Lawyer In The News

Alasdair PepperPeter Carter-Ruck & Partners

Who? Alasdair Pepper, partner specialising in media law at London firm Peter Carter-Ruck & Partners.Why is he in the news? Acting for thespian Steven Berkoff, who is facing a civil action by a woman who claims he raped her in 1994.

Mr Berkoff - who strongly denies the allegation - has never been prosecuted over the incident.

The woman is claiming up to 500,000, and is just the third claimant in the UK to bring a civil claim for rape.

Background: Law Society finals at the College of Law in Guildford in 1981.

Qualified in 1984 with two firms: Brighton-based Gates & Co and Tanner & Taylor in Farnborough.

Joined Peter Carter-Ruck & Partners immediately afterwards, and was made a partner in 1986.

Route to the case: 'I have acted for Steven Berkoff for years.'Thoughts on the case: 'The case raises points of legal and general interest.

For example, the ability of a claimant to try to bring such a claim after six years and the restrictions on reporting the claimant's identity.' Dealing with the media: 'We deal with the media day in, day out on behalf of our clients.

With this case, we didn't want the publicity at all, and various newspapers decided not to publish anything about it.

Then one newspaper got hold of court papers and it became in the public domain, and they all followed on.' Paula Rohan