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  • Home
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  • Niri Shan
Niri Shanmuganathan
Niri Shanmuganathan

Niri Shanmuganathan

Partner

  • London UK
Contact Me Today
+44 20 7300 4782
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Featured award

Legal 500 UK 2025

Hall of fame

Scroll to featured award

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.

Expertise

Services and Groups

Brands & advertising
Copyright & media law
Information technology
Reputation management & privacy protection
Tech Litigation

Sectors

Technology, media & communications
Consumer & retail
Music
Advertising & marketing
Sports

The impact of affluence on the next economy

An international study examining the behaviours, motivations and goals of today’s UHNW individuals. 

Read full report

CV

Since 2002 Partner, Taylor Wessing
Since 2013 Board Director
2008 - 2013 Head of IP and Media group, Taylor Wessing
1996 Diploma, Intellectual Property Law, Bristol University, UK
1995 Admitted to the Bar, England and Wales
1993 First Class Honours, Law Society

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

English

Awards

Legal 500 UK 2025

Featured

Hall of fame

Legal 500 UK 2025

Hall of fame

Chambers and Partners High Net Worth Guide 2024

Band 1 individual

Chambers and Partners UK 2024

Defamation/Reputation Management - Band 1: “Niri is particularly good at dealing with sensitive matters. He is very diplomatic and thoughtful. He is smart on the law and has high emotional intelligence” and “Niri has an incredible bedside manner. He shows absolutely clarity of thought and is calm and unflappable”.

Media & Entertainment publishing - Band 1: “He is the very best for businesspeople who need trusted media advice - rational dispassionate and honest” and “He is an absolute star a grade one lawyer”.

Media & Entertainment (publishing) - Band 1: Niri Shan is a highly respected media and IP litigator. He is recommended for his handling of pre-publication and post-publication reviews in news media, advertising and political communications, and also for negotiating commercial agreements on behalf of publishing houses. "Niri Shan is very well respected. Clients think highly of him and take what he says very seriously."

Defamation/Reputation Management (high net worth) - Band 1: Niri Shan "is a lawyer of the highest calibre and sophistication. He carries an unparalleled intuition for what is in his client's best interests," says a source, with another adding: "He is a real star - a go-to lawyer for many high net worth individuals." "I've never encountered another media and reputation management lawyer who is able to fix quietly so many challenging matters. This is a true gift – and it is certainly a gift for his clients," states a market commentator.

Defamation/Reputation Management - Band 1: Niri Shan is highlighted for his considerable skill acting on behalf of both claimants and defendants across a spectrum of defamation and privacy matters. He advises clients on pre-publication as well as post-publication issues.

Defamation/Reputation Management: High Net Worth - "Niri is a lawyer of the highest calibre and sophistication. He carries an unparalleled intuition for what is in his client's best interests," says a source, with another adding: "He is a real star - a go-to lawyer for many high net worth individuals." "I've never encountered another media and reputation management lawyer who is able to fix quietly so many challenging matters. This is a true gift – and it is certainly a gift for his clients," states a market commentator.

Defamation/Reputation Management: "Niri’s expertise and knowledge of case law and contacts are first class; however, his calmness and strategic insight are what make him stand out. He is readily available and communicates guidance with an ease and simplicity." "He has excellent tactical judgement and client-handling skills."

Media & Entertainment - Publishing: "Niri Shan is a highly respected media and IP litigator. He is recommended for his handling of pre-publication and post-publication reviews in news media, advertising and political communications, and also for negotiating commercial agreements on behalf of publishing houses." "Niri is smart and easy to work with."

Reputation management

IP - trademarks, copyright and design

Media and entertainment (Hall of Fame)

Leading individual - Reputation Management (band 1): Niri Shan is highlighted for his considerable skill acting on behalf of both claimants and defendants across a spectrum of defamation and privacy matters. Sources remark: "He provides very balanced and sensible advice for clients with tough issues."

Top ten UK Reputation Lawyer

Top Reputation Management Lawyer

Leading individual - Intellectual Property (Band 4): Niri Shan leads the firm's UK IP practice, and is particularly authoritative on trade mark, copyright and image rights in publishing, media and entertainment. He is sought after for disputes and non-contentious commercial advice.

Leading individual - Defamation/Reputation Management (Band 1): Niri Shan is highlighted for his considerable skill acting on behalf of both claimants and defendants across a spectrum of defamation and privacy matters. Sources remark: "He provides very balanced and sensible advice for clients with tough issues."

Leading individual - Media & Entertainment (Band 1): Niri Shan is recommended for his handling of pre-publication and post-publication reviews in news media, advertising and political communications, and also for negotiating commercial agreements on behalf of publishing houses. A client says: "Niri is extremely knowledgeable, and his experience of being a libel lawyer and his understanding of data privacy are very impressive."

Leading individual - TMT (technology, media and telecoms): Media and entertainment (including media finance): 'You want Niri Shanmuganathan on your team.'

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

Niri's news & insights

View Niri's insights
Click here to find out more
Private wealth

Private wealth group celebrates market recognition for reputation management

2 February 2022

by Niri Shanmuganathan

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16 March 2021
IN DEPTH ANALYSIS

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Private wealth

International Private Wealth group celebrates reputation management talent

25 February 2021

by Ronald Graham and Niri Shanmuganathan

Click here to find out more
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