Media boutique MLaw is celebrating a successful appeal for Hello! magazine against rival publication OK! in highly-publicised litigation over ownership of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas’s wedding photographs.

The Court of Appeal handed down its decision this morning (Wednesday 18 May) allowing Hello!’s appeal against last year’s High Court judgment which found Hello! liable to OK! after it published unauthorised photographs of the wedding.

The unanimous judgment said that there was no intent on Hello!’s part to injure, and that there was no property right involved. Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones failed in their attempt to have their damages of £14,500 uplifted.

Partners Matthew Higdon and Chris Hutchings acted for Hello! on a conditional fee arrangement. The Court of Appeal decision will see OK! repay the damages and costs it has received from Hello!, amounting to more than £2m.

MLaw instructed James Price QC of 5 Raymond Buildings. Addleshaw Goddard acted for OK!, instructing Desmond Browne QC, also of 5 Raymond Buildings.