Lawyer in the news

Who? Clare Kirby, 47-year-old sole practitioner at south London firm Kirby & Co, specialising in litigation and family law particularly relating to religious groups and cases of alleged undue influence.

Why is she in the news? Represents Farooq Yusof, the father of Sufiah Yusof, who made headlines when she ran away from Oxford University aged 16 to escape the alleged control of her father.

The Broadcasting Standards Commission (BSC) last week partially upheld a complaint made by Mr Yusof against journalist Martin Bashir and Granada Television, regarding an edition of 'Tonight with Trevor McDonald' which featured Sufiah's case.

The BSC found that Mr Bashir had misled Mr Yusof into believing that he was investigating the involvement of the authorities in his daughter's disappearance, and had not given him an indication of the nature and purpose of the programme.

On two other aspects of the complaint - that pre-broadcast assurances had not been adhered to and that the item was unbalanced - the BSC found that there had been no unfairness towards Mr Yusof.

Background: Degree in modern languages at Durham University 1974-78, followed by the CPE and Law Society Finals at Chancery Lane College of Law 1978-80.

She qualified with City firm Field Fisher Martineau (now Field Fisher Waterhouse) in 1983, when she left to work in industry for the Wimpey Group, before setting up her own firm in 1997.

Route to the case: 'Mr Yusof was an existing client, and I previously acted for him in care proceedings.'

Thoughts on the case: 'I am pleased with the result, because the most important part of our complaint was upheld.

Martin Bashir went beyond any proper or ethical behaviour to get an interview with my client...

in what is essentially a tragic family situation.

All he was interested in was his own story.

We are considering further legal action against him and Granada Television.'

Dealing with the media: 'Many of the cases I deal with are high profile, such as a recent settlement of 84,000 for a former member of Peniel Pentecostal Church.

In my previous dealings with the media, I have always found them helpful and supportive.

However, Martin Bashir and Granada were a marked contrast.'

Victoria MacCallum