Persephone specialises in media and reputation management work, encompassing defamation, privacy and harassment, together with data protection and intellectual property litigation.

She advises on reputation management matters for celebrity, high-profile and ultra and high net worth individuals, including defamation, misuse of private information, harassment and stalking. Increasingly this work involves social media and online harms.

Persephone also works on both pre-publication and post-publication matters against a variety of news publishers in a wide variety of divergent subject areas including entertainment, politics, healthcare, and anti-terrorism.

She has experience of “Right to be Forgotten” cases concerning the removal of information online, and the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR and the interplay between these and general reputation management matters.

Persephone’s litigation experience has also included breach of confidence and trade secrets disputes, including cases involving aspects of corporate fraud.

  • Tatler magazine – The art of crafting the perfect reputation: An UHNW guide: Persephone shared her insights with Tatler on why reputation matters, how to ensure you protect your most important asset and building a support team of specialist advisers to help create and protect your brand
  • Sky News: BBC navigating ‘difficult waters’ as it investigates presenter allegations: Providing some very early insight to Sky News on the suspension of the BBC presenter in 2023. Also appearing on The Media Show, ITV The Lorraine Show and providing an insight to The Guardian
  • AI & Reputation Management Report: Co-authored an AI Report setting out the key steps legal and media relations teams can take to protect clients from issues arising out of AI that have a bearing on reputation management
  • Instagram Hacked? How to navigate the hijackers: Guide on protecting your business on Instagram
  • Prince Harry v Mirror Newspaper Group – Sky News (special programme): Persephone discussed the case in a week-long analysis alongside the former editor of the Daily Mirror Paul Connew
  • NewsNation (USA)  – Insight into Prince Harry’s ongoing claim against Mirror Group Newspapers for unlawful information gathering
  • The Guardian Insight on the potential legal issues that need to be considered by social media users who build their following through so-called feelgood videos involving unaware and unwilling members of the public
  • Spear’s Reputation Management Index 2024: Persephone is ranked as a Top Recommended Reputation & Privacy Lawyer. Spear’s report “she has racked up several major victories for clients.”
  • Chambers 2024 highlight Persephone as ‘an expert in her field. She is pragmatic and fantastic at explaining legal issues to lay clients’.  They also cite that ‘she has a great manner and is very assuring to clients; she is understanding of their needs.’ Chambers recommend Persephone for her experience acting in defamation and misuse of private information cases
  • Legal 500 2024 reports ‘Persephone is truly special and treats each client as if they are the most important person in the world’.  Their sources praise [Persephone’s]  knowledge, approach and client manner are fundamental reasons as to why clients feel so at ease and understood’
  • Chambers 2023 report ‘[Persephone] is a complete powerhouse….incredibly commercial in her approach and able to find solutions but also turn up the heat when needed’ and ‘she has an excellent grasp of all of the nuances of potential strategies, which allows for great decision making.’  They also praise her ‘wealth of experience in this area of the law’
  • Legal 500 2023 sources report Persephone is an ‘excellent lawyer and extremely supportive adviser to clients, during periods when a client is most in need of wise counsel…seeking innovative solutions to problems, and support clients at every stage. Quite simply – a hero in her field.’
  • 2023 Spear’s Reputation Management Index Persephone is recommended as a ‘Top Recommended’ Reputation & Privacy Lawyer
  • 2022 Spear’s Awards – Shortlisted for Reputation Management Lawyer of the Year
  • Chambers 2022 sources report that Persephone ‘calms down a difficult situation” and is “seriously good at crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s, making sure everything is thought of’
  • Legal 500 2022  report Persephone is ‘Outstanding and part of a formidable team’
  • Spears Wealth Insight 2021 – panel member ‘Modern families – and the future of HNW divorce’
  • Chambers 2021 report “she is superb…  ‘She’s just excellent in this field”…”highly professional and very client-focused’
  • Spears Reputation Management 2021 – Recommended lawyer in the Best Reputation Lawyers list
  • Chambers 2020 legal directory reports  ‘Persephone Bridgman Baker is an “impressive” litigator recommended for her work for claimants and defendants in defamation, misuse of private information and harassment cases’
  • She is highlighted as a Rising Star in Spears Wealth Reputation Management 2018 and 2019

Persephone regularly provides expert commentary for publications and news programmes

