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  • Home
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  • Michael Szlesinger
Michael Szlesinger
Michael Szlesinger

Michael Szlesinger

Associate

  • London UK
Contact Me Today
+44 20 7300 7000
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Featured award

Legal 500 UK 2026

Ranked as a key lawyer in the reputation management category.

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Michael is an information and media litigator who advises high net worth individuals and corporations on reputation and crisis management, as well as privacy protection.

His practice covers defamation, privacy, confidentiality, malicious falsehood, contentious data protection, right to be forgotten applications, subject access requests, harassment, blackmail, contempt, and communications offences. He regularly secures injunctive relief, including non-disclosure orders, pre-action and non-party disclosure, and Norwich Pharmacal orders.

Michael typically advises both claimants and defendants on urgent pre-publication or broadcast interventions, responding to unlawful disclosure of private or confidential information, and preparing for and navigating intense media scrutiny (for example, during high-profile litigation, matrimonial disputes, Coroner’s inquests, public inquiries, and criminal or regulatory investigations).

He has particular experience in combatting harassment and smear campaigns (often with an international element) by competitors, pressure groups, and disgruntled employees.

Originally from Geneva, Michael is uniquely positioned to advise clients in Switzerland on sensitive cross-border matters involving both British and Swiss media.

Expertise

Services and Groups

Copyright & media law
Data & cyber
Reputation management & privacy protection

Sectors

Technology, media & communications

CV

Since 2024 Associate, Taylor Wessing
2022 - 2024 Associate, Lewis Silkin
2020 - 2022 Trainee Solicitor, Lewis Silkin
2022 Admitted as a Solicitor (Advocate) in England and Wales, Solicitors Regulation Authority
2022 Legal Practice Course, BPP University
2021 Higher Rights of Audience (Civil), BARBRI Altior
2019 Law LLB (Hons), King's College London

Career

Since 2024 Associate, Taylor Wessing
2022 - 2024 Associate, Lewis Silkin
2020 - 2022 Trainee Solicitor, Lewis Silkin

Education

2022 Admitted as a Solicitor (Advocate) in England and Wales, Solicitors Regulation Authority
2022 Legal Practice Course, BPP University
2021 Higher Rights of Audience (Civil), BARBRI Altior
2019 Law LLB (Hons), King's College London

Memberships & Associations

Media Law Resource Centre
Next Generation Media Lawyers
IPSoc
BLACA

Additional languages

English French German

Awards

Legal 500 UK 2026

Featured

Ranked as a key lawyer in the reputation management category.

Experience

UHNW founder v Online 'cult'

Advising a UHNW founder on the multi-jurisdictional response to a smear campaign by members of the online 'cult' of a competitor founder, in relation to defamation, harassment, malicious communications, computer misuse and conspiracy.

Michael Szlesinger

King v Spotify

Advising Spotify on the defence and strike-out of a defamation and negligence claim brought by an artist in relation to stream counts and artificial streaming, and successfully opposing an application for an interim injunction.

Michael Szlesinger

A Royal Family member v Newspaper

Advising a key witness for the defendant in a long-running unlawful information gathering claim brought by a member of a Royal Family against a newspaper, in relation to giving evidence under an information-sharing agreement.

Michael Szlesinger

UHNW family v Employee

Advising a UHNW family on a blackmail attempt and the threatened unlawful disclosure of private information (including highly invasive covert recordings) and the publication of defamatory allegations by an employee.

Michael Szlesinger

Supplier v Public service broadcaster

Advising a supplier on the threatened publication of defamatory allegations in a documentary and several online publications by a public service broadcaster in relation to alleged criminal conduct, and successfully securing their removal from the reporting.

Michael Szlesinger

Maycock v Cloudflare

Successfully opposing an application for a Norwich Pharmacal order brought by a politician to oblige Cloudflare to disclose the identities of the anonymous operators of a website who published certain potentially defamatory allegations against him.

Michael Szlesinger

Michael's news & insights

View Michael's insights
Click here to find out more
Technology, media & communications

Life online in 2025 – safer how?

5 December 2024

by Michael Szlesinger

Glass.Mapper.Sc.Fields.Image?.Alt
Copyright & media law

Online Safety Act – first test cases for the new disinformation offence

23 August 2024

by Michael Szlesinger

Click here to find out more
View Michael's insights

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