Top French lawyers called up

The services of several of France's top lawyers have been called on in the aftermath of the tragedy.

Georges Kiejman, who is acting on behalf of Mohamed Al Fayed against the paparazzi, is a high-profile figure in the mould of George Carman QC.

Kiejman, former French Justice Minister, acted for the Mitterrand family when it unsuccessfully sued Paris Match for running pictures of President Mitterrand lying dead in his room at the Elysee Palace.

Kiejman will be assisted in his anti-paparazzi actions by Bernard Dartevelle of Paris firm Dartevelle Loude Benazaras Merlet. The media and privacy specialists have a close relationship with Kiejman.

William Bourdon, of penal law specialists Bourdon Simoni & Voituriez, is representing paparazzo Nico Arsov.

Bourdon, who is secretary general at the International Federation of Human Rights, has described the charges against his client as "theatre justice".

His fellow paparazzi lawyers include Philippe Benamau, who is acting for Romuald Rat, and Gilbert Collard.