Defamation and Reputation

They have a very thorough process in place to ensure that all evidence is found and gathered, making the case as strong as possible. No stone is left unturned.

– Chambers Asia-Pacific, Dispute Resolution

Whether you are facing defamation or invasion of privacy claims, navigating a public relations crisis, or proactively managing risks to your brand, our defamation and reputation management team combines legal expertise with strategic insight to help individuals, businesses and organisations protect their standing and respond effectively to threats. In today’s fast-moving and interconnected landscape, reputational challenges can arise unexpectedly and escalate quickly. From defending against defamation claims to managing public crises, we provide solutions that align with your goals and mitigate risk. With a track record in high-profile and high-stakes matters, we partner with you to keep your reputation intact and your focus on your business.

In short, our primary goal is to remove or reduce litigation risk by avoiding disputes from arising in the first place or resolving them quickly if they do. Beyond neutralising a potential threat or crisis, we work with clients to identify the opportunities that sometimes flow from these occasions.

Palmer v McGowan: We represented the former West Australian Premier, Mark McGowan, in defamation proceedings brought against him by Clive Palmer arising out of Western Australia's border closure during the early stages of the Covid pandemic (Palmer v McGowan (No 5) [2022] FCA 893, Federal Court of Australia NSD 912 of 2020).

Australian Taxation Office: Acting on instructions from the ATO in relation to defamation claims, we successfully defended the former Commissioner of Taxation in defamation proceedings brought against him by a Sydney businessman in the Federal Court of Australia. The matter included the Commissioner's application for access to ATO information and documents to defend the substantive proceedings (Gould v Jordan (No 2) [2021] FCA 1289, Federal Court of Australia NSD 1735 of 2017; Jordan, Commissioner of Taxation v Second Commissioner of Taxation [2019] FCA 1602, NSD 180 of 2019).

PwC: We represented a former PwC partner as a co-defendant in defamation proceedings brought by another former partner after a breach of confidentiality regarding government tax policy became public. Our team navigated and ultimately resolved the sensitive issues arising from a potentially high-profile matter at an early stage. This approach ensured our client's interests were protected in a complex and reputationally significant dispute (Gregg v PricewaterhouseCoopers & Anor, Federal Court of Australia NSD686 of 2024).

Government: We regularly advise Commonwealth, State and Territory government departments and entities on pre-publication defamation risks and responding to defamation claims made against them.

Financial and Private Sector: We also regularly act for large financial institutions in relation to defamation claims arising from interactions with consumers, retail distribution networks and employees. Additionally, we advise boards and executives regarding defamation risks associated with reporting obligations to shareholders, regulators and markets.

French v Fraser: We represented the plaintiff in a significant defamation claim, securing a damages award of $300,000 arising from the defendant's defamation and aggravating conduct (French v Fraser (No 3) [2015] NSWSC 1807, Supreme Court of NSW 2014/181578).