urgent out of hours without notice injunction. 
   
• Association Colleges v Jackson (unreported, July 2023): sole counsel for the successful claimant in a breach of confidence and breach of contract case in the Chancery Division in a case concerning third party contract rights and jurisdiction. 
   
• LCG and others v OVD and Others [2022] EWHC 3092. For the Claimants in a claim in misuse of private information, harassment and (contractual) duress and undue influence. Sole counsel at the interim stages and led at trial by William McCormick KC. 
   
• X v S, for the successful claimant in obtaining compensation from a breach of privacy and data rights by their professional regulator. 
   
• C v B and others (High Court, April 2023). For the Claimant, a law firm, against two former directors in a claim in breach of confidence arising out of an alleged GDPR breach.
   
• Lupu, Spearmint Rhino Companies and others v Rakoff, Not Buying It and others: [2020] EMLR 6. For the First and Second Defendants in a reported case for misuse of private information and breach of the GDPR in which Beth resisted applications for an injunction, anonymised proceedings and an expedited trial successfully. The matter settled in the Defendants’ favour in July 2020.

Open justice, reporting restrictions and contempt of court

• Macpherson v Sunderland City Council [2024] EWCA Civ 157 (ongoing): for the appellant in an appeal on committal for contempt to the Court of Appeal arising from breach of an injunction restraining publication and raising complex issues about the assessment of capacity in the appeal process.  Led by Oliver Lewis.
   
• Peggie v NHS Fife and Upton. Counsel for Sex Matters on an open justice intervention, defeating applications for anonymity and privacy in the proceedings and giving rise to substantial media coverage. 
   
• Barclay v Barclay [2022] EWHC 2026 (Fam). For Guardian News and Media in a successful challenge to an application to hold contempt proceedings in private. Appeared as sole counsel and led by Jude Bunting KC at different points in the proceedings.
   
• Ahmed v Director General of the Security Services [2020] EWHC 3458, for the national media in a successful application for a claim about the UK security services’ alleged complicity in torture in Pakistan to be heard in public.
   
• Maya Forstater v CGD UKEAT/0105/20/JOJ [2021] I.R.L.R. 706: for the national media and freelance journalists in a successful application for the Employment Appeal Tribunal to lift a cap on numbers permitted to attend.  
   
• Beth has advised journalists and media organisations facing intimated applications for contempt of court, and has represented applicants in contempt of court proceedings arising out of injunction breaches.

Freedom of information

• Bail for Immigration Detainees v (1) Information Commissioner and (2) Home Office. For the successful applicant in an appeal to the General Regulatory Chamber regarding disclosure of data concerning emergency travel documents. Led by Laura Dubinsky KC.
   
• Dixon v Information Commissioner (2023-). Counsel for the appellant journalist in an appeal to the First Tier Tribunal under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
   
• Rushton v Information Commissioner (2024) Counsel for the appellant journalist in an appeal to the First Tier Tribunal under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Media-related public and regulatory law 

• R (Julie Bindel) v Nottingham City Council. For the Claimant, a journalist and feminist campaigner successfully obtaining remedies pre-action for the unlawful cancellation of her talk on violence against women. Led by Karon Monaghan KC and Akua Reindorf KC. 
   
• X v S, for the successful claimant in obtaining compensation from a breach of privacy and data rights by their professional regulator. 
   
• Beth has acted for complainants and respondents to the Advertising Standards Authority regarding  complaints and sanctions arising from alleged breaches of the advertising codes of practice. 
   
• Beth has acted for complainants and respondents to Ofcom and IPSO regarding complaints and sanctions arising from alleged breaches of the broadcasting and print journalism codes of practice. 
   
• Beth has acted for and against public authorities, in particular police authorities, regarding applications to expunge the retention of cautions and other criminal records data, engaging Articles 6 and 8 and the statutory data protection regime. 

Freedom of expression, harassment and protest 

• KMA v T and T. For the representative claimants, the trustees of a mosque, in a successful claim for a permanent injunction to prevent disruption under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and in trespass. The case engaged numerous procedural and human rights considerations. Beth also successfully represented the Claimants in the appeal brought by the Defendants. 
   
• Beth advises major corporations on the protection of their senior executives in relation to public campaigns and direct protest action. 

