This day-long symposium will see lawyers and journalists discuss various ways in which libel law could be 'reframed'.
The event is chaired by Lord Anthony Lester, who recently introduced the Defamation Bill in the House of Lords.
Sessions will examine issues such as the cost, length of time to go to trial, the impact of the law on scientific and medical research, as well as the challenges libel law presents to bloggers.
The papers presented are to be collated as the first in a series of working papers for the Centre of Law, Justice and Journalism at City University, London.
The event is being staged at the Oliver Thompson Lecture Theatre, Northampton Square, London EC1V 0HB, on Thursday 4 November. It starts at 9.30am and finishes at 4.30pm. Visit the Reframing Libel website to book a free place.
The symposium will be available as a live stream on the BBC College of Journalism website.
Draft Programme
Session 1
Reframing the Cost of Libel (Razi Mireskandari/Simons, Muirhead and Burton)
Changing the Experience of Being Sued and the Impact on Science/Medical Research (Dr Peter Wilmshurst/Royal Shrewsbury Hospital)
What Needs to Happen from the Media's Perspective? (Professor Roy Greenslade/Guardian, City University)
Session 2
Practical Ways in Which the Libel Law Might Change While Maintaining Control Over Media Excesses (Professor Alastair Mullis and Dr Andrew Scott/UEA, London School of Economics)
Reframing Libel - the Online Perspective (Robert Dougans/Bryan Cave)
Reframing the Time it Takes to Get to a Libel Trial (Dominic Crossley/Collyer Bristow)
Corporate Libel: a Special Case? (Magnus Boyd, Carter Ruck)
Lunch
Session 3
Reframing Libel - the Practitioner's View (Hugh Tomlinson/Matrix Chambers)
The Importance of the Citizen Critic (Tracey Brown/Sense About Science)
The Impact of Libel Laws on Social Media (David Allen Green/Preiskel and Co)
Examining 'Anti-SLAPP' Legislation (Dr Andrew Scott/London School of Economics)
Session 4
Panel Discussion
:: The picture in this blog post is of the Royal Courts of Justice. It was taken and published by Flickr user vegem8383 and is used here in accordance with the terms of the Creative Commons Licence.
