Michael Yates

Michael is an information litigator and reputation management specialist. He advises high net worth and high-profile individuals and companies on reputation, privacy and contentious information and media law issues.

He specialises in defamation, privacy, breach of confidence, harassment, blackmail, data protection, right to be forgotten and subject access requests, malicious falsehood and copyright law, as well as regulatory complaints. He regularly advises on injunctions against the media or malicious third parties, and on reporting restrictions and privacy issues in divorce, Norwich Pharmacal and coroners' proceedings. He also stops stories and unlawful disclosures and obtains apologies, damages and online takedowns.

He is ranked as a ‘Star Associate’ and an ‘Associate to Watch’ in the field of Reputation Management in Chambers & Partners and recognised as a ‘Next Generation Lawyer’ in Legal 500. He is recommended in Spears magazine.

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Karriere

Since 2021	Senior Counsel, Taylor Wessing
2018 - 2021	Senior Associate, Taylor Wessing
2017 - 2018	Associate, Taylor Wessing

2013 - 2017	Associate, Lee & Thompson
2011 - 2013	Assistant, Schillings
2009 - 2011	Trainee, Davenport Lyons
2008 - 2009	Company Secretarial Assistant, Davenport Lyons

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Ausbildung

2011	Admitted to the Bar, England, Wales
2008	LPC, BPP, Holborn
2004	LLB, Law, College London

Publikationen

Gigantic noticeboard or wall of graffiti? Online libel: are we lost in analogy?, The In-House Lawyer, 2012

Fremdsprachen

English

Expertise

Branchen Technology, Media & Communications

Referenzen

Company obtains first cyber injunction under the protection of anonymity	We acted for a UK listed company on the theft of data and subsequent ransom of the company. We obtained an injunction against the hackers (PML v Persons Unknown) for the client, which was the first-time judgment had been obtained for a listed company against hackers in which anonymity was granted to the company in relation to the interim injunction and then on a permanent basis. The team co-ordinated the entire incident response, including instructing forensic IT and working heavily with UK cybercrime police.
LJY v Persons Unknown	Obtained injunction against anonymous blackmailer in defamation, privacy and harassment, to stop the release of false criminal allegations to the media, serving the order via a series of text messages.
LJY v Persons Unknown	Obtained an injunction in defamation, privacy and harassment for an anonymised client to stop threats to release false allegations of a serious criminal offence to the media. The injunction was served on the blackmailer by a series of text messages.

Various libel claims	Obtained various damages awards and apologies in settlement of libel and privacy claims and prepared for and attended four day libel trial, securing attendance of key witness.
XH v XH	Advised on obtaining an anonymization and reporting restrictions order in the family court to protect a wife and child from media intrusion following high value financial proceedings.
A high profile musician	Advised on iCloud hack and private photo leak, prevented publication in mainstream media, co-ordinated mass take downs and removed medical data from Twitter.

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Awards

Chambers and Partners HNW 2022	Defamation/Reputation Management (high net worth) - Up and Coming: Michael Yates "is very hard-working and thorough, a wise counsellor, and has a charming manner that puts clients at ease," states a source. Another adds: "Michael is a trusted colleague on all matters related to reputation and privacy protection. His calm and reassuring demeanour instantly disarms you and conveys an authority beyond his years."
Chambers and Partners UK 2023	Defamation/Reputation Management - Star Associate: Michael Yates is a senior associate who is well regarded for his strength in advising on a range of critical reputation management matters. His practice covers defamation, reporting restrictions and breach of confidence claims. "Michael Yates's work really impressed me."
Chambers UK 2022	Defamation/Reputation Management: "Michael is an absolute joy to work with. He is very likeable and equally knowledgeable, with a calm demeanour and confidence beyond his years.""He is very good at adopting the client's argument and aligning it with legislative points."
Legal 500 UK 2022	Reputation management
Wealthbriefing European Awards 2021	Leading individual adviser
Chambers High Net Worth UK 2020	Associate to watch – Reputation Management: Michael Yates is a senior associate who is well regarded for his strength in advising on a range critical reputation management matters.
Chambers UK 2020	Associate to watch - Defamation/Reputation Management: Michael Yates is a senior associate who is well regarded for his strength in advising on a range critical reputation management matters.
Chambers High Net Worth UK 2019	Associate to watch - Defamation/Reputation Management: High Net Worth
Chambers UK 2019	Associate to watch - Defamation/Reputation Management: Michael Yates is a senior associate who regularly handles defamation, privacy and data protection disputes. Sources consider him to be "extremely knowledgeable" and "highly intelligent in a very accessible way."
Legal 500 UK 2019	Next generation - Risk advisory: Reputation management: Other names to note include the ‘smart and assertive’ Michael Yates
Legal 500 UK 2022	Reputation management