Emma Woollcott

Emma is a Partner and Head of the Reputation Protection and Crisis Management in Mishcon Private with expertise in defamation, breach of confidence, invasion of privacy, harassment and data protection concerns. She specialises in digital technology and online publications, often advising in times of crisis and in the context of wider disputes.

She advises individuals, companies and charities on a broad range of reputation management issues. providing claimants and defendants with pre- and post-publication advice, including obtaining, defending and discharging injunctions. 

Her clients span a wide range of geographies and industries, including media and entertainment, technology, financial services, politics, publishing, art, property, sport, fashion, education and the charity sector. 

Emma regularly trains journalists, PR professionals and other advisors on publication concerns. She takes a holistic approach to reputation protection, encouraging clients to prepare in advance for potential challenges and to mitigate effectively any damage caused by negative publicity.

Key Experience

• Obtaining urgent High Court injunctions to prevent the misuse of private and confidential information, including in the context of blackmail threats and harassment
• Pre-publication advice to a range of media and online publications, managing the risk that sensitive content may be challenged
• Challenging content published online and obtaining disclosure from international webhosts and internet and email service providers, in order to identify anonymous / malicious posters.
• Advising a leading national professional services firm in relation to defamatory statements made by a competitor to several of its mutual clients, which statements were repeated on blogs and online discussion forums
• Preventing the publication of false rumors about a world-renowned sports person, which would have had a devastating impact on his brand
• Advising a national religious forum in relation to defamatory statements made about it on the internet and anticipated in a forthcoming book
• Acting for a high-ranking police officer in relation to defamatory allegations made against him in the national press and online

Career History

Partner, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Legal Director, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Associate, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Solicitor, Mishcon de Reya LLP
Solicitor, Addleshaw Goddard LLP
Qualified, Clifford Chance LLP
Trainee, Clifford Chance LLP
University of Cambridge (Jesus College), Law MA (Hons)