Emma is a Partner in Mishcon Private and Head of the Reputation Protection and Crisis Management group. She advises individuals, companies and charities on defamation, breach of confidence, invasion of privacy, harassment and data protection concerns. She is particularly adept in digital technology and online publications, often advising in times of crisis and in the context of wider disputes. Emma provides claimants and defendants with pre- and post-publication advice, including obtaining, defending and discharging injunctions. Her clients span a wide range of geographies and industries, including media and entertainment, technology, financial services, politics, publishing, art, property, sport, fashion, education and the charity sector. She regularly trains journalists and PR and other professional advisors on publication concerns. Emma takes a holistic approach to Reputation Protection, encouraging clients to prepare in advance for potential challenges, and effectively mitigating any damage caused by negative publicity.
She has experience of commercial litigation in a range of forums, often acting for international clients in complex disputes. Emma also has experience working with charities, providing strategic focus to their campaigns and their dealings with government.
Recognised as outstanding in her field by Spears Wealth Management's Index for Reputation Protection lawyers and shortlisted as Spears Reputation lawyer of the year, Emma is described as a trusted advisor in Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500. She was included in Management Today's 35 Women Under 35; listed in the 100 LGBT+ Executives as part of the OUTstanding LGBT+ Role Models 2018, ranked in the Telegraph's LGBT Top 50 Executives in 2015 & 2016, and celebrated in the Pride Power List 2016, 2017 and 2018. Emma founded Mishcon's Pride Network, and set up the firm's sponsorship of Pink Law, a pro bono legal advice service for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community. Emma was a founding trustee of Action Breaks Silence, a charity that exists to empower women and girls and to educate boys, and is working internationally to tackle gender-based violence.
Key Experience
- Obtaining urgent High Court injunctions to prevent the misuse of private and confidential information, including in the context of blackmail threats and harassment
- Pre-publication advice to a range of media and online publications, managing the risk that sensitive content may be challenged
- Challenging content published online and obtaining disclosure from international webhosts and internet and email service providers, in order to identify anonymous / malicious posters.
- Advising a leading national professional services firm in relation to defamatory statements made by a competitor to several of its mutual clients, which statements were repeated on blogs and online discussion forums
- Preventing the publication of false rumors about a world-renowned sports person, which would have had a devastating impact on his brand
- Advising a national religious forum in relation to defamatory statements made about it on the internet and anticipated in a forthcoming book
- Acting for a high-ranking police officer in relation to defamatory allegations made against him in the national press and online
Career History
Partner, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Legal Director, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Associate, Mishcon de Reya
Solicitor, Mishcon de Reya
Solicitor, Addleshaw Goddard LLP
Qualified, Clifford Chance LLP
Trainee, Clifford Chance LLP
Jesus College, Cambridge. Law MA (Hons)