25 years after the Irving v Lipstadt case, Deborah Lipstadt was reunited with the Mishcon de Reya lawyers Anthony Julius and James Libson, who successfully defended her against David Irving’s libel action after she accused him of Holocaust denial. In April 2000, the court ruled decisively in Lipstadt’s favour, affirming that Irving had deliberately distorted historical evidence and reaffirming the critical importance of truth in historical scholarship and public discourse.
To mark the anniversary and to explore current issues surrounding the spread of misinformation in today’s fractured media and social media ecosystems, law firm Mishcon de Reya convened an expert panel discussion to reflect on the continuing relevance of truth on trial in the 21st century, along with an exhibition of key artefacts displayed from the trial.
The event reunited historian and author Deborah Lipstadt with her lawyers from Mishcon de Reya, Anthony Julius and James Libson, alongside Sir David Hare, the renowned playwright and screenwriter who directed the 2016 film Denial, which dramatised the trial. The event was chaired by Jonathan Freedland, author and journalist, who reported on the case at the time.
Deborah Lipstadt previously served as the United States Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Antisemitism, a key diplomatic role under the previous US administration. Speaking in London to mark the 25th anniversary of the judgment, she commented “The trial changed my life. I had the privilege of fighting the good fight. It’s a tough battle; a battle against antisemitism isn’t just a battle for Jewish people. It’s a battle for democracy, the rule of law, international security and stability, civilisation and society at large.”
"When I stood in court 25 years ago, I could not have imagined how relevant our fight for truth would remain today. In an age when falsehoods spread faster than facts, it is essential that we remain vigilant and continue to stand up for historical and factual integrity."
Mishcon de Reya Deputy Chairman Anthony Julius, who led Lipstadt’s legal defence team, commented: "This case was about more than one individual's reputation; it was about defending the very idea of truth itself. In today's world, where misinformation is widespread and facts are increasingly contested, revisiting the lessons from 25 years ago is more relevant than ever. The fight for truth is ongoing; we fight in order to survive until the next. The victories are always critical but never final.”
James Libson, Managing Partner at Mishcon de Reya, “Irving was the end of a form of antisemitism in this country on the far right, but we were then fighting other battles right after that, such as far left antisemitism which we’ve been fighting ever since.”
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