We review the publication, the context in which it was made, the audience, the likely meanings conveyed, the identity of the publisher and the harm caused or likely to be caused.

We identify the strongest legal and commercial pathway. This may involve a concerns notice, urgent removal request, offer to make amends, negotiated resolution, pre-litigation correspondence or court proceedings.

We help you preserve and organise the evidence needed to support your position, including copies of publications, screenshots, correspondence, audience reach, republication, harm to reputation and financial loss where relevant.

Where possible, we aim to resolve disputes efficiently through removal, correction, apology, undertaking, compensation or settlement.

If the matter cannot be resolved, we can act in defamation proceedings and provide strategic representation throughout the litigation process.

Defamation involves the publication of material about a person that carries a defamatory meaning and causes, or is likely to cause, serious harm to that person’s reputation.

A publication may include written material, spoken words, social media posts, online reviews, emails, text messages, articles, broadcasts or other communications.

A concerns notice is the first step required under the Defamation Act before a person can commence defamation proceedings.

It is a formal written notice sent to the person or organisation responsible for publishing the material complained of. The notice identifies the publication, the defamatory meanings said to arise from it, and the serious harm said to have been caused, or likely to be caused, by the publication.

A concerns notice should be carefully prepared. It is not a mere formality. The matters identified in the notice often frame the issues in dispute and may become central to any later proceedings, including the publication complained of, the imputations relied upon, and the harm alleged.

Before issuing a concerns notice, it is important to consider the precise words published, the context in which they were published, the audience, the meanings conveyed, the available evidence and the outcome sought.

You should preserve the evidence immediately. This may include screenshots, URLs, dates, usernames, comments, republications and any evidence showing who saw the publication.

You should then obtain legal advice about whether the publication is defamatory, whether serious harm can be established, and whether removal, correction, apology, compensation or proceedings should be pursued.

You should obtain advice promptly. There are important timeframes and strategic considerations, including whether to dispute the claim, seek further particulars, make an offer to make amends, negotiate resolution or prepare to defend proceedings.

Some corporations can bring defamation claims, but not all. Whether a company can sue depends on its structure and whether it falls within the statutory category of corporations permitted to bring a claim.

Where a company cannot sue in defamation, there may be other available claims, including injurious falsehood, misleading or deceptive conduct, breach of contract, breach of confidentiality or tort of inducing breach of contract.

In some cases, yes. The appropriate strategy may involve urgent correspondence, platform complaints, undertakings, settlement negotiations or court intervention.

The best approach will depend on the publication, the platform, the publisher, the harm caused and the urgency of the matter.