The Legal Assault on Investigative Journalism
From the brazen surveillance of journalists in Northern Ireland by MI5 and the PSNI, to the growing legal intimidation of journalists by lawyers, to the narrowing of the Freedom of the Information Act and the new National Security (State Threats) Bill which threatens to criminalise journalist conversations with their sources, investigative journalism is getting hard to do, and to publish, all the time. A distinguished panel chronicles the tactics and legal machinery being deployed against us, and thinks about how we can fight back.
Gavin Millar, KC; Vincent Kearney, Northern editor, RTÉ; Jack Grove, reporter, Times Higher Education; Jenna Corderoy, investigative reporter and FOIA expert, Democracy for Sale. Chair: Gill Phillips, CIJ Chair.
Vincent Kearney
Vincent Kearney is Northern Editor for Raidió Teilifís Eireann (RTE), Ireland's national public service broadcaster. A former Northern Ireland Journalist of the Year, he previously worked for the BBC, Sunday Times and the Belfast Telegraph.
Gavin Millar KC
Gavin Millar KC is a specialist barrister in all areas of media law. He often represents media outlets, journalists and politicians in both civil and criminal proceedings. He represented the Telegraph Media Group at the Leveson Inquiry and in 2013 advised the Guardian on its coverage of Edward Snowden’s disclosures.
Jack Grove
Jack Grove covers research and science policy for Times Higher Education, as well as on issues relating to PhD, postdoctoral and early career researchers. He has a BA in English from the University of Bristol, and previously worked on newspapers including the Cambridge News and the Peterborough Evening Telegraph.
Jenna Corderoy
Jenna Corderoy is an investigative reporter for Democracy for Sale, a newsletter dedicated to revealing how dark money and hidden influence threaten our democracy. She specialises in obtaining documents under the Freedom of Information Act, and has brought several successful FOIA challenges at tribunal.
Gill Phillips
Gill Phillips is a solicitor who works as an editorial legal consultant for a number of NGOs and not-for-profits, advising on a range of content-related matters including defamation, privacy, contempt of court and reporting restrictions.
- 30 October 2026 09.15–10.15
Location: Frobisher Auditorium, Barbican Centre