Murdoch: Harbottle & Lewis made 'major mistake' on internal News International inquiry
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Rupert Murdoch has slammed advising law firm Harbottle & Lewis for making ‘a major mistake’ in underestimating the scope of the ongoing phone hacking scandal.
The News Corporation chief executive and chairman lobbed scathing criticism at the firm during an interview with The Wall Street Journal, one of his own titles, late yesterday (14 July 2011).
In the article, Murdoch said he believed News Corporation had handled the crisis well, making just ‘minor mistakes’, but placed a large share of the blame with Harbottle & Lewis, which he hired initially to investigate the hacking allegations.
Harbottle’s managing partner Glen Atchison responded to the criticism in the same article, saying: “We are unable to comment substantively at this time as the matters raised are the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Metropolitan Police. Moreover, it is not our usual practice to comment on our clients’ affairs or advice which we may or may not have provided.”
The attack came as Murdoch and his son James, who is deputy chief operating officer of News Corporation, along with News International CEO Rebekah Brooks, agreed to testify at a parliamentary hearing next week looking further into the phone hacking scandal at News of the World. In breaking news today, Brooks has just resigned.
It was revealed earlier this week that emails sent to Harbottle & Lewis as part of News International’s 2007 inquiry into the phone hacking at the newspaper had been retrieved as part of the latest investigation and were believed to point to further illegal activity at the paper (12 July 2011).
According to reports by the BBC and The Guardian, the emails, which have now been handed to the police, indicate that payments were being made to police in return for information, as well as showing that phone hacking at News of the World went beyond just one ‘rogue’ reporter.
Atchison was unavailable for comment this morning.
Readers' comments (10)
Kim Philby | 15-Jul-2011 12:23 pm
If all else fails blame the lawyers. How original!
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anon | 15-Jul-2011 12:50 pm
don't blame murdoch, blame the media... oh wait...
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Anonymous | 15-Jul-2011 5:26 pm
Hmmm - this the same Rupert Murdoch in the same WSJ article who said News Corp has handled the crisis "extremely well in every possible way", and made only "minor mistakes". When you're in a hole, don't be a DIgger...
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Anonymous | 16-Jul-2011 9:36 pm
This is a major set back for hartBottle & lewis and the reputation of its lawyers. They may risk loosing some big clients. Not sure if their PI insurance would be sufficient to cover the possible losses if Murdoch sues them
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Gladiatrix | 18-Jul-2011 10:53 am
It seems to me given that Lord Macdonald, former DPP, has described H&L's advice as 'incomprehensible' Murdoch's criticism of its actions appears to be entirely justified.
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Anonymous | 18-Jul-2011 3:00 pm
It never ceases to amaze me that such confidence is placed in law firms carrying out investigations which require detective-type skills - though these seem to be lacking even in the top ranks of the Metropolitan Police!
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Biggest Claim in Legal History | 20-Jul-2011 12:29 pm
Could H & L be faced with potentially one of the biggest claims in Legal History.
Whilst H & L may or may not in any way be guilty of anything at all and as Kim says If all else fails blame the lawyers, this will still be a major worry for them.
Turning the table around if H & L have been misrepresented, and lose the business as a result of Clients going elsewhere, the grounds of the counterclaim will be interesting or the claim if they try and sue independently.
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Anonymous | 20-Jul-2011 2:19 pm
As the letter was given to the culture etc select committee and is published by the committee on its web site, it is amusing to read the letter and wonder what the question(s) were to which the letter replied. One might guess a very prescribed request was made of the lawyers.
unassociated onlooker
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Anonymous | 21-Jul-2011 9:38 pm
of course he would do that now! although to be honest, i was pretty disappointed to find out that H & L has in the past advised Times Newspapers Ltd in proceedings brought against it by the Estate of Jimi Hendrix for breach of copyright arising from a Hendrix CD which was "cover-mounted" onto an edition of The Sunday Times. How could you do that to Jimi! How could you!! No, No, No! :)
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Citylawfirmworker | 22-Jul-2011 12:25 pm
Another example of the "trusted legal advisor" being thrown anything which comes through the door.
There are specialised teams in legal firms which carry out this sort of work on a regular basis. Sometimes this is supplemented by "private investigators" or asset tracers.
Well done NI for your selection. You reap what you sow.
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