"Free speech, reputation and media intrusion: British law reform and what it means for Hong Kong and beyond" by Lord Anthony Lester QC (English only)

Speaker: Lord Anthony Lester QC, Blackstone Chambers

One of the biggest challenges of media law reform in Britain has been to formulate a balanced legal policy fit for a global media world. The lecture will examine recent media law developments and lessons which might be drawn from the British experience in Hong Kong and beyond.

Date: November 2, 2012 (Friday)
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Venue: Wang Gungwu Theatre, Graduate House, The University of Hong Kong

About the speaker:
Lord Lester QC is a British Parliamentarian and practising barrister specialising in public law. He has argued many leading cases on free expression in Europe and England and has been instrumental in the abolition of a number of antiquated speech offences and the campaign to reform the English law of libel.

His 2010 private member's Bill prompted the Coaltion Government to introduce the 2012 Defamation Bill currently progressing through Parliament. This process takes place against the background of the News International 'phone hacking scandal and Lord Justice Leveson's Inquiry, and an ongoing debate about the balance to be struck between free speech and reputation and the future of media regulation.

Please register online via www.hku.hk/ccpl/ or email Flora Leung at fkleung@hku.hk to reserve a place.

Media Enquiries :
Ms Velentina Ma of Journalism and Media Studies Centre, HKU at velentinam@hku.hk, tel : 2219-4012 / 9123 0252