People

Abby Stanglin draws on 18 years’ of experience in the intelligence sector in New York and London, most recently at Nardello & Co.  Abby has successfully run strategic intelligence projects and complex international litigation support on behalf of sovereign wealth funds, Fortune 500 corporates, hedge funds and government clients.  Abby has completed Advanced Covert Surveillance (ACS) training, a programme in International Art Crime Studies and holds an MA in Global Security Studies.  She is ranked as a Notable Practitioner in Chambers & Partners Business Intelligence and Investigations Guide 2023.

Aditya Vasudevan is an experienced litigator, specialising in the law of defamation, privacy and intellectual property.  Aditya is dual-qualified in Australia and New Zealand where he previously worked at top tier law firms, assisting multinational corporations, government departments, and high-profile sports people.  He also worked with local artists, writers, filmmakers, and musicians at a specialist community legal centre in Australia.

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Alasdair Drennan is a strategic communications specialist with over a decade of experience working at the heart of government. In times of crisis, Alasdair excels in providing a quick, methodical response whilst offering a calm and reassuring voice to his clients - who are often in the public eye or under scrutiny.

An expert in developing effective communications strategies in high-stakes situations, Alasdair strategically exploits owned social media channels and other digital platforms to pre-empt adverse media attention and get his clients on the front foot.  He is particularly adept at integrating press handling, litigation and digital platforms to create a consistent and compelling approach.

Alasdair’s career has spanned communications and policy roles across various government departments, primarily in the Home Office, where he led the communications response to several terrorist attacks and other major incidents. He has provided strategic advice on communications, policy and operational matters to Cabinet ministers and senior leaders within the Civil Service. Alasdair also holds a postgraduate diploma in strategic communications.

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Aleksandra Trajkovic is an experienced intelligence expert, skilled in managing complex and sensitive investigations spanning jurisdictions and involving disputes, litigation support, reputational risk, asset tracing, due diligence and market entry assessments.  These necessitate both open and human source intelligence gathering.  As a former political advisor in a post-conflict setting, Aleksandra has rich expertise in the nuances and inner workings of politics across jurisdictions, which is invaluable in her specialist work in private diplomacy. Aleksandra is a native speaker of Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian, speaks fluent Italian, near-fluent French, and has working knowledge of Spanish, Catalan, Macedonian and Slovenian.

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Alexander Shaw is a global campaigns, communications and issues management specialist with over twelve years’ experience working in multiple markets around the world.  He has worked at Edelman and Teneo, including in the Middle East.  His expertise lies in crisis and issues management, mega-event planning and delivery, sustainability, international development and geo-political affairs.   Alexander has led projects and programmes for a variety of government, corporate and third sector clients, most recently working on COP28 and the Qatar World Cup. He speaks Arabic and Persian.

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Allan Dunlavy has a wealth of legal and advisory experience assisting clients to resolve high-stakes situations, with a background in commercial, media, privacy and intellectual property litigation.

He leads our US office and has a particular focus on clients in the United States and Central, Latin and South America. He has an interest in the resilience of online profiles and in helping clients enforce their privacy rights and protect their data against social media platforms and other Big Tech companies.  

Allan is recognised in the Spear’s 500 Best Reputation and Privacy Lawyers Index for 2024. He features as a Tier 1 specialist in his field in the Private Client Global Elite Directory.

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Amber is an experienced litigator, with key experience in commercial litigation, defamation, misuse of private information and data protection, and has acted for clients in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.  She regularly acts for clients in pre-and post-publication scenarios in response to both national and international press enquiries and publications. She also has experience in successfully engaging with search engines on data protection complaints and asserting the ‘right to be forgotten’.  Amber is recognised as a ‘Key Lawyer’ in the Legal 500 2023.

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Aoife Butler-Nolan is a reputation and corporate communications specialist with over a decade of experience leading on strategic communications for a range of prominent organisations. She advises clients on all aspect of communication strategies including reputation management, political communications, media relations, digital communications, and global campaigns. 

Aoife is experienced in advising clients with operations in multiple jurisdictions, including Ireland, the Middle East, Africa, and the US. Her previous roles span the public, private and voluntary sectors, having previously worked for the Department of the Taoiseach, Flutter Entertainment plc and the Greater London Authority. Aoife also holds a postgraduate degree in political communication.

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Bartosz Kruk is a lawyer specialising in defamation, libel, privacy and data protection law. He has litigation experience on a number of hard-fought, precedent setting, libel and privacy cases for both claimants and defendants. Bartosz is fluent in Polish.

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Ben Hobbs is a leading reputation and privacy lawyer, drawing on 15 years of litigation experience to help guide FTSE 100 companies and business-owners through high stakes reputational crises and opportunities.

