Defamation

Drew & Napier’s Defamation Practice is widely recognised as a frontrunner in the industry. The practice is sought after by high-profile individuals and institutions including international corporations, banks and other financial institutions for advice and assistance on defamation-related issues.

The firm’s lawyers are involved in most major and landmark defamation disputes in Singapore, and are constantly breaking new ground.

Prestigious industry publications including Chambers Asia-Pacific, Legal 500 Asia-Pacific and Asian Legal Business SE Asia consistently confirm our leadership with Tier 1 rankings in litigation.

Practice Areas 

Our lawyers have had experience advising and litigating on a broad range of defamation matters. The scope of work undertaken by the practice includes disputes or actions relating to:

• statements and comments made in both public or private arenas;
• articles printed in both local and international publications;
• letters / circulars / newsletters distributed, whether electronically or manually; and
• statements made through the internet, including via email, blogs and social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

We also handled cross-border disputes and cases involving defamatory material spanning various forums.

Some of the practice’s noteworthy cases are:

• Represented prominent Indonesian business man in a claim for defamation and malicious falsehood against his former business partner in relation to an IPO. Our client was awarded general damages, aggravated damages and special damages, along with costs of the appeal and trial.

• Represented a local publishing house and its senior correspondent in a defamation suit brought by the former CEO of a local charity in respect of an article on its operations and spending.  The suit was withdrawn with the plaintiff acknowledging under cross-examination that the article in question was accurate and fair.

• Represented the defendants in two libel suits arising resolutions proposed at a highly publicised Extraordinary General Meeting of a Singapore-listed company which was the subject of a high-profile takeover battle in 2002/2003.

• Represented the plaintiffs in defamation actions concerning articles published by a widely-read and renowned international publication. The defendants printed apologies for the articles and paid damages and costs to the plaintiffs.

• Represented a prominent surgeon in a defamation suit against the chairman of his condominium management committee.

• Acted on behalf of a prominent family against defamatory statements made by an internet blogger.

• Represented a teacher of a local school in a defamation suit against a blogger who had accused the plaintiff of improperly extracting donations from foreign students to guarantee placement in a school.

• Represented a prominent business magazine in a cross-border defamation dispute.

• Acted on behalf of a COO of a prominent company in respect of defamatory statements made in e-mails by a disgruntled former employee.