Paul Mottram

Paul Mottram is a barrister with 27 years’ experience in media law. Paul was formerly Head of Editorial Legal and Compliance at Reach PLC, the UK’s largest news publisher. Having started at the then Mirror Group in 1997, Paul went on to oversee pre-publication legal advice to all of Reach’s national and regional news, magazines, and online titles including the Daily and Sunday Mirror, mirror.co.uk, the Daily and Sunday Express, the Manchester Evening News and Liverpool Echo.

Paul advises in all aspects of media and regulatory matters and has expanded into pre-publication clearance for television. He has many years’ experience of lecturing print and online journalists in the practical application of media law and regulation and has created and produced training videos for journalists’ IPSO compliance. Paul can create bespoke training packages for clients’ compliance commitments.

Paul was also active in media teams negotiating with the Government, Official Solicitor, Ministry of Justice and IPSO on issues relating to the protection of freedom of speech, journalists’ sources, protection from police investigations and open justice over drafts of new legislation, regulation and court guidance. He was heavily involved in making representations on behalf of the media over the drafting of Dame Elizabeth Butler Schloss’ Practice Direction, Note and Template Injunction over reporting family proceedings, which both codified the way the media must be notified before an application and make representations to the court. Moreover, Paul successfully lobbied for and has been consulted on changes to several clauses of the Editors’ Code of Practice to restore the balance between freedom of speech and privacy.

In a previous life Paul had a marginally successful career as a singer, songwriter and producer (although in nothing of which you would have heard).