Ben specialises in defamation, privacy, harassment and intellectual property issues. He leads multidisciplinary teams of lawyers, investigators and communications advisers to help clients solve complex problems and navigate to successful strategic outcomes. Ben works between our Dublin and London offices, and is dual-qualified in England & Wales and Ireland.

Ben is ranked amongst the Best Reputation & Privacy Lawyers Index for 2024 in the Spear’s 500, and features in the Citywealth Leaders List.

Brett Reynolds leads finance, operations, IT, risk management and compliance for Schillings. He is responsible for financial and operational performance and growth.

Previously a board director of a large, fast-growing international media group, Brett brings a wealth of experience driving strategic turnover and profit growth. His responsibilities include selecting, negotiating and integrating acquisitions, evaluating organic growth opportunities and improving operational efficiency, revenue, costs and margins. He has a ‘Big Four’ professional services background and is a Chartered Accountant.

Brittany Damora is the Director of our Critical Risks practice. She has extensive experience in international crisis response, private diplomacy and commercial and political conflict resolution – particularly in Africa and other emerging markets. Brittany advises those with high-risk global exposures, international families, corporations and governments on a range of security threats and complex issues related to corruption and transnational repression. Brittany is a kidnap for ransom and counter-extortion specialist with nearly twenty years’ experience working across the globe to resolve a range of high stakes issues.

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Charlie oversees the social media strategy team at Schillings, which sits within our Digital Resilience practice. She builds robust reputational strategies for clients either in crisis or those looking to proactively harness their online profile in pursuit of strategic objectives.

Charlie brings more than ten years' experience in developing and managing the online reputations of high-profile businesses, political leaders and public figures. Prior to joining Schillings, she was Director of Digital for Blackstone, the world’s largest Private Equity firm, where she was responsible for developing the digital reputation of the business and its leaders in EMEA. She previously managed the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan’s digital communications team, overseeing digital strategy across all areas of digital communications and shaping London's online crisis response protocols for numerous major public safety incidents, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Charlotte Watson is a seasoned defamation and privacy lawyer with thirty years’ experience in the reputation, privacy and security environment. She brings a balanced perspective to her work – poacher and gamekeeper – having worked both for claimants and in-house with media organisations.  Charlotte leads the Schillings Art Task Force, which focuses on high stakes situations involving art transactions.  

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Claire Greaney is an experienced media lawyer, providing expert legal advice on defamation, privacy and data protection on Southern Hemisphere time.  She is a key part of Schillings' ’‘follow the sun’ 24/7 service model.  With a breadth of experience as a commercial litigator, Claire assists high profile individuals and multinational companies on pre- and post-publication matters, as well as pre-emptive reputation and privacy and protection solutions.  Claire is admitted to practice as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand.

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Claudine Murphy specialises in helping high profile individuals and international companies protect their reputation and privacy, advising on pre- and post-publication matters, long-term reputation management planning, and data protection.  Claudine has a background that spans intellectual property and commercial litigation, and regularly advises our clients with regulatory issues such as ASA disputes.  Claudine is a dual qualified lawyer in England & Wales and Ireland.

As Schillings’ Chief Information Security Officer, Craig Edwards is responsible for enhancing the firm’s cyber and information security. He has nearly 20 years of experience across government, industry and consulting. In addition to his time at a global strategic advisory firm, Craig held senior cyber security roles at the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and at a FTSE 100 energy corporate.  He is also available to support clients with their digital security needs.

David Imison leads Schillings and is responsible for the strategic growth of the business as it expands internationally and widens its multidisciplinary operations.  He is also an experienced handler of high-stakes situations, having spent ten years working with our clients before assuming the role of Chief Executive Officer. 

A former ‘Big Four’ Advisor, David features in the Spear’s 500 as a leading figure in the 2025 Best Reputation Managers Index and is recognised in the Citywealth Leaders List.

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Elaine is an experienced advisory and litigation lawyer specialising in the protection of rights, reputation and information in the media and online. Elaine advises in relation to defamation, malicious falsehood, privacy, breach of confidence, data protection, contempt of court, harassment, passing off and the online infringement of intellectual property rights.

Elaine is skilled in providing pre-publication and post-publication advice and has considerable experience in both private practice and in-house roles. Elaine has advised across a broad range of sectors, including finance, retail, politics, travel, media, sport and entertainment.  She has acted for a variety of high-profile individuals, FTSE 100 companies, entrepreneurs and media organisations.

Emily is an experienced lawyer, with core experience in defamation and privacy cases. She has also run complex harassment proceedings and has a rich commercial background, drawn from a range of sectors including, including digital marketing, retail, sports, and finance.  Emily is recognised as a ‘Rising Star’ in the Legal 500 2023.

