Peter Barrett speaks on managing reputation risk in high-profile family disputes

Our Partner Peter Barrett recently spoke at the ‘Reputation at Risk: Privacy, Publicity and Family Law in the Digital Age’ panel, hosted by ThoughtLeaders4. The session explored how family breakdowns can become reputational flashpoints in an era of social media, remote reporting and increased court transparency.

Peter was joined on the panel by Kate Clark, Partner and Head of Family at Mishcon de Reya, and Jo Sanders, Partner at Withers. The session brought together family law, privacy expertise and litigation PR to offer practical guidance on protecting clients, managing online risk, and responding to media interest throughout family proceedings.

Peter focused on how to assess reputational exposure at the earliest stage of a dispute, starting with a fundamental question: what type of client are they, and what stakeholder landscape are they operating in? As Peter explained, public profile, commercial interests, and the nature of any allegations can dramatically alter the level of media attention and the appropriate communications strategy.

Drawing on timely examples, including the recent Brooklyn Beckham story as a live case study, Peter highlighted the way public statements can create immediate brand damage by pulling private family dynamics into a commercial and reputational context. He cautioned that, in high-profile situations, any response can carry significant risk, and that families and advisers must think long-term, with empathy and restraint, to avoid compounding the harm – but also be ready to handle potentially aggressive PR tactics from the other party where required. This can often include ‘proxy’ battlegrounds over (for example) shared commercial interests.

Peter also set out key principles that apply across the spectrum, from globally recognisable names to individuals with a more local profile:

• Appoint PR advisors skilled in family disputes. Establish a press office function where there is any prospect of media interest, so that enquiries, doorstepping and speculative reporting are managed professionally.
• Implement defensive control early: reduce the risk of avoidable missteps while emotions are heightened, particularly on social media. Ill-judged social posts or public comments can heighten public scrutiny and undermine legal arguments (for example, around the right to privacy) in due course.
• Monitor and intervene quickly where reporting is inaccurate, breaches privacy norms, or risks identifying children or sensitive personal information. Knowledge of IPSO rules and UK/international media law is key, and experienced PR advisers are skilled at working with media and reputation lawyers to tackle this.
• Keep communications aligned with legal strategy, ensuring advisers speak with one voice and actions taken in public do not undermine the case in private.

The discussion reinforced a consistent theme: in modern family disputes, reputation management cannot be treated as an afterthought. It is often central to outcomes, particularly where media scrutiny, stakeholder relationships and commercial interests are in play.

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