Lawyer in the news

Who? Keith Schilling, 45-year-old founding partner and head of litigation at six-partner London media firm Schilling & Lom and Partners.

Why is he in the news? Represented supermodel Naomi Campbell in her successful case against the Mirror newspaper for breach of confidence after the tabloid printed photos of her leaving Narcotics Anonymous and details of her treatment.

Ms Campbell was awarded 3,500 damages from the newspaper, but she was criticised by the judge who said the model had not been honest with the press over the years, and had lied to him on oath during the case.

Background: Left school at 16 and worked at pioneering media firm Wright Webb & Sirer (now dissolved).

He completed a legal executive course by correspondence, and went to Chester College of Law for his Law Society part one exams in 1976.

While completing his four-year articles with Wright Webb & Sirer, he also studied for an MA in business law at the City of London University (now London Guildhall).

Qualifying in 1981, he was made a partner at Wright Webb a year later and left in 1984 to set up Schilling Gleadow & Lom.

Route to the case: 'The firm has a long history of media litigation, and Ms Campbell was recommended to us.'

Thoughts on the case: 'Getting a high damages award was never the point of this case.

Ms Campbell commands such high fees for her work that damages could never compensate for her loss of earning time, and they are all going to charity in any case.

In regard to the judge's allegation that she lied on the stand, the facts which she allegedly lied about - being rushed to hospital in Gran Canaria for an allergic reaction to penicillin and not for a drugs overdose - did not really have much to do with this case, and so I was surprised at his ruling.'

Dealing with the media: 'The press reporting has fallen into two camps: the broadsheets have taken the view that the development of a privacy law was inevitable, whereas the tabloids have realised that it's bad news for intrusive journalism which is what many of them specialise in.

Overall, the reporting hasn't been particularly favourable, but that's freedom of expression for you.

It's actually a positive decision for the press, as it clarifies the law and gives the papers more responsibility and authority.'

Victoria MacCallum