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Emily White is a member of our Critical Risks unit.  As well as working on core security tasks including counter-extortion, counter surveillance and dealing with data breaches, Emily has a particular focus on cases with a geo-political context, including transnational repression and navigating conflict and post conflict situations.

Evgenia is a highly skilled reputation and privacy lawyer with a background in commercial litigation. Having worked on some of the highest profile civil fraud cases in the UK, she is particularly adept at advising clients on how to navigate the reputational impact of such major litigation, especially when it receives significant press attention. This often includes post-publication media engagement, as well as implementing privacy protection strategies, and working on resilience building in the aftermath. Evgenia also works closely with intelligence and digital experts on litigation support, especially with regards evidence gathering, and rebuttals of inaccurate reporting. Evgenia is dual-qualified in England & Wales and Russia.

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Farouk Egala is an experienced solicitor who works with a range of prominent individuals, charities and international organisations.  He covers legal issues such as defamation, pre- and post-publication advice, media litigation and crisis response.  He also deals with cases concerning misuse of private information, data breaches and intellectual property disputes.  Prior to his career in law, Farouk worked in politics and public affairs, both in the US and UK.

Filipa is a skilled senior intelligence analyst and researcher with a background in social media investigations and due diligence. She specialises in gathering intelligence from open and public sources, often as part of privacy exposure investigations to proactively help clients pre-empt threats to their privacy and reputation, and also to find crucial information in support of complex investigations and litigation. Often there is a geopolitical dimension to these investigations, and here, Filipa’s knowledge and understanding of the specific challenges and opportunities affecting Portuguese-speaking countries and MENA region is highly valuable.

Filipa speaks fluent Portuguese, with a working knowledge of Spanish and French.

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George Pascoe-Watson is a founding partner of Schillings Communications LLP.

He is a former Political Editor of The Sun newspaper and Chairman at Portland Communications.  George has deep experience as a strategic adviser to high profile individuals, sporting and political leaders, and the boards and C-Suite of some of the world’s largest companies and organisations. These span the defence, pharmaceuticals, transport, major infrastructure, regulated utilities, professional services, FMCG and energy sectors. He draws on a wide network in the media, politics, and corporate life, as well as years of strategic communications experience.

George is featured in the Spear’s 500 2025 Best Reputation Managers Index and has been recognised, jointly with Victoria O'Byrne, as the number one advisor for crisis and reputation management in PR Week's 2025 Power Book.

Gillian Duffy is a leading reputation lawyer and international crisis manager.

Drawing on her background in libel and privacy law and as an off-shore litigator, she helps ultra-high-net-worth families and international companies handle high stakes situations. These include mass data leaks like the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers, and immediate response to false or inaccurate allegations and threats of publication.

Gillian is recognised as a key practitioner in the Legal 500 Reputation Management guide and is listed in the Spear’s 500 Best Reputation & Privacy Lawyers Index for 2024.  She is also ranked in the Citywealth Leaders List.

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Giulia Valeri is an experienced intelligence gatherer and investigator with a track record of successful open source investigations , conducting due diligence, hostile actor research and asset valuations and tracing operations.  Giulia speaks Italian, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish.

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Harriet is an experienced integrated communications consultant specialising in reputation management for global corporates and individuals in the public eye. Previously Director at communications agency, Portland, Harriet has spent nearly a decade advising high-profile clients and well-known brands across a range of sectors - including retail, FMCG, energy and technology - to seize strategic opportunities, handle crises and navigate high stakes moments.

Adept at both proactive profile-building as well as crisis response work, Harriet has particular expertise in developing and executing large-scale multi-stakeholder campaigns for international corporates. During periods of significant change and operational risk, she supports clients through strategically building narratives and engagement plans to influence political stakeholders, investors and the media – whilst ensuring that their reputation is protected.

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Hind Habib is a senior media lawyer, with a long track record in defamation, privacy and data protection law.  As well as providing expert pre- and post-publication advice on media issues and privacy protection advice, Hind is also adept at helping clients protect their intellectual property.  Hind is a Rising Star in the Private Client Global Elite.

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Hope Watson is an experienced intelligence specialist with recent experience of large, complex and pan-jurisdictional litigation, involving complex open source intelligence collection, rigorous analysis and network mapping. Hope has also conducted witness identification and interviewing, both in the UK and overseas, and worked on trial preparation, witness profile reports and the deep analysis of disclosure documents.

