Niri Shanmuganathan

Niri has over two decades' experience as a media and IP litigator. He is recognised for his brilliant client handling, be that for a high-net-worth individual or a media organisation.

Niri advises on all aspects of soft IP including data protection. He advises across the publishing, advertising, sport and film/tv sectors on defamation, contempt, obscenity, privacy and advertising related issues.

Niri acts for both claimants and defendants in the media industry which gives him a unique position in the marketplace. He offers reputation management advice to companies and high-profile individuals alike.

He is well-connected with in-house lawyers at broadcasters and newspapers and regularly deals with them before broadcast or publication to ensure that allegations are neutralised as far as possible. He also deals with post-broadcast and publication issues and has been successful in obtaining apologies and other remedies.

Niri has also helped clients targeted by competitors, campaigning organisations, whistleblowers, regulators and ex-employees.

With over 25 years of experience it means he’s really able to look after the client and has a depth of knowledge that others simply do not possess.

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CV

Since 2002 Partner, Taylor Wessing

Since 2013 Board Director

2008 - 2013 Head of IP and Media group, Taylor Wessing

Career

Since 2002 Partner, Taylor Wessing

Since 2013 Board Director

2008 - 2013 Head of IP and Media group, Taylor Wessing

Education

1996 Diploma, Intellectual Property Law, Bristol University, UK

1995 Admitted to the Bar, England and Wales

1993 First Class Honours, Law Society

Memberships & Associations

Legal group of the Publishers Association
British Literary and Artistic Copyright Association
International Association of Entertainment Lawyers
US Copyright Society
Media Law Resource Centre

Additional languages

Awards

Legal 500 UK 2026

Featured

Spear's 500 2025

Chambers High Net Worth Guide 2025

Legal 500 UK 2025

Experience

Mail On Sunday

Acting on a copyright and privacy claim brought by Madonna over her wedding photos. One of the leading cases on the assessment of damages in copyright actions.

Niri Shanmuganathan

Confidential

Acting on one of the biggest oppositions to proceed through the Trade Mark Registry involving 30+ witnesses of fact, 6 experts and numerous documents (including 2000 survey questionnaires).

Niri Shanmuganathan

Expert witness in Jay Z case

An expert on music publishing law and practice in the UK in high profile Californian litigation brought in relation to the Jay-Z song Big Pimpin',

Niri Shanmuganathan

El Naschie v Macmillan Publishers Limited (trading as Nature Publishing Group) and another

The scientific journal Nature, and one of its journalists, in successfully defending a libel claim brought by the former Editor-in-Chief of another scientific journal. In her judgment, Mrs Justice Sharp found for Nature on all three of its pleaded defences (justification, honest comment and 'Reynolds' qualified privilege – a defence protecting responsible journalism on a matter of public interest).

Niri Shanmuganathan

Evening Standard

Successfully defending a claim by the owner who was the subject of an undercover investigation by the Evening Standard who claimed in a front page piece that some of the residents were being treated in a cruel and neglectful way. The Claimant was represented on a CFA and withdrew her claim shortly before trial. If the trial had gone ahead this would have been one of the biggest libel trials in recent years with 50 witnesses due to give evidence.

Niri Shanmuganathan

Blackmail case for a celebrity

Secured a final injunction in defamation, privacy and harassment for an anonymised client.“LJY” was sent a series of letters by an unknown blackmailer threatening to release false allegations of a serious criminal offence to the media if a substantial sum of money was not paid. This followed the team’s earlier successful application for an interim injunction on the same grounds, which was served on the blackmailer over a series of text messages sent from a blank Taylor Wessing SIM.

Niri Shanmuganathan