Schillings and Schadenfreude: Defamation Lawyers now have a Public Relations Problem
Shillings - the law and “reputation management” firm that have been acting for Alisher Usanov in sabre-rattling at websites criticising Mr Usmanov’s record, may have a Public Relations problem themselves this morning requiring some “reputation management”.
If you search on Google for “Schillings“, the websites they took off the air come up as results one, two and five. I admit to a small amount of schadenfreude, because I like to see bullies taken down a peg or two.
If you’ve been away for a few days, let me bring you up to speed. You can read my first article here, and then follow the linked series through - or the next section gives you a potted version of the story so far.
Catch-Up
Schillings, a London Law firm, have closed down several prominent political blogs by contacting their webhosts, on behalf the new part owner of Arsenal - Alisher Usmanov. These blogs have made criticisms of Mr Usmanov. Schillings alleged that these criticisms were defamatory, and threatened legal action. Note that no court action has been taken, but the freedom to debate Mr Usmanov’s record has been taken away by the mere making of a threat.
As Mr Eugenides said:
These blogs are down not because Usmanov has been libelled, but because he says he’s been libelled, and has a room full of paid monkeys sitting at typewriters firing off theatening letters to that effect……If you can be silenced for calling a businessman a crook, then you can be silenced for calling a politician a crook, too. Then it’s everyone’s problem.
…I knew nothing about Alisher Usmanov this time yesterday; a rich businessman trying to increase his stake in Arsenal. So what? They’re ten a penny, if you’ll pardon the phrase.
Today, I know that he’s a [snip! - Mr E lawyers], a fat [snip! - Mr E lawyers] who was imprisoned for [snip! - Mr E lawyers] and even, it is whispered among his fellow Uzbeks, the perpetrator of a particularly vicious [snip! - Mr E lawyers]. And this is all directly because of his decision to legal up, and his lawyers’ decision to bring out the elephant guns.
There are now at least 200 blogs covering this story. Chicken Yoghurt has the details, and the history. It is also being covered by fully one-third of the Top 100 Bloggers in the Country - based on the list published at this time last year by Iain Dale.
That was since last Thursday afternoon. This is Monday morning and Schillings may have PR problems themselves.
Schillings: Public Relations Problems
Heather Yaxley is a PR blogger who has come up with the first comment on this situation from the viewpoint of a PR Professional:
The answer according to Schillings is, of course, to use “legal pressures†and be proactive in “managing†treatment by the media.
So no need for public relations professionals to build positive relationships or counsel management against behaviour that is likely to lead to negative headlines - simply use the might of money and legal means to silence those who oppose you.
She finishes:
So the question is, does PR stand for free speech or legal might in reputation management?
Interestingly, Shillings sponsored a champagne reception at the PR Week PRGlobal: International Reputation Management Summit. Perhaps it is a good job that it was last week not next week.
Keith Shilling at PR Global Conference: Workshop on Monitoring Blogs
Even more interestingly, if you look at the brochure for the conference at the Dorchester Hotel, you will see that it was attended by Keith Schilling - a senior partner at Schillings. There was even a workshop at the PR Global conference on new media:
“Monitoring Blogs, Online Media, Podcasts And Social Networking Sites To Promote And Protect Your Global Reputation”
This was the agenda presented by Paul Miller of Cision:
• Managing your dialogue with empowered consumers in a climate of user-generated content to virtually interact with and engage your audience across borders and time-zones.
• Understanding your online audience to formulate appropriate messages across targeted media platforms and use e-PR to power your brand internationally.
• Monitoring and tracking the huge diversity in the online media channels available to learn how to deliver the right messages through the right channels.
• Protecting your reputation: evaluating and prioritising which content is potentially damaging to your reputation and knowing how best to counter this.
I wonder if Mr Schilling went to that one?
The cost of the conference was £549 for one day. I hope they got value for money.
Search for Schillings on Google and look what happens?
I also hope they got some good contacts, because this morning I think they are going to need them. I have just done Google searches for “Schillings” (as a single keyword) on both Google UK, and Google Global, and the first five results are the same. I couldn’t have made it up if I had wanted to.
The screenshots are at the end of this article.