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Jack Ryan is an intelligence consultant who works on a range of investigations for clients in high stakes situations. He has particular experience in the Middle East and in both Islamist and Far Right terrorism, as well as geo-political analysis. He has worked as a qualitative consultant within the alternative assets sector, conducting due diligence and reputation studies for several private equity and infrastructure clients. Jack has worked in the Afghanistan and Pakistan Studies department at Washington DC’s Middle East Institute, where he covered analysis of regional fiscal policy, security and trade.

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James English is Head of Search in Schillings' digital resilience practice.  James provides clients with expert analysis of search landscapes, insights that drive strategy, and the delivery of digital campaigns that protect and enhance clients’ online reputations.   He is an expert in digital asset development, website optimisation, harmful content management and generative AI search optimisation.  With over 13 years’ experience in Search Engine Optimisation and content marketing, James has led organic growth programmes for scale ups, public broadcasters, and FTSE 500 businesses.

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Jamie Fenton is a reputation management and corporate communications specialist. He advises clients on all aspects of their strategic communications, including global campaigns, media relations and crisis support.  His experience spans several sectors including FMCG, technology, transport and sustainability: companies, brands and individuals.  Previously, Jamie was a partner at Portland Communications where he ran the team covering international sports and athletes.

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Jason is an experienced lawyer who specialises in defamation and privacy law and commercial litigation. This blend of experience in commercial and media litigation is invaluable in working with clients who need to protect their reputations in a complicated business context.  Jason is also qualified in Australia.

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Jenny Afia is an award-winning privacy and reputation lawyer and leads Schillings’ entertainment practice.

Outside of client work, Jenny campaigns for stronger protection for children online. As a member of the Children’s Commissioner’s Digital Task Force, she re-wrote social media platforms’ terms and conditions so children can understand them. Jenny also co-authored the 5Rights report: ‘Disrupted Childhood: The Cost of Persuasive Design,’ and is a trustee of Common Sense Media UK, a leading organisation dedicated to improving the lives of children in the digital world.

Jenny is ranked as a Tier 1 leader in her field by Chambers & Partners, and has been inducted into the Legal 500 Hall of Fame. She has been recognised in Billboard’s Top Music Lawyers for three years in a row and features in the exclusive ‘Top Flight’ tier of the 2025 Spear’s 500 for leading Reputation & Privacy lawyers.  

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Jessica works for corporates, charities and individuals – both in and out of the spotlight – to advise on matters affecting their reputation and privacy. She is particularly experienced in areas of defamation, malicious falsehood, harassment and data protection law, especially when it concerns high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. Jessica often supports clients with pre-emptive advice surrounding their reputation and has extensive litigation experience on reputational issues.

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Jessica Wotton is a solicitor specialising in defamation, privacy and data protection, often advising global organisations and corporates. She has a background in IP and media law, with expertise working on copyright and trademark disputes, as well as complex commercial litigation.  Jessica was previously Associate to a Judge of the Federal Court of Australia, which involved assisting in court, reviewing the parties’ evidence and drafting judgments.  Jessica is qualified as a solicitor in Australia.

Jilly is a senior communications advisor with nearly 20years of experience across corporate, consumer, charity, and government sectors. A diplomatic and strategic communicator, Jilly is particularly adept at negotiating delicate and high stakes situations to ensure clients’ objectives are met, their privacy maintained, and their reputations protected.

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With experience both in-house and agency side, Jilly is skilled in complex stakeholder engagement and strategic relationship building, including with the media. She has worked for high-profile individuals and global brands, most recently as Head of Corporate Communications at L’Oréal, and prior to this, as Deputy Communications Secretary for The Royal Household. There, she supported the then Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall for nearly five years, leading on foreign and commonwealth activity, which involved working closely with the Cabinet Office, foreign governments, and embassies worldwide.

Jilly began her career managing luxury brands for an agency, before moving in-house in the beauty sector, and later, transitioning into the charity sector, where she held senior communications positions at international non-profit organisations such as Save the Children. She is passionate about providing strategic communications advice to public-sector organisations and charities and is highly skilled at developing creative campaigns on small-scale budgets and with limited resources.

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Joe is a senior intelligence specialist with a focus on Central Asia.  He works on a wide range of cross-jurisdictional intelligence projects including litigation support, asset tracing, corruption exposés, and reputation protection for successful individuals and businesses. Having lived and studied in Eastern Europe for several years, Joe is fluent in Russian and has working proficiency in Ukrainian and Polish.

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Joelle Rich is a reputation and privacy lawyer and experienced global crisis manager. She leads Schillings’ Privacy by Design consultation process, to help our clients limit their exposure using pro-active, intelligence-led measures.