International 

• Advice on media regulation reform in Zimbabwe.
   
• Advice on availability of public interest/Reynolds defences relating to a documentary in Jamaica.
   
• Reports into proposed hate speech legislation in Myanmar.
   
• Advice on freedom of expression in the context of obscenity in Uganda.  of expression, harassment and protest 

Beth’s commercial practice encompasses contractual disputes, insolvency, disputes between directors, commercial agency and professional negligence. She also has experience of commercial disputes which engage criminal or regulatory law (for example Companies House prosecutions and Charity Commission investigations). She has particular expertise in disputes which have a media or employment dimension to them. Her recent experience includes:

Contractual disputes

• C v W: defending a breach of contract claim arising out of a film finance agreement.
   
• C v B: breach of confidence and restrictive covenants claim brought by a law firm against its former directors.
   
• C v L: high-value breach of contract claim for unpaid wages.
• In the matter of a production company: advice as to termination provisions in a contract for the television adaptation of a popular novel.
   
• Advice on image rights, data protection, last matching rights and other contractual matters on behalf of film and tv production companies.

Insolvency disputes

• In the matter of 106 of 2016: successfully obtaining costs orders against a trustee in bankruptcy. Successfully resisting an order for a company director to be examined under oath as to the affairs of the business. 
   
• Re A Company 2645 of 2018, Re A Company 250 of 2019, and Re A Company 3411 of 2019: for the successful applicants in injunctions to restrain presentation or publicity of winding-up petitions, and in getting those petitions dismissed as abuse of process.
   
• Claims in misfeasance and shareholder disputes. 

Professional negligence

• Langley v GMB [2020] EWHC 3619, for the successful defendant, a trade union, in a claim in professional negligence arising out of an employment dispute involving allegations of whistleblowing by  a trade union representative, in a trial which reviewed the law on a union’s liability and set legal precedent. 

Commercial agency

• F v PC: for the defendant in a commercial agency claim (settled). 
   
• A v N: a multi-million pound dispute arising in the broadcast industry (led by William McCormick QC) (settled). 

Other commercial claims

• H v S: for the Defendant in a claim in breach of fiduciary duty brought in respect of a luxury sports car 
   
• Microsoft v K: defending a Respondent in a breach of  copyright claim involving a freezing injunction. 
   
• Companies House v SM: For the successful Defendant in the withdrawal of a prosecution for the failure to file accounts on the basis of Article 6 ECHR and an all reasonable steps defence. 
   
• In the matter of a Charity and its Directors v The Charity Commission: for the directors of a charitable foundation in successfully setting aside an Order and closing an inquiry by the regulator. 

Beth acts for both respondents and claimants on complex multi-day hearings in the Employment Tribunal and the Employment Appeal Tribunal and in the High Court in restrictive covenants, contractual and partnership disputes. She also undertakes grievance and disciplinary investigations. She also represents professionals in in regulatory proceedings. She is ranked as a leading junior in Chambers and Partners and in Legal 500.

Current and recent instructions include:

Employer/Company

• AW v C: for a multi-national retail company in an age discrimination claim (ongoing). 
   
• C v B. For the company, a professional services firm, in  a High Court claim in restrictive covenants and breach of confidence. 
   
• X v Y. For the successful Respondent (a blue-chip employer) in an “all reasonable steps” defence to a discrimination claim. 
   
• A v B. For the successful Respondent (a blue chip employer) in a jurisdiction and time limits challenge to a claim in discrimination and whistleblowing. 
   
• J v O. For the Respondents (a hedge fund and its principal) in a sexual harassment claim. 
   
• S v B. For the successful Respondent (a local authority) in an age and disability discrimination claim. 
   
• K v P. For a law firm in a post-termination partnership dispute about alleged discrimination. 
   
• R v V. For an accountancy firm in a whistleblowing detriments claim.
   
• B v H. For the successful Respondent, a manufacturer, defending an unfair dismissal and whistleblowing detriments claim: the Claimant withdrew the case following cross-examination. 
   
• Langley v GMB [2021] 1 IRLR 309, for the successful Defendant, a trade union, in a claim in professional negligence arising out of an employment dispute involving allegations of whistleblowing by  a trade union representative, in a trial which reviewed the law on a union’s liability and set legal precedent. 
   
