Paul Tweed

Paul Tweed
Born (1955-06-06) 6 June 1955
Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland
Occupation International Media Lawyer, Litigator and Mediator

Paul Tweed (6 June 1955) is an international lawyer with Johnsons Solicitors in Belfast, Dublin and London.[1] He is described as "one of the best media lawyers in the world"[2] and is listed in Chambers Legal Guide as a leading lawyer in the field of defamation, intellectual property and professional negligence, and has represented many clients from the entertainment industry, media and politics.[3]

Early life and education

Born in Bangor, County Down, Tweed attended Bangor Grammar School and Queens University Belfast where he read Law.[4] After attaining his LLB he attended the Institute of Legal Studies where he qualified as a Solicitor in 1978. He joined the Belfast firm Johnsons the same year he qualified and was made partner in 1983.[3]

Notable cases

One of Tweed's earliest libel actions of note was against the Sunday World over the reporting of two local senior barristers fighting over a chocolate eclair in a Holywood cake shop. The case was contested in front of a Belfast jury who awarded both men £50,000 each.[5]

In 1992 he represented the plaintiff in the case of Barney Eastwood v Barry McGuigan which resulted in the highest libel award in Northern Irish history.[6]

He acted for former QC and politician Robert McCartney in a settlement that resulted in McCartney receiving £80,000 in damages on the eve of the 1997 election.[7]

Tweed has represented Liam Neeson,[8] Britney Spears,[9] Jennifer Lopez,[10] Justin Timberlake,[11] Kelsey Grammer, Nicolas Cage,[12] Harrison Ford,[13] Chris de Burgh, Neil Jordan, Uri Geller,[14]Patrick Kielty,[4][15] Colin Farrell, Keith Duffy, and The Corrs.[4]

In 2014 he represented X Factor judge and band manager Louis Walsh in which Walsh was awarded €500,000 in damages from The Sun for a libellous headline.[16]

He has also represented newspapers including The Sunday Times, The Irish News and Penguin.

Tweed has also acted for journalists including litigation for Irish Independent reporter Gemma O’Doherty with other reported cases including Liam Clarke[17] and Susanne Breen.[18]

He has also been involved in multiple defamation actions against UK and US-based internet book distributors, requiring the issue of the largest number of Writs in respect of the publication of one book.[19]

Media appearances

Tweed is a regular contributor on media law issues in both printed, online and television journalism. He has made many appearances on UK and International news services such as the BBC, UTV, Ireland AM,[20] Al Jazeera,[21] Russia Today[22] and Bloomberg News.[23] His acting for magician Uri Gellar against CNN and The Sun and Richard O'Donovan and Forbes was the subject of the BBC documentary See You in Court which was broadcast in 2011.[24]

He has also addressed the Oxford Union[25] and Feile an Phobail in Belfast, as well as various International Bar Associations and business groups.[26]

Recognition and memberships

Tweed is listed as the top tier (Band 1) lawyers in both Defamation/Reputation Management and Media & Entertainment fields of the Chambers and Partners guide.[6]”

He has also addressed the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the draft Defamation Bill and the Northern Ireland Assembly Committee on the Defamation Act 2013.[27]

He is listed in Chambers Directory as a media and professional indemnity lawyer, a member of the Ministry of Justice Defamation and other Judicial Committees, Member of the Law Society of England and Wales, 1993, Member the Law Society of Ireland, 1999, Member of the Law Society of Northern Ireland, 1978, is registered as a Foreign Legal Consultant, California State Bar and JAMS (alternative dispute resolution).[7]

Publishing

In 2012 Tweed published Privacy and Libel Law; The Clash With Press Freedom.[28] He is also a regular contributor to publications such as Huffington Post,[29] The Guardian[30] and The Global Legal Post.[31]

References

  1. ↑ "Johnsons Solicitors". legal500.com.
  2. ↑ http://www.johnsonssolicitors.com/Site/53/Documents/SundayTribune_310808.pdf|work=Sunday Tribune
  3. 1 2 inControlCMS admin. "Johnsons Solicitors - Commercial Solicitors with offices in Belfast and Dublin, Ireland". johnsonssolicitors.com.
  4. 1 2 3 "The Legal 500". legal500.com.
  5. ↑ "From Cream Buns to Hollywood: Paul Tweed talking about his career and libel reform". Slugger O'Toole.
  6. 1 2 "Paul Tweed". chambersandpartners.com.
  7. 1 2 "Paul Tweed, JAMS International, media lawyer, mediator and arbitrator". jamsinternational.com.
  8. ↑ http://www.johnsonssolicitors.com/Site/53/Documents/The%20Guardian%20-%20Hollywood's%20A-list%20flock%20to%20Irish%20solicitor%20-%2022%20April%202007.pdf
  9. ↑ http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=2452034
  10. ↑ http://www.johnsonssolicitors.com/Site/53/Documents/Belfast%20libel%20lawyer%20hired%20by%20J-Lo%20and%20her%20husband.pdf
  11. ↑ http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/oct/21/justin-timberlake-jessica-biel-heat-lawsuit
  12. ↑ "Nicolas Cage receives damages and apology over online story". BBC News. 2 October 2012.
  13. ↑ http://www.johnsonssolicitors.com/Site/53/Documents/Press/The%20Hollywood%20Reporter%20Article.pdf
  14. ↑ "BBC News - Libel lawyer Paul Tweed's work for Uri Geller on TV". BBC News. 5 April 2011.
  15. ↑ "Northern Ireland lawyer to stars Paul Tweed wants it made easier, not harder, to sue". Belfast Telegraph.
  16. ↑ "BBC News - X Factor judge Louis Walsh settles 500,000 euro defamation case". BBC News. 28 November 2012.
  17. ↑ http://www.johnsonssolicitors.com/Site/53/Documents/News%20Letter%20Article%2007.07.09.pdf
  18. ↑ "BBC News - Suzanne Breen wins libel settlement from the NUJ". BBC News. 7 March 2011.
  19. ↑ "JAMS Arbitration, Mediation, and ADR Services - Mediators/Arbitrators - Neutrals - Paul Tweed". jamsadr.com.
  20. ↑ "Paul Tweed". tv3.ie.
  21. ↑ Inside Story. "Should limits be placed on free expression?". aljazeera.com.
  22. ↑ "Iraq turmoil, UK secret trials & England's World Cup bid own-goal? [E93]". rt.com.
  23. ↑ "New Strategies Struggle to Combat Video Piracy". Bloomberg.com.
  24. ↑ "BBC One - See You in Court". BBC.
  25. ↑ "Felicity Gerry QC Oxford Union Debate". 37 Park Square.
  26. ↑ http://www.feilebelfast.com/wp-content/themes/phobail2013/Feile-2013.pdf
  27. ↑ "BBC Democracy Live - Committee is briefed on possible changes to libel law". BBC Democracy Live.
  28. ↑ http://www.bloomsburyprofessional.com/uk/privacy-and-libel-law-9781847669025/
  29. ↑ "Paul Tweed". huffingtonpost.co.uk.
  30. ↑ Paul Tweed. "Lord McAlpine and the high cost of tweeting gossip". the Guardian.
  31. ↑ "Paul Tweed". www.globallegalpost.com.

External links

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