Joelle also protects our clients during public crises that threaten unwarranted intrusion and media attention. These include complex smear campaigns using online platforms and AI, and blackmail and extortion attempts on clients and their families. She supports talent and other clients in the public eye, especially those connected with the US West Coast, where she has extensive experience devising bespoke reputation strategies to navigate high-stakes situations.

Joelle is recognised in the Spear’s 500 Best Reputation & Privacy Lawyers Index for 2024 and has been recognised in Citywealth’s Future Leaders Awards.

John Curtin is a senior media lawyer with substantial experience managing the reputational aspects of business-critical issues for both prominent individuals and international companies. Having previously worked as a commercial litigation solicitor, John now specialises in pre-emptive reputation strategies and managing crises. Dual qualified in Ireland and England & Wales, John is primarily based in our Dublin office.

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Josh Leigh leads the Schillings digital resilience practice.  This unit provides proactive and reactive projects to improve and strengthen clients’ online reputations as reflected in search results, on social media and via AI.   An expert in multi-territory digital resilience strategies, Josh has an industry-wide reputation for creative and scientific approaches – combined with communications skills – to digital profile challenges, using the latest techniques.  Josh previously worked at communication consultancies Hawthorn, Digitalis, Edelman and Havas.

He is ranked in the prestigious Spear’s Best Reputation & Privacy Managers Index 2025.

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Juliet Young draws on over 20 years of experience in corporate intelligence, investigations, and reputation management. She has a background in complex investigations across multiple jurisdictions in support of litigation, or to help our clients counter hostile campaigns. Regarded as one of the leading investigative experts amongst her peers, Juliet provides strategic counsel and support in relation to crisis management and litigation decisions. She is adept at knowing where to collect crucial information and how best to use it to our clients’ advantage.

Juliet was awarded the prestigious Band 1 ranking by Chambers & Partners for their 2024 Litigation Support guide. She features as a leading Reputation Manager in the Spear’s 500 and the Private Client Global Elite Directory for 2024.  

Keith Schilling founded Schillings in 1984. He is regarded as an eminent practitioner in the fields of reputation and privacy law, credited with creating a right of privacy in England following a landmark ruling by the House of Lords in 2004.   With a long history in libel, defamation, privacy, data protection and commercial litigation, Keith’s strategic and visionary counsel is sought by many international corporations and high profile individuals.

Keith is ranked as a leader in his field in Chambers & Partners, the Spear’s 500 Best Reputation & Privacy Lawyers Index, and the Citywealth Leaders List.

For more than a decade, Lauren Arthur-Davies has provided strategic reputation consultancy to clients across a range of sectors, spanning retail, transport, technology and FMCG.  She is an expert in issues and crisis management, in-depth and qualitative research, narrative development, communication strategies, insight and proactive campaigning.  Lauren was previously at Teneo and Fishburn Hedges.  She has run a UK press office for a social media client facing intense stakeholder scrutiny.  She also worked in Brussels for ‘Europe’s World,’ a current affairs magazine by the think tank, Friends of Europe.  Lauren is a trained focus group moderator.

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Lauren Ekblom (née Barr) is an experienced intelligence expert, specialising in conducting technical open-source investigations with complex data analysis, producing high quality intelligence reports for senior decision makers. An ex-British Army officer, Lauren has also worked for NATO and in government intelligence roles; previously leading a threat analysis team in the multi-agency London situation centre. She is an expert in crisis and incident management.

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Leila Khaze is an experienced lawyer, specialising in helping individuals and families in the public eye to protect their privacy and reputation, both proactively and in times of crisis. This work covers cases involving defamation, adverse media attention, stalking, blackmail, and harassment.  With a background in commercial and banking litigation, Leila is a skilled litigator with international experience working with high profile individuals and businesses.  Leila is a fluent Farsi speaker. She is also qualified in Australia and as a barrister in Canada.  

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Lily Kennett draws on a rich background that spans investigative journalism and over a decade in corporate intelligence and investigations.

She works closely with business leaders and prominent individuals to inform strategy during high-stakes situations and advises on remediation and long-term approaches to reputation for those in the public eye.  She spearheads Schillings’ pro bono programme, which supports a range of NGOs and individuals working to counter online abuse as well as misinformation and disinformation campaigns online.

Lily received a prestigious Band 2 ranking in Chambers & Partners Litigation Support Guide 2024 as a key practitioner in her field. She is also a commended Reputation Manager in the Spear’s 500 2025 – the ‘bible’ of ultra-high-net-worth advisers - and is recognised in Citywealth’s Leaders List.

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Lily Wowk is an experienced solicitor with a background in international law and arbitration. She specialises in advising clients on global reputation and privacy matters, including pre- and post-publication media response. She regularly works on high-profile litigation involving issues of data protection, defamation and malicious falsehood. Lily is a member of the Data Protection Committee and is contributing to a book on media law and journalism, which is due to be published in 2025.