• S v I , for the Respondent, the service company of a solicitors’ firm, for a claim in sex and race discrimination harassment and victimisation, succeeding in the dismissal of the majority of clams claims.
   
• Newman v Jabac, for the respondent, a private bank, obtaining a stay on the eve of a seven day trial in a claim for disability discrimination and whistleblowing pending High Court determination of a related claim in breach of confidence. 

Employee 

• C v L: high-value breach of contract claim for unpaid wages. 
   
• Almut Gadow v Open University. For the Claimant in a protected belief discrimination case which settled on the eve of trial. Led by Akua Reindorf KC.
   
• Fox v Jaguar Land Rover (Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal): for the successful Claimant in a trial in disability discrimination and in resisting an appeal as to the calculation of future loss. 
   
• Teaching Regulation Agency v B: for the successful Defendant, a teacher accused of historic sexual abuse, in a contested application to have proceedings discontinued on grounds of capacity. 
   
• Teaching Regulation Agency v H: for the successful Defendant, a teacher accused of multiple physical assaults. The Panel found that the assaults had not taken place. 
   
• Teaching Regulation Agency v M: for the Defendant, a teacher facing historic allegations of sex abuse. 
   
• N v C, for the claimant in a disability discrimination claim, successfully settling proceedings in the course of trial
   
• M v Bradford NHS Trust, for the claimant in an unfair dismissal, whistleblowing and racial discrimination case, succeeding in the unfair dismissal claim. 
   
• R v An Accountancy Firm, interim relief application on grounds of whistleblowing. 
   
• A v A Bank: for the Claimant, a former director of a major financial services institution in a discrimination and whistleblowing detriments claim (settled on eve of trial for £1m).
   
• S v British Airways: for the successful Claimant in a four-day trial for unfair dismissal relating to sick leave of over 100 days a year for 19 years with no identified underlying cause.
   
• T and Ors v CS: for the successful claimants in a redundancy/TUPE claim brought by a large number of non-English speaking security staff.
   
• K v R:  Employment Appeal Tribunal, for the claimant, a disabled person, in a successful appeal.

Beth is an expert in privacy rights,  freedom of expression and discrimination law as these arise in a public law context. She regularly appears in and advises parties in judicial reviews, regulatory proceedings, and other forms of public law claims. 

Her current and recent instructions include:

Judicial review 

• For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers [2025] UKSC 16. Junior Counsel (led by Karon Monaghan KC) for the Lesbian Interveners in the Supreme Court in a landmark case regarding the correct interpretation of the words ‘sex’, ‘woman’ and ‘man’ in the Equality Act. 
   
• Sex Matters v British Transport Police (ongoing). Junior counsel for the Claimant (led by Akua Reindorf KC) in a judicial review regarding the British Transport Police’s policy on strip and intimate searches. See media coverage here and here. 
   
• R (Julie Bindel) v Nottingham City Council. For the Claimant, a journalist and feminist campaigner successfully obtaining remedies pre-action for the unlawful cancellation of her talk on violence against women. Led by Karon Monaghan KC and Akua Reindorf KC. 
   
• X v S, for the successful claimant in obtaining compensation from a breach of privacy and data rights by their professional regulator. 
   
• Beth has acted for complainants and respondents to the Advertising Standards Authority regarding  complaints and sanctions arising from alleged breaches of the advertising codes of practice. 
   
• Beth has acted for complainants and respondents to Ofcom and IPSO regarding complaints and sanctions arising from alleged breaches of the broadcasting and print journalism codes of practice. 
   
• Beth has acted for and against public authorities, in particular police authorities, regarding applications to expunge the retention of cautions and other criminal records data, engaging Articles 6 and 8 and the statutory data protection regime. 
   
• Beth has acted for complainants and respondents to Ofcom and IPSO regarding complaints and sanctions arising from alleged breaches of the broadcasting and print journalism codes of practice. 
   
• Beth has acted for and against public authorities, in particular police authorities, regarding applications to expunge the retention of cautions and other criminal records data, engaging Articles 6 and 8 and the statutory data protection regime. 
   
• In the matter of a Charity and its Directors v The Charity Commission: for the directors of a charitable foundation in successfully setting aside an Order and closing an inquiry by the regulator.