Result 1: bloggerheads.com - (i.e., the site that they had taken down last week)
“Bloggerheads (UK) - Schillings go a-shushing
Septicisle - Anyone got a Schilling update: Schillings have finally this afternoon deigned to reply to my two messages sent on Thursday evening. “
Result 2: lawCareers.Net - (fair enough - not sure about the “leading law firm protecting the reputations of individuals, corporates and brands” bit)
“Schillings - Solicitors - LawCareers.Net
Schillings is a leading law firm protecting the reputation of individuals, corporates and brands. The firm is involved in numerous high-profile, …”
Result 3:lawCareers.Net - (fair enough - not sure about “Par excellence” though after the current debacle)
“Schillings - LC.N Focus - General Information - LawCareers.Net -
Both feared and respected by Fleet Street, Schillings is the celebrity defamation firm par excellence. The practice has not only successfully handled …”
Result 4:craigmurray.co.uk - (i.e., the other site that they had taken down last week)
“Craig Murray - Yet More Schillings Bollocks
On my article about Alisher Usmanov which so incensed his lawyers Schillings, let me ask this question. Has anybody seen an argument posted or published ..”
Result 5:craigmurray.co.uk - (i.e., the other site that they had taken down last week)
“Craig Murray - Yet More Schillings Bollocks
On my article about Alisher Usmanov which so incensed his lawyers Schillings, let me ask this question. Has anybody seen an argument posted or published …”
Needless to say, all the offending articles that Mr Usmanov and Schillings have attempted to remove from public view are available in the Google Cache. And you can find them by using the search term “schillings“.
As far as I can tell Shillings’ own website does not feature in the top 100 results for either Google UK or google.com, except for the “sponsored” link which everyone ignores.
Perhaps they may need a Search Engine Optimisation Consultant as well as a Public Relations Consultant.
I can recommend a good one.
His name is Tim Ireland, and he runs a website called Bloggerheads when it has not been bullied off the air.
Searching for Schillings on Google.com this morning
Searching for Schillings on Google UK Pages this morning
Tags: schillings, alisher usmanov, public relations, reputation management, bloggerheads, craig murray, boris johnson, bob piper, tim ireland, takedown notice, heather yaxley[tags]schillings, alisher usmanov, public relations, reputation management, bloggerheads, craig murray, boris johnson, bob piper, tim ireland, takedown notice, heather yaxley[/tags]
Article Series - Alisher Usmanov attacks Bloggerheads
- Webhost removes Bloggerheads and other sites after Legal Threats
- Are Schillings Lawyers working over the weekend for Alisher Usmanov
- Alisher Usmanov - The First Cartoon is Here for you to Use
- Who is a Fit and Proper Person to run a Football Club?
- Schillings and Schadenfreude: Defamation Lawyers now have a Public Relations Problem
- Bloggerheads and Craig Murray - Welsh Sidebar Buttons
- Bloggerheads and Craig Murray - Buttons for your Sidebar
- Freedom of Speech is Not for Sale: More Buttons for Your Sidebar
- Alisher Usmanov and Schillings Solicitors vs Bloggerheads and Craig Murray in 100 Words
- Usmanov and Friends - Mr Eugenides and BBC Libel Expert interviewed on Radio 5:: Britblog Roundup #136 Audio Podcast
- Usmanov allegations repeated in European Parliament Debate byTom Wise MEP
- Boris is Back
- Cartoon: A Reminder for Alisher Usmanov and Schillings
- Alisher Usmanov and Schillings: A Comic Interlude by BF Bache
- Craig Murray Usmanov Allegations in Official Record of European Parliament
- Alisher Usmanov PR Strategy Progress Report - Vastly Increased Profile (Humourous)
- The Alisher Usmanov / Schillings affair as a Training School for Activists
- Lynne Featherstone MP on the Perils of Blogging after the Alisher Usmanov / Schillings affair
- Interview: Examining UK Libel Laws, in the light of the Alisher Usmanov / Schillings Affair
- Britain’s Libel laws examined by Index on Censorship following Usmanov and Schillings Imbroglio
- Bloggerheads is Back but for Schillings and Usmanov see the Temporary Site
- Alisher Usmanov and Schillings: Things to watch while I take a break next week
- Schillings and Mr Alisher Usmanov go a-Shushing AGAIN !!