Linda Gu is a lawyer helping individuals and corporations manage reputational risks and challenges. She has experience in reputation advisory and understands the needs of clients during times of crisis. She has worked with corporate and private clients across a wide range of sectors including finance, property and real estate, tech, and consumer industries. Linda is admitted to practice as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand.

Lord Browne was Group Chief Executive of BP plc from 1995-2007. He was knighted in 1998 and made a crossbench life peer in 2001. He is currently Chairman of BeyondNetZero, a climate growth equity venture. He is also Chairman of The Courtauld Institute of Art, Chairman of the Francis Crick Institute, Chairman of the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering, and Co-Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Council on Science and Technology.

Lord Browne is the Chairman of the John Browne Charitable Trust which supports a wide range of causes in the arts, science and engineering, education, the environment and human rights. He is also the Chairman of the Beaufort Society, the legacy society of St John’s College, Cambridge, and is a past Chair of the Cambridge Judge Business School.

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Louise is a senior media lawyer with extensive experience advising clients on a broad range of reputational and privacy issues, specialising in defamation, privacy, and data protection. She represents a diverse client base, including high profile individuals and prominent figures in the business world, both in and out of the public eye. Louise also works with high net worth individuals, as well as leading corporates and brands, to protect their rights and reputations. Louise is ranked by both Chambers UK and Chambers High Net Worth as a Star Associate, where she is commended as ‘a great technical lawyer’ with ‘excellent insight’ and ‘fantastic attention to detail’. She is additionally recognised as a Leading Associate and Key Lawyer by the Legal 500.

Luke is a strategic lawyer who specialises in data protection, reputation management and privacy. He has a background in public law and commercial litigation and has acted for high profile individual and institutional clients on a wide range of litigation matters. Luke is qualified as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand.

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Madeleine Moore is a senior intelligence analyst and investigator, with a range of open source intelligence collection and research skills optimised to find crucial information to help our clients make decisions in high stakes situations, especially with political dimensions, and those with the Middle East and North Africa in the background.   Madeleine is fluent in Arabic, Farsi and French.

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Matthew is a skilled lawyer who specialises in reputation management, privacy and defamation cases.  With experience working for claimants and defendants, Matthew also has a background  in intellectual property, public law and commercial litigation.  Matthew is also qualified as a solicitor in New Zealand.  

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Matthew Powell is a member of Schillings’ executive team, responsible for delivering a range of projects in support of our growth and acquisition strategy. He leads on key aspects of the firm’s marketing and client service approach, as well as the integration of our expanding set of capabilities.

Matthew’s experience spans the corporate world, private equity, family offices and the public sector.  He was chief of staff to Lord Browne of Madingley for almost a decade, and part of the team which founded BeyondNetZero, a multibillion-dollar private equity fund focussed on climate solutions.

Michaela Janu is an experienced lawyer specialising in reputation, privacy and data protection matters.  She provides advice on pre- and post- publication media enquiries and articles, misuse of private information, data breaches, intellectual property and media litigation.  She has worked on many large, complex multidisciplinary matters.  She has a strong complementary background in commercial law. Michaela is also admitted to practice as a solicitor in Australia.

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Mili Shah specialises in legal advice in privacy, defamation and data protection for private clients and large corporate organisations, with experience assisting on some of the largest and most high-profile cases in the firm.  Combined with her background in commercial litigation, Mili is a highly skilled solicitor who is passionate about protecting clients’ privacy and reputation.  She has a personal interest in helping young people enter into the legal profession and is a mentor for students who are interested in a career in law.

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Natasha Hibbert is a senior media lawyer with a wealth of experience advising clients in relation to pre- and post-publication matters and all aspects of defamation, privacy, confidence, harassment and data protection. These legal skills are deployed on multidisciplinary mandates for a wide range of clients, including corporates, financial institutions, brands, family offices and individuals, both in and out of the public spotlight. Natasha is recognised in the Legal 500.

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Nick Brough practices as a lawyer advising on pre- and post-publication media engagement, privacy, data protection and other legal services relevant to the protection of reputation, privacy and security.  Originally a criminal defence solicitor, his broad experience of handling major criminal work, including robustly defending clients in court, gives him an edge in advising clients on their high stakes threats and opportunities.  

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Phil Hartley is a leading media lawyer and litigator, with extensive experience in defamation, privacy law, data protection, counter-harassment, confidentiality and intellectual property.  Phil has a particular interest, and a depth of expertise, in complex and contentious data privacy cases.  His legal work is set within the context of multidisciplinary approaches to high stakes threats and opportunities.