  • BBC Radio 4 The Media Show: discussing the recent introduction of cameras into the criminal courts and the ramifications of the current permitted broadcasting of sentencing remarks (August 2022)
  • The Guardian: Why did the Depp-Heard libel outcomes differ in the US and UK? Strategic insight (June 2022)
  • The Guardian: providing an analysis on The Mail on Sunday’s failed appeal to the Court of Appeal over its publication of a personal letter written by the Duchess of Sussex to her father and setting out out the principles of Privacy Law and the key points that would have been considered in the upheld Ruling (December 2021)
  • The Guardian:  Judgment time: admission and apology up the ante in Meghan privacy case (November 2021)
  • BBC Radio 4 The Media Show: Insight on the Johnny Depp libel ruling (November 2020)
  • The Times: Persephone and Nigel provide their legal perspective following the Mumsnet case ordering the popular forum to disclose personal details of an anonymous user who posted allegedly defamatory content about transgender activist Stephanie Hayden (May 2019)
  • The Law Society Gazette:  Lawyer in the News feature following the firm’s representation of the Labour MP and Shadow Justice Secretary Richard Burgon in his successful libel case against the Sun (February 2019)
  • BBC News: Interview with BBC journalist Huw Edwards providing her legal analysis on the the Cliff Richards privacy case and subsequent judgment
  • Legal Week: Following a series of various high profile scandals, where NDAs have received negative press, Persephone shares her thoughts with Legal Week on why we must not allow cases like Weinstein and Green to create an atmosphere in which the existence of an NDA implies evidence of guilt
  • LawInSport: Is Press Coverage Protected By Parliamentary Privilege? Persephone surveys the law following the issue raised by Sir Bradley Wiggins when he responded to what he called ‘malicious’ allegations (March 2018)
  • PR Week: Persephone explains copyright law relating to advertising in PR Week
  • Inforrm’s Blog: Case commentary on the libel claim case of Serafin v. Malkiewicz (December 2017)

Persephone’s clients and former clients include prominent business people, hedge fund owners, private equity firms, financial service providers, healthcare providers, charities, school governors, talent agents and high profile celebrities and well-known public figures.

Persephone’s work regularly includes reputation management aspects of cross-practice matters, both within the firm and with other specialist firms, including family law, criminal law, employment law and private client law.

  • Princess Diana’s former chauffeur Steve Davies slander success against the BBC: Represented Mr Steve Davies in his slander claim relating to serious and unfounded allegations made by journalist Martin Bashir to HRH Princess of Wales and Earl Spencer in 1995 to procure an interview with the Princess for BBC Panorama. The false allegations included that Mr Davies was leaking confidential information to the press. These allegations have been recently repeated in, and brought to Mr Davies attention following, the Netflix series, The Crown (Season 5). The press release is available here and the settlement was widely reported
  • Azeem Rafiq v Yorkshire Cricket Club: Advising British Asian cricketer Azeem Rafiq on reputation management issues arising out of his employment tribunal proceedings against Yorkshire Cricket Club
  • Middlesex County Cricket Club: Representing the Club in their dispute with former CEO Richard Goatley
  • Brooks Newmark: Advising Mr Newmark in the investigation by The Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists in relation to Covid-19 supply of medical equipment from overseas
  • Mr Wafic Saïd, Syrian businessman and philanthropist:  Assisted Mr Saïd in the resolution of a Data Protection Claim against Barclays Bank after the bank ended his banking relationship. Barclays Bank apologised publicly to Mr Saïd and clarified the basis for its decision to close the accounts was not based on any wrongdoing in relation to any account activity of any member of the Saïd family or associated entity. The press release is available here
  • Lance Bombardier Kerry-Ann Morris:  Represented Lance Bombadier Kerry-Ann Morris in relation to an article featuring a photograph wrongly identifying Morris as her non-identical twin sister, who was tried over the death of a seven-year old girl published by the Nottingham Post on its website in June 2015. Persephone secured a public apology and compensation in a defamation claim against the Trinity Mirror Group publisher. The press release is available here
  • AXB v BXA:  Persephone was the lead senior associate on an anonymised highly sensitive cross-jurisdictional misuse of private information, fraud, harassment and blackmail case for an UHNW. The case was successful in both jurisdictions
  • SOJ:  Representing an UHNW on a sensitive privacy case involving misuse of private information, harassment and blackmail, in which an interim injunction was obtained
  • BVG:  Advising a high profile claimant client on an anonymised harassment and privacy action
  • DEF, EFG, FGH v VXW:  Advising a high profile claimant client on a sensitive ongoing anonymised harassment and privacy action, in which an interim injunction was obtained
  • Richard Burgon MP v News Group Newspapers:  Persephone was the lead associate representing Richard Burgon MP In a major victory against The Sun newspaper, the MP for Leeds East and Shadow Justice Secretary and Shadow Lord Chancellor Richard Burgon MP was awarded substantial damages of £30,000 in the High Court for libel and an injunction was issued preventing the false statements from being published again. Persephone was also featured as The Law Gazette’s ‘Lawyer in the News’ for her work on this case. View the Press Release here and The Law Society Gazette Lawyer in The News feature here
  • Mermaids:  Representing Mermaids, a transgender diverse support charity for children, following a data breach which occurred in June 2019
  • The Hut Group:  Represented the Hut.com Limited and Cend Limited , the seller and manufacturer of Myprotein nutrition products, in their libel claim against Reach PLC, the publisher of the Manchester Evening News. The claim followed the publication of a false and defamatory article by the newspaper publisher and social media posts by a customer. The Hut.com received Statement in Open Court, substantial damages and costs. The press release is available here
  • Aurora Pierdant:  Assisted on a well-publicised libel matter for Aurora Pierdant, an experienced lawyer practising in Mexico who was subject to an inaccurate and defamatory article published in the Guardian. A Statement in Open Court, a public apology, libel damages and costs were obtained. The press release is available here