James Quartermaine acts on football gossip
Who? James Quartermaine, 32, reputation management solicitor at City law firm Charles Russell.
Why is he in the news? Won apologies and undisclosed damages from the BBC on behalf of two high-profile clients in football’s Premier League – West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola and first-team coach Steve Clarke. Quartermaine told Mr Justice Eady in the High Court, London, that during a BBC Radio 5 Live show in February 2009 a reporter had wrongly alleged that Zola and Clarke had discussed moving to Chelsea next season with the club’s owner Roman Abramovich. If true, Quartermaine said, this would have been in breach of Premier League rules and would have damaged his clients’ relationship with their West Ham employers, players and fans.
Thoughts on the case: ‘Football attracts and tolerates a great deal of gossip and media speculation but sometimes, where this is presented as fact, there is a danger that real damage may be caused. This was a case in which it
was important to set the record straight.’
Why become a lawyer? ‘I read English at university and was considering a career in journalism, but opted for law school. While there I had work experience in the legal department of the Times newspaper. Media law
seemed the obvious fit between my background interest in journalism and the legal world.’
Career high: ‘Winning a libel victory, after a retrial, over abortion allegations in the Daily Mail. It was three years’ work and all done on a conditional fee agreement.’
Career low: ‘As a very young lawyer, turning up with a client at Bow Street Magistrates’ Court only to find we should have been at Bow Road. A sweaty taxi ride ensued, but after an unsettling start we won the case.’