Phil is recognised in the 2024 Spear’s 500 Best Reputation & Privacy Lawyers Index, and is nominated for Lawyer of the Year – Reputation in Spear’s 2024 Awards. He has been recognised in the prestigious Private Client Global Elite directory for 2025. Phil is dual-qualified in England & Wales and Ireland and works in both our London and Dublin offices.

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Phil Lawson is an experienced business intelligence expert and investigator, with a focus on open source intelligence collection for litigation, due diligence and investigations of hostile third parties.  Phil has a particular interest in asset tracing, and has worked on cases against sovereign states, multinational companies and high-net-worth individuals. Phil also has a background in corporate communications.  He is fluent in German and Russian.

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Rachel is a leading lawyer specialising in reputation and privacy. Acting for private clients, corporates, and entrepreneurs from the UK and around the world, Rachel is called on in high stakes situations to manage complex cases and the strong personalities involved.  She is an experienced litigator, applying calmness, balance and objectivity to her cases.  Rachel is often asked to lead corporate internal enquiries, particularly where public scrutiny is intense.  

Rachel is featured in Chambers’ Defamation and Reputation Management directory and recognised by Legal 500 as a leading individual. She is ranked in the prestigious Spear’s Best Reputation & Privacy Lawyers Index 2025, and features in the Citywealth Leaders List.  She is also amongst the winners of the 2024 Citywealth Powerwomen Awards, and features is ranked Tier 1 in the Private Client Global Elite Directory.

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Rachel is a highly skilled intelligence consultant with a background in maritime and international trade.  She works on a range of matters for clients in high stakes situations, conducting detailed research to provide crucial evidence for global investigations, with particular emphasis on those concerning maritime matters.  Rachel has experience as a commercial shipping analyst focusing on the global seaborne oil trade, and also as an analyst on civil and defence maritime markets for the UK government.

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A former Director of the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), Robert Hannigan oversaw the development of the UK’s first Cyber Security Strategy and the creation of the National Cyber Security Centre. In addition to his appointment to the Schillings advisory board, Robert is a Senior Adviser to McKinsey & Co.

Rod Christie-Miller is an experienced litigator with decades of work in the areas of law related to reputation, privacy and security. He has acted for a wide range of corporations, brands, governments, and public figures, with a particular focus on the intersection of international business, politics, and geopolitical risks.  Rod is the Executive Chair of Schillings.

Rod is ranked as a leader in his field in Chambers & Partners and the Spear’s 500 Power List.

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Sam Ahuja is an experienced litigator whose legal work covers a range of defamation, privacy and  intellectual property issues. He brings that legal expertise into broad multidisciplinary strategies to help handle the high stakes situations faced by our clients.   Sam has also served as in-house counsel to a challenger bank.  

Sam is ranked in the Citywealth Leaders List, the Spear’s 500 Best Reputation & Privacy Lawyers Index, and was previously listed in the Super Lawyers Directory.

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Sarah is a privacy and reputation lawyer skilled at helping successful individuals, families, companies and charitable organisations navigate high stakes opportunities and threats. She has a commercial litigation background, having previously worked at a magic circle law firm, a specialist boutique litigation firm and as a judge's clerk at the High Court of New Zealand.

Sarah is a qualified lawyer in England & Wales, Australia (New South Wales) and New Zealand.  She holds an LLM from Harvard Law School as a Fulbright Scholar. 

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Sarah Reynolds specialises in reputation and crisis management with her work covering defamation, privacy, data protection and intellectual property matters. She provides pre- and post-publication advice to high profile individuals and international organisations and assists our clients in protecting their private and confidential information. Sarah is dual-qualified in England and Wales and Scotland and has experience in dealing with various intra-UK and cross-border privacy and reputation matters.

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Siân Akerman is a seasoned media litigator experienced in handling high-profile defamation trials and complex cases. She specialises in pre- and post-publication advice, harassment cases, and contempt of court applications, and has a strong background in commercial litigation and civil fraud. Sian sits on the committee of the Junior London Solicitors Litigation Association.

Simon Brown is an experienced litigator with broad experience in the High Court and Court of Appeal in cases concerning defamation, privacy and data protection law.  He assists our clients with pre and post-publication media issues – involving mainstream and online publishers – and also advises clients on how to counter reputational threats posed by digital and social media.  In addition to providing legal support and developing pre-emptive reputation strategies for clients, Simon has experience in dealing with the legal and human effects of smear campaigns.

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Chairman of the Board of Directors at Smiths Group plc, the global technology company, Sir George was formerly Chairman and CEO of Brunswick Corporation and latterly Chairman and CEO of 3M.  In addition to his appointment to the Schillings advisory board, Sir George is also a Chairman of Stanley Black & Decker Inc, as well as a Director of PepsiCo Inc and Hitachi Ltd.

