Laurence Kennedy appointed to IMPRESS Arbitration Panel

Laurence Kennedy

Mr Kennedy, who is also an experienced tribunal judge, is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. He started his career as a solicitor in 1995 and called to the bar in 2000.

He spent five years as part-time legal adviser to a number of national newspapers giving regular pre-publication advice. As an advocate, he has represented both claimants and newspapers in a range of actions based on defamation, privacy and breach of copyright.

Mr Kennedy told Scottish Legal News: “I’m very pleased to bring media law arbitration to Scotland and hope it will be seen as an attractive means of dispute resolution for claimants and publishers alike.

“For claimants, their reputational damage can be remedied by an award of damages and the publication of a retraction or apology.

“For publishers, arbitration can weed out weak claims at an early stage and bring a dispute to a much more rapid and cost effective conclusion than any court action.”