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Alex Keenlyside

Partner – Media disputes

Alex’s practice covers defamation, privacy, data protection, malicious falsehood, contempt, breach of confidence and other related areas. His matters frequently involve defending claims brought by well-resourced and often high profile individuals seeking to stifle legitimate criticism.

Recent work highlights include:

  • Acting for a leading international news organisation in defending a libel claim brought by a donor to the Conservative Party.
  • Defending Orbis Business Intelligence in a data protection claim brought by Donald Trump.
  • Advising most of the largest global technology companies and various well known internet intermediaries on disputes relating to content available on their platforms. For example, Alex acted for Google on the first two “right to be forgotten claims” to be determined at trial in the High Court, and continues to act for various technology companies (and others) on such matters.

Early in his career Alex acted on a large number of phone hacking disputes, and has also advised clients in relation to contempt, malicious falsehood and harassment.

Credentials

  • M.Phil, M.A., University of Cambridge
  • Qualified 2009
  • Partner 2019

Publications

Data Protection publication

Read here

What others say

"Alex is a really bright and knowledgeable lawyer who sees and advises on the bigger picture." Chambers and Partners 2024
"He has really good commercial awareness, sees the full picture and gets to the bottom of the issue in a unique way." Chambers and Partners 2024
“Alex Keenlyside – clients love him and he provides calm, carefully reasoned advice on all defamation and privacy-related matters. He is equally as adept acting for major tech firms, leading companies and high-profile individuals, and has a superb feel for the intersection between defamation and data privacy claims.” Legal 500 2024
“Alex Keenlyside is an outstanding practitioner. Calm, methodical and highly strategic, clients love him for his ability to think about the bigger picture and deliver when it matters. Would not hesitate to recommend (and indeed have recommended) him to big players in this field. An outstanding lawyer.” Legal 500 2024
“Alex Keenlyside is an experienced specialist in defamation and data privacy law. He is delightful to work with and has a good client manner.” Legal 500 2024
“Alex Keenlyside is excellent – measured, thoughtful and responsive.” Legal 500 2024
“Alex Keenlyside is great to work with, he offers pragmatic and assured advice and is pragmatic in his approach.” Chambers and Partners 2023
“Alex's advice, understanding of the issues and his practical and easy to understand advice are always exceptional.” Chambers and Partners 2023
“Alex Keenlyside is a brilliant leader who is always popular with clients. Very clear, very precise, very calm, he has brilliantly astute knowledge and always thinks 360 degrees through a problem. Highly recommended.” Legal 500 2023
“Alex Keenlyside has rapidly established himself as a star partner in this sector. He has unparalleled experience of acting for both major tech companies and is also trusted and admired by major clients and actors in the media sector. Hugely liked by clients, he gives impeccably judged and commercially savvy advice across the board.” Legal 500 2023
“The two members of Bristows I dealt with, Toby Headdon and Alex Keenlyside, were very experienced, professional and very calm (without being detached). They gave clear analysis of the facts and always offered solutions. They were very quick with any required follow up work.” Legal 500 2023
“An established player in the data protection sector, the addition of Alex Keenlyside as a partner gives them real weight in the reputation management field.” Legal 500 2023
“Alex Keenlyside has a wealth of media and data protection litigation experience, regularly acting for the largest players in the tech space including Google and Meta.” Legal 500 2023
“Clients really appreciate how he navigates a case by being tactical, commercial and savvy to get results.” Chambers and Partners 2022
“Alex Keenlyside has built a stellar team of exceptionally strong lawyers around him, really taking Bristows to the very top of this field.” Legal 500 2022

Recommended For

Reputation Management

Defamation/Reputation Management

Data Protection, Privacy and Cybersecurity

Commercial Litigation

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