The UK’s ambassador to the United Nations between 2009 and 2015, Sir Mark went on to become National Security Adviser to Prime Ministers David Cameron and Theresa May. In that role, he was head of the National Security Secretariat and Secretary to the National Security Council.

With long experience working in all aspects of media law, Steven Hudson specialises in defamation, privacy and data protection.  He primarily helps clients in relation to disputes concerning digital, social and traditional media. Steven works with high profile individuals and businesses to defend their reputation and privacy either in moments of crisis or on a more pre-emptive basis, where long-term results rather than quick fixes are required. Steven is listed in the Legal 500 Reputation Management Index as a Rising Star and Next Generation Partner.

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Tim Ramsey is a strategic adviser to clients seeking to handle high stakes opportunities and threats.  A trained behavioural scientist, he was formerly at the Behavioural Insights Team where he headed the MENA practice.  He has also worked in cyber security and open-source intelligence. Tim founded the award-winning charity, Just Like Us, and has served on the boards of national charities.  He is a Fulbright Scholar and winner of the Sir Cyril Taylor Memorial Award for Social Entrepreneurship.

Tim Robinson helps our clients handle high stakes situations where the background is especially complex, large-scale, sensitive and international.

He is an experienced negotiator and transactional adviser and is frequently asked to help settle disputes and lead internal enquiries. He is often called upon to run counter-extortion operations and to deal with smear campaigns.   As a former general in the British Army, Tim is a proven battlefield leader, as well as an experienced strategist and tactician in the corporate and private client worlds.  

Tim features in the Spear’s Best Reputation Managers Index.

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Victoria is an experienced lawyer specialising  in reputation management, and defamation and privacy law.  Victoria is adept at providing incisive pre and post-publication advice, crafting pre-emptive solutions to counter imminent media threats, managing complex crises for our clients and litigating to assert their rights. Victoria is also the Chief Executive Officer of Big Voice London (BVL),  a youth empowerment charity, which seeks to give young people from non-fee paying schools a voice in law and legal policy with the aim of improving social mobility in the legal profession. The charity is supported by, but independent from, the UK Supreme Court. 

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Victoria O’Byrne is a founding partner of Schillings Communications LLP.

Victoria draws upon over 20 years’ experience in senior positions across UK business and government, previously working for the Royal Family and Sir Richard Branson as Group Director of Corporate Affairs at Virgin. Previously she was a Special Adviser to a UK Cabinet Minister and a Director of Communications for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.  A highly respected leader in strategic communications, Victoria specialises in working with high profile and highly scrutinised individuals, organisations and campaigns to build their reputations and grow their coalitions of support.

Victoria is featured in the Spear’s 500 2025 Best Reputation Managers Index and has been recognised, jointly with George Pascoe-Watson, as the number one advisor for crisis and reputation management in PR Week's 2025 Power Book.

Victoria Vasileva is highly skilled researcher with a background in conducting complex investigations, often where high-risk jurisdictions are involved. These investigations typically identify threats and networks, locate people or assets and carry out due diligence, including where criminality is at play.  Victoria is native in Russian and fluent Greek.

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Viv O’Connor-Jemmett is a Consultant Partner of Schillings International LLP, based in Schillings’ Dublin office, supporting clients in the public eye to build and protect their profiles online– while maintaining their right to privacy.

Having held senior digital roles at several global communications agencies, Viv has developed a unique blend of pioneering digital and communications skills that effectively protect his clients’ interests during periods when their reputation is under threat. He has particular expertise in helping clients sensitively and discreetly navigate highly complex matters, often during times of crisis, working to rapidly mitigate threats as they emerge.

Viv also develops bespoke strategies to help his clients proactively shape their own narrative, build resilience and harness opportunity, through sophisticated digital campaigns. With over 15 years’ experience in Digital Resilience, Viv has advised boards and CEOs of global corporations, high-profile individuals and their families, in addition to governments and royalty.

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Will Lowe is an experienced intelligence specialist, with notable expertise in complex international and multi-jurisdictional investigations: these often involve open-source investigations, due diligence reports and human source enquiries.   Will specialises in counter-disinformation and counter-smear campaigns – particularly online – and is especially adept in collecting and analysing intelligence drawn from social media.   He speaks Mandarin Chinese and has a nuanced understanding of the cultural and geopolitical context of East Asia.

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Zoë has extensive experience with sports-related corruption matters and investigations in support of class action litigation.  She is a member of the Association of British Investigators, holds a certification in Mastercard's Ciphertrace software, and is a PRINCE2 practitioner.