Who? Rupert Earle, 46-year-old legal director, and media and public law specialist at Addleshaw Goddard in London.


Why is he in the news? He advised The Times on its ultimately successful freedom of information (FoI) battle with the Treasury regarding Chancellor Gordon Brown's 1997 Budget decision to end dividend tax credits for pension funds.



Helen Nugent, a journalist on The Times, made an FoI request in February 2005 for information about the decision-making process that led up to the withdrawal of tax relief. She wanted details about what considerations had been given to the consequences, including estimates of the likely financial impact on the 11 million future pensioners who might be affected.



The Treasury declined to provide the information, but was subsequently - in the summer of 2006 - directed to do so by the Information Commissioner. Still reluctant to release the requested information, the Treasury appealed to the Information Tribunal and the case was scheduled for early May 2007.



In the end, the Treasury chose to reveal the information shortly before the hearing.



Background: History degree at Cambridge University before a career in accountancy. However, a four-month secondment to City firm Lawrence Graham persuaded him that law was a more exciting profession. Common professional examination and Law Society finals at the College of Law in London from 1984 to 1986. Trained at Theodore Goddard (as it then was) and has worked there ever since.



Thoughts on the case: 'It will now be easier for the press to get to the actual thinking behind the policy decisions in a Budget. The case also serves as a lesson on how not to manage the release of what might be bad news. The Treasury dug its heels in, irritating journalists and allowing the story to grow and grow because the public assumed that the government must have something to hide.



'The main legal issue was whether the exemption for information held for the formulation or development of government policy under section 35 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 applied. The exemption is qualified and involves balancing the public interest in open government with the public interest in allowing private thinking space for ministers.



'We made it clear to the Treasury that it would struggle to maintain the exemption and we gathered substantial evidence to support our position. It is obvious from the Treasury's decision to release the information that it recognised we had a compelling argument.'



Dealing with the media: 'I've had numerous requests from all areas of the media since the case. The media, unsurprisingly, sticks together where issues of freedom of information are concerned - the right to know in the public interest is central to British journalism. They're all united in their opposition, for example, to government plans to start charging for FoI requests. The Act is still new and needs time to mature.'



Jonathan Rayner