Paul Tweed is a member of the JAMS roster of mediators and arbitrators, and is a senior partner at Tweed Law Firm where he heads up the Media and Dispute Resolution departments. He practices in the jurisdictions of England and Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland. Paul Tweed is also registered as a Foreign Legal Consultant by the California State Bar.

Litigation Experience

• Reputation Management/Defamation/Privacy: Paul Tweed has been involved in several hundred, high-profile defamation actions in the UK and Ireland over the past 25 years, achieving record damages for claimant clients while also representing a number of national newspapers and publishers. His clients have included well known personalities in the music, film, sport, and entertainment industries, with many of the cases being given widespread international press coverage. He has also secured landmark judgments and settlements in online abuse and harassment claims.
• Intellectual Property: In conjunction with his media practice, Paul Tweed also advises on intellectual property matters and has recently been involved in extensive litigation relating to the estate of the late George Best and also other issues relating to image rights for leading international personalities.
• Privacy: Paul Tweed has extensive experience in the rapidly developing areas of law relating to breach of confidence and privacy, and is regularly listed in Chambers and other directories as a leading media lawyer.
• Professional Liability: For more than 30 years, Paul Tweed has frequently been cited as one of the leading experts in professional indemnity and personal injury litigation, and has been involved in a number of ground- breaking actions involving policy and other related disputes. Bearing in mind that sensitivity in relation to an insurer's professional reputation is often a major stumbling block in achieving an early settlement, Paul Tweed's multi-jurisdictional qualifications and his dual experience in the fields of professional indemnity and reputation management have provided unique expertise in these specializations. During the course of the past thirty years, Paul Tweed has handled high-profile reputation issues for many international personalities, politicians, and professional people, whose reputations and brands are of critical importance to them. At the same time, he has also represented Claimants and Defendants/Insurers in many extremely contentious professional negligence claims, and therefore has had the benefit of understanding the thought process on both sides during what is often very emotive litigation.
• Corporate Brand Protection: In tandem with recent legislative changes in the UK, he has continued to develop his expertise in relation to corporate brand protection and reputation management, using these skills to mediate sensitive issues that require prompt resolution.
• Sports: Paul Tweed has been involved in the negotiation and drafting of sports contracts and resolving disputes in the worlds of international boxing, rugby, football, and golf. He has acted on behalf of individual sportsmen, managers, promoters, and agents, giving him a broad and balanced experience in all aspects of sports disputes.
• Personal Injury/Catastrophic Loss Litigation: Representing major insurance companies, Paul Tweed has built up one of the largest Defence litigation practices in the UK and Ireland, while also representing Claimants with serious personal injury claims.

ADR Experience

• Paul Tweed is a keen advocate of ADR and divides his time between London, Belfast, Dublin, and the US
• Has attended Law Society CPD and other ADR training events, and has been a consistent advocate of mediation when appearing before the House of Commons Joint Committee on Defamation and several Ministry of Justice Panels
• Has been involved in numerous successful mediations and arbitrations relating to the entertainment business and other commercial disputes
• Has addressed many international ADR conferences and events

Representative Matters

• Mediation of dispute between movie director and his accountants with a claim value of €750,000
• Mediation of acrimonious matrimonial dispute (£3M)
• Involved in a number of mediations leading to resolution of high profile defamation actions
• Arbitration of dispute between partners in architects practice
• Mediation between five parties in dispute in relation to the promotion of music concert
• Litigated and mediated on behalf of numerous Hollywood A-Listers and other international personalities including the most recognized names in the business.
• Litigated on behalf of a deceased lawyer in a professional negligence claim against his general practitioner resulting in a record financial settlement
• Eastwood v McGuigan/Channel 4 video distribution: Acting for Claimant in achieving record libel damages of £450,000
• Represented European head of accountancy firm in a road traffic accident claim resulting in a record personal injury award
• Acted for claimants in multiple actions against US and UK based internet book distributors, involving the service of what is believed to be the largest number of Writs of Summons served in respective of the publication of one book
• On the defense side, have represented publishers such as the Sunday Times, Random House, Penguin, Irish News, along with many investigative journalists
• Represented the estate of the late footballer, George Best, in relation to various intellectual property issues
• Represented numerous politicians from across the political divide in the UK and Ireland in relation to reputational issues

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

• Completed Virtual ADR training conducted by the JAMS Institute, the training arm of JAMS
• Recognized by Chambers Directory as a leading media and professional indemnity lawyer
• Member, Ministry of Justice Defamation and other Judicial Committees
• Member, Law Society of England & Wales, 1993
• Member, Law Society of Ireland, 1999
• Member, Law Society of Northern Ireland, 1978
• Registered Foreign Legal Consultant, California State Bar
• Author, Privacy and Libel Law: The Clash with Press Freedom, Bloomsbury, 2012
• Featured in Episodes 3 and 4, Series 1, See You in Court (BBC 1 documentary), 5 April 2011
• Frequent speaker at International Bar Association and other high-profile events in the US and Europe
• Addressed the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the draft Defamation Bill

Background and Education

• Senior Partner, Tweed Law Firm, 2018-Present
• Partner, Johnsons Solicitors, 2003-2018 (Associate, 1978-2003)
• Institute of Professional Legal Studies
• LL.B., with Honors, Law, Queen's University Belfast, 1977