Timothy Atkinson is a leading defamation and media law barrister with decades of experience acting for high-profile individuals, media organisations, and corporations in libel, privacy, and reputation disputes.
Has appeared in Court of Appeal and Supreme Court proceedings
Works nationally and internationally
Recognised author and advisor in defamation law
Expert in media regulation, reputation protection, and cross-jurisdiction disputes
Timothy advises and represents clients in:
Defamation (libel, slander) & media law
Privacy & data protection (reputation + GDPR overlap)
Cross-border / international media disputes
Pre-publication advice & risk mitigation
Interlocutory and interim reliefs (injunctions, anonymity orders)
Appeals in appellate courts
Regulatory and inquiry work
Timothy Atkinson has built a distinguished career in defamation, media and reputation law, regularly acting in high-stakes litigation and advisory work. He represents prominent public figures, media entities, and corporations, with a practice that spans both domestic and international jurisdictions.
Professional background & expertise
Appeared in both led and unled roles in major media law cases, including in the Court of Appeal.
Represented clients in Supreme Court and Court of Appeal of Gibraltar, and in cross-jurisdiction matters.
Co-author of one of the leading textbooks on defamation: “Duncan and Neill on Defamation (5th Ed.)”.
Routinely recommended for Defamation in Chambers & Partners and Legal 500.
Former member of one of the top defamation sets (1 Brick Court).
Notable cases
Ager v Career Development Finance Ltd (libel, ongoing) – counsel to defendants
Bokova v Associated Newspapers (2018) – represented a former UNESCO director in a high-profile libel claim
Cammish v Hughes (2012 EWCA) – key judgment on defamatory meaning and principles from Jameel
McLaughlin v Lambeth Borough Council (2010 EWHC) – capacity of public body employee to bring defamation claim
Kearns v General Council of the Bar (2003 EWCA) – important decision on qualified privilege
Al-Fagih v Saudi Research & Marketing (UK) (2001 EWCA) – public interest defence in political speech
Austin v Newcastle Chronicle (2001 EWCA) – extension of time in defamation proceedings
More: including McDonalds v Steel & Morris (1995–1999), longest civil case in English history
Thought leadership & public engagement
Regular speaker at media, law, and privacy conferences
Participated in expert panels on GDPR, data protection, and media regulation
Advised several major inquiries, and provided guidance to the Law Society on defamation issues
For more information on Direct Access, Defamation Law and working with our team visit our blog.