- Alisher Usmanov and Schillings Solicitors still at Centre of Buzz in Blogosphere
- Alisher Usmanov, Schillings and Free Speech Articles all have Creative Commons Licences
- Sunday Times - Alisher Usmanov interview passes Schillings checklist for the Reynolds defence against libel
- New PR Strategy for Mr Usmanov and his Lawyer Schillings
- The Gentle Art of Homeopathic Killing: Society of Homeopaths
- Britblog Roundup #140 - Lead : Society of Homeopaths are doing an Usmanov
- Alistair Darling “Usmanovs” the Independent
- Interview about Society of Homeopaths on Wolverhampton Radio Politics Show
- Usmanov Schillings “Duck ‘n’ Cluck” Awards for Internet Intimidation I
Categories: Alisher Usmanov, Ethics - Religion, Free Speech Campaign, News - Current Affairs, Political Blogging, Politics
There’s an interesting upcoming conference listed at prca:
Unleash The PR Value Of The Evolving Digital Landscape To Minimise Risk And Power Messages
Damn it, I was going to blog that! It’s poor form to scoop a man when he’s down, you know…
;o)
There’s another Google angle at the guts of this story, and I hope to be able to tell you all about it shortly.
Thanks for your support and the banners.
Cheers
Yep. Life’s a bitch.
You should have accepted my offer on Friday .
LOL. Less talk of offers refused when there are (alleged) gangsters about, thank you.
Yes, Schillings have created a problem for themselves and they should be exposed just as much as their client, hence this image :
Yes, Schillings has created a problem for itself which should be exposed, hence this image.
Schillings Advertising Image
Well done, Matt.
One has to consider that there may not be much defamation work around at the moment.
Hmm, either they’ve done some short term SEM or the algorithm has changed, they’re back to top result, lawcareers is second, then the posts you list, but this post itself is 6th.
Having said that, you’ve spelt Schillings and Shillings interchangably, intentional misspells for Googlebot, or typos?
[...] In the speech, Tom Wise MEP restates some of the allegations made by Craig Murray about Mr Alisher Usmanov, which he has attempted to keep out of the public domain by using defamation and “reputation protection” specialists Schillings. [...]
[...] In the speech, Tom Wise MEP restates some of the allegations made by Craig Murray about Mr Alisher Usmanov, which he has attempted to keep out of the public domain by using defamation and “reputation protection” specialists Schillings. [...]
[...] can see that Schillings have become the subject of interest after their threats of legal action to Craig Murray’s [...]
[...] the current “Alisher Usmanov and Schillings lawyers seeking to close down blogs” problem, you must consider your resilience - but you still need a UK domain name for your [...]
[...] the current “Alisher Usmanov and Schillings lawyers seeking to close down blogs” problem, you must consider your resilience - but you still need a UK domain name for your [...]
[...] Schillings schemozzle (I’m so pleased they aren’t called “Harbottle and Runcorn” - don’t [...]
[...] for equal representation - in this case in the face of billionaire Alisher Usmanov using Schillings’ “Reputation Management” Lawyers to attempt to suppress open debate of criticism of Alisher Usmanov’s [...]
[...] suppress debate by the back door. I said this: The Society of Homeopaths is doing an Usmanov (and Schillings!) and attempting to shut down blogs as a way of shutting down criticism. They are about to get [...]
[...] legal action from Usmanov’s libel lawyers, Schillings in London, who hastily phoned up Murray’s web host – FastHosts – and managed to get them to shut down [...]
Has anyone seen Schillings have added their name to a letter sent to the Guardian yesterday condeming the attack on the judiciary in Pakistan and censorship of independent journalists and free speech. Just ok to censor bloggers then ? Call me a cynic but is this a case of damage limitation?
Restore the rule of law in Pakistan
British Lawyers condemn the brutal attack upon the judiciary and legal profession in Pakistan (Bhutto deepens rift by telling ‘contaminated’ Musharraf to go, November 14). As barristers and solicitors, we express our outrage at the vicious assault on our legal colleagues in Pakistan. We condemn the suspension of the rule of law and imposition of martial law. Hundreds of judges, lawyers, academics and human rights activists have been detained and, we hear, are suffering ill-treatment and torture in detention at the hands of the Pakistan authorities. We call for their immediate and unconditional release.
