We advise parties to legal disputes on strategic communications, including crisis preparation and media relations. Our approach is fully integrated with the legal strategy and grounded in the legal process. We help clients manage risk, seize opportunities and ensure that all stakeholders affected by a dispute are effectively engaged.
Who we are
Legal disputes present distinct challenges and opportunities for reputation and public profile. This is why at Portland we have a specialist team of skilled communications professionals who have a strong track record of advising on a diverse range of high-stakes legal disputes.
We are recognised as one of the most experienced Legal Disputes Communications teams in the UK and are ranked in Chambers and Partners for litigation support and crisis management (both UK and globally).
Our practice spans litigation, international arbitration, regulatory investigations, pre-action disputes, media and reputation, and other contentious situations. With a network of overseas offices, and access to Omnicom’s global footprint across 100 countries, we are ideally placed to advise on international disputes as well as UK-centred disputes. We act for corporations, governments, NGOs, charities and individuals.
We understand the legal framework for a wide variety of dispute resolution processes and types of legal claim. We work in close partnership with the client, their legal team and their other advisers. The Portland team is supported by Senior Adviser Adrian Lifely who spent 25 years as a legal disputes partner in a major international law firm. Learn more about Adrian
Why Portland
Our advice is always underpinned by facts, substance and by sound judgement based on relevant experience. We understand that a dispute exists beyond the courtroom, encompassing public, commercial and political considerations.
To support this approach, the team have the advantage of access to the wider Portland firm, with expertise spanning different sectors, capabilities and geographies. For cases with a political angle, we draw on the firm’s unrivalled expertise in relation to political and governmental affairs, and the team regularly works with colleagues who have served in government and the political media.
Data-driven insight is central to how we work. Our in-house polling and research team analyse audience behaviour, test messages, and map influence networks to refine media strategy and maximise impact.
How we can help
Media, political institutions and norms, as well as our economic foundations, are undergoing fundamental change, which significantly impacts how information is published, accessed and validated. Traditional media like broadcast news and newspapers are still important, but AI and social media are increasingly being used to access business news. This has important ramifications for coverage of legal disputes.
Recent examples of our work:
· Advising a defendant in ongoing collective proceedings before the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
· Managing political and media communications for a private equity firm bringing a Judicial Review against the government, including managing a high-profile sale as part of a settlement.
· Defending an asset manager facing fraud claims brought by an ex-shareholder.
· Supporting a set of investors in their enforcement of an arbitral award against a sovereign state.
· Assisting a HNWI with reputation recovery, having had sanctions successfully quashed.
· Representing a defendant in ongoing GLO proceedings in the High Court in relation to an ESG matter.
· Representing an FMCG brand in a Judicial Review against a flagship government policy.
· Managing the reputation of politicised individuals in the lead-up to and during an Unexplained Wealth Order.
· Supporting a well-known retail brand to manage a reputation-critical Panorama investigation.
· Building a communications framework and website to support a government’s challenge to a multibillion-dollar arbitral award.
If you think we could assist you, please get in touch with Simon Pugh, Partner – [email protected]
What our clients say about us: They are at the top end of international disputes and litigation. Certainly, one of the top agencies for big clients. They are smooth, efficient, and work urgently which is what you want on your side
The Portland team have broad experience encompassing matters with an international dimension. They also have the ability to grasp the complexities of sanctions matters.
There was an open approach of the Portland team, consistency of quality thinking and the ability to recognise different perspectives in approaching a problem or opportunity.
When one is dealing with a crisis situation, Portland delivers.