Defamation Lawyers & Media Lawyers

“We are lawyers with a passion for Defamation Law & Media Law”

Experience that counts

Established in 2000, Nicholls Legal is a law firm located in South Melbourne, Australia.  Our general areas of practice include Technology, Communications, Intellectual Property, Defamation, Commercial Law and Disputes – including specific expertise as Defamation Lawyers & Media Lawyers.

Typical Defamation Law & Media Law matters that we have worked on include:

  • Advising an international personality in relation to defamation over the internet.
  • Acting for a media and promotions company in relation to defamation issues.
  • Acting for a manufacturer in relation to defamatory and misleading/deceptive material posted on an internet forum.
  • Advising an industry group in relation to defamation (and related) risk minimization.
  • Preparing a substantive submission on behalf of TransACT in relation to the ACCC’s merger enquiry into Telstra’s proposed acquisition of Austar.

We have successfully represented parties in litigation at all Australian Superior Court levels, including the Victorian Supreme Court, the Victorian Court of Appeal, the Federal Court of Australia and the High Court of Australia.

In addition to our expertise as Defamation Lawyers & Media Lawyers, we also specialize in Cloud Law, Commercial Law & Business Law, Communications Law, Competition & Consumer Law, Information Security & Privacy Law, Intellectual Property Law, Internet Law and Technology & IT Law.

Competitive Fees

We offer very competitive fees including a free initial consultation.  Please contact Matthew Nicholls (ph: +61 3 8376 7131) to discuss your Defamation Law & Media Law requirements. 

Our latest Defamation Law & Media Law eNews items are below:

  • ACMA Contemporary community safeguards inquiry - From the ACMA:  The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has announced the commencement of the ‘Contemporary community safeguards inquiry’. The inquiry will focus on the need for broadcasting standards to remain in line with changing community expectations.  The ACMA is seeking to to explore and establish the core principles that should guide the content […]
  • Case Note: Rana v Google Australia Pty Ltd [2013] FCA 60 - From the Federal Court, Inforrm’s Blog and Defamation Watch:  The Federal Court has issued its decision in Rana v Google Australia Pty Ltd [2013] FCA 60.  The decision has been described as a win of sorts for Google, though not entirely in the terms that they would have preferred. Facts/Background Mr Rana sought damages from […]
  • Federal Court provides clarity on internet simulcasting - From the Australian Copyright Council:  The Federal Court has unanimously ruled in favor of artists and recording labels, by overturning a previous decision regarding internet simulcasts. The PPCA (representing the artists and recording labels) in its press release reports that it “has won a declaration that internet simulcasts of radio programs fall outside the definition […]
  • Google appeal upheld by High Court - From the ACCC:   The High Court of Australia has unanimously upheld Google Inc.’s appeal from a judgment of the Full Federal Court that found that Google had contravened the Trade Practices Act 1974 by engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct. The ACCC will carefully review the judgment of the High Court to understand whether it […]
  • ACCC seeks special leave of High Court in TPG case - From the ACCC:  The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has applied for special leave of the High Court to appeal the 20th December 2012 decision of the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia in relation to TPG’s advertisements for its Unlimited ADSL2+ broadband internet service. The Full Court allowed TPG’s appeal in […]
  • Australia does not sign up to International Telecommunications Regulations on Internet Law - From DBCDE: The Minister for Broadband, Communications, and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, today confirmed that Australia will not sign a revised international telecommunications treaty on internet law, as it has the potential to fundamentally change the way the internet operates. Over the past two weeks, the World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT) has […]
  • Government moves to ensure quality Australian TV content - The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, today announced a package of measures to ensure quality Australian TV content. “Free-to-air television plays an important part in our lives, and seeing Australian stories told on TV is vital in reflecting and maintaining our Australian identity, character and diversity,” Senator Conroy said. […]
  • Sister takes defamation case to High Court - A Franciscan sister, sued for defamation by the former mayor of a Council on the New South Wales far south coast, has applied to take her appeal to the High Court. The case involves a letter sent by Laurel Lloyd-Jones, from Dalmeny to media and the then New South Wales Premier, Nathan Rees. In the […]
  • Half of internet users unsure if internet content is legal - Nearly half of all internet users are unsure whether the content they are accessing online is legal, Ofcom research has found. However, one in six people online believed they downloaded or accessed content illegally over a three-month period this year. The findings come from the first wave of a large-scale consumer study into the extent […]
  • Defamation case withdrawn by energy giant - The ABC reports that Grid Australia – the body representing the owners of the nation’s transmission networks – has dropped a defamation claim against New South Wales grazier Bruce Robertson, after initially starting proceedings against him for comments he made about the electricity industry.  Now one energy researcher believes the reputation of the industry has […]
  • Australian man wins defamation case against Google over images published online - The Australian reports that a man has won a landmark defamation law case against Google after images of him were published alongside gangland figures including drug baron Tony Mokbel. The man – who has lived in Australia for 42 years also claimed that a Google search for his name brought up stories about an unsolved […]
  • 2GB breaches privacy provisions of code - 30 October 2012:  The licensee of Sydney Radio station 2GB, Harbour Radio Pty Ltd, has been found in breach of the the privacy provisions of the Commercial Radio Australia Codes of Practice Act 2011. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found that the broadcast on the Ray Hadley Morning Show on 25 November 2011 of a […]
  • 2GB makes accuracy and ‘significant viewpoints’ commitment - 18 October 2012:  The licensee of Sydney radio station 2GB, Harbour Radio Pty Ltd, has agreed to an overhaul of its processes to ensure that reasonable efforts are made to verify facts and present significant viewpoints in its current affairs programs. The agreement comes after a review conducted by 2GB of complicance processes after the […]
  • ACCC opposes Seven Group Holding’s proposed acquisition of Consolidated Media Holdings - The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced that it will oppose the proposed acquisition by Seven Group Holding’s (Seven) of Consolidated Media Holdings (CMH).  Seven had proposed to acquire the balance of shares it does not already own in CMH. Seven owns 25.3% of CMH shares and 33% of shares in the Seven Network.  […]
  • ACCAN Position Statement: Copyright and Consumers - 9 October 2012:  Consumer advocacy group the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) has issued a position statement discussing consumers and copyright law, particularly in regards to the issue of illegal downloading and online copyright infringement. The paper tackles some of the issues surrounding the protection of consumer rights at a time where strengthening of online copyright protection is […]