Independent media and journalists have been the target of sweeping press censorship and attack. Peaceful and legitimate meetings held by civil society groups and activists seeking to resist these unconstitutional measures have been broken up by the police.
General Musharraf’s actions are arbitrary and unconstitutional. He has bypassed Pakistan’s own legal protections to ensure that no one is deprived of their right to life and protect its citizens’ human rights and fundamental freedoms. An independent legal profession and judiciary such as we have in the UK are vital in ensuring the accountability of the state. For example, when the UK government argued that it was acceptable to use evidence obtained through torture, lawyers able to operate independently and free from fear were able to challenge them in the courts.
Essential to our performance of this role is the ability to go to work without fear of ill-treatment, detention and torture. Our colleagues in Pakistan are not so fortunate. The result is that there is no functioning legal system to challenge the arbitrary use of state power. We support our fellow lawyers in Pakistan for the stand that they are taking against the abuse of power.
We join with other organisations across the world today calling for a restoration of the constitution and a return to the rule of law. Owen Davies QC Barrister, Garden Court Chambers Ian McDonald QC Barrister, Garden Court Chambers David Spens QC Barrister, Garden Court Chambers Andrew Nicol QC Barrister, Doughty Street Chambers Liz Davies Chair, Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers Lionel Blackman Solicitors International Human Rights Group Bill Montague Solicitor, Dexter Montague and Partners Karen Mitchell Solicitor, Thompsons Sajida Malik Solicitor, Birnberg Peirce and partners And 89 others from (solicitors) Thompsons, Birnberg Peirce and Partners, Wilson and Co, Dexter Montague and Partners, Herbert Smith and Berwin, Leighton Paisner LLP, Schillings; and (barristers) 1 Pump Court , Doughty Street, Tooks, Coram, Old Square and Tanfield chambers
[...] morning a commenter called Thevets (thank-you Thevets - if you have a blog let me know for a credit) has drawn my attention to the [...]
The video clip of this is on UKIP TV:
http://www.ukip.tv/?page_id=211
Thanks for that.
Matt
[...] award, sponsored by Alisher Usmanov and Schillings the Lawyers, is for the most significant self-imposed public humiliation of the year. There can be no [...]
[...] have also had legal threats in the past from our friends at Schillings. Schillings are acting against WikiLeaks.org because of their publication of a [...]
[...] have also had legal threats in the past from our friends at Schillings. Schillings are acting against WikiLeaks.org because of their publication of a [...]
[...] have also had legal threats in the past from our friends at Schillings. Schillings are acting against WikiLeaks.org because of their publication of a [...]
[...] dodgy libel laws are still on the books, and Shillings Lawyers are still to be seen strutting about bullying people into self-censorship on the basis of untested [...]
[...] dodgy libel laws are still on the books, and Shillings Lawyers are still to be seen strutting about bullying people into self-censorship on the basis of untested [...]
[...] has been in about as much of a frenzy as I have ever seen it in. It all reminds me of the Schillings scenario. Wouldn’t it have been better for Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP to take the moral high [...]
[...] company Sandline, and now head of the quids-in Iraq profiteers Aegis, hired the infamous libel firm Schillings, and brought a legal injunction to delay [...]
[...] the Usmanov affair are still numbers 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8 among top sites (the Wardman Wire is 6 for my Schillings and Shadenfreude article) for a search for “Schillings” on [...]
[...] the Usmanov affair are still numbers 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8 among top sites (the Wardman Wire is 6 for my Schillings and Shadenfreude article) for a search for “Schillings” on [...]
[...] the Usmanov affair are still numbers 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8 among top sites (the Wardman Wire is 6 for my Schillings and Shadenfreude article) for a search for “Schillings” on [...]
[...] Labourlist, (run by former influence peddler Derek Draper) has a lawyer. That lawyer is Schillings. Remember them? Schillings, a London Law firm, have closed down several prominent political blogs by contacting [...]
[...] for “Schillings“. That is a result of articles written back in October 2007. I wrote one of the key articles that was linked to by many [...]
[...] hope that that will be one in the eye for Carter-Ruck and Schillings, since it will deter some potential clients. Tags: carter-fuck, carter-ruck, schillings [...]
[...] and I’d dump Schillings as legal [...]