Notes
Mark Lewis (born c. 1964) is a British solicitor specialising in defamation, privacy, and media law. He is one of the UK’s most prominent libel lawyers, best known for his central role in the News of the World phone hacking scandal. He now lives in Israel and practises from there as a partner at Patron Law. He represents Mark Shooter in connection with media allegations about Shooter’s property businesses.
Personal Background
Lewis first experienced symptoms of multiple sclerosis in his 20s, and was diagnosed with MS at age 25. He walks with a pronounced limp and has limited use of his right hand. In 2016, his partner Mandy Blumenthal introduced him to Hadassah Hospital’s MS clinical trials in Israel, and over the course of a year he regularly flew from the UK to Israel for 11 bone marrow extractions. He has four grown-up children. He and Blumenthal have been partners since approximately 2014. Sources: Times of Israel - UK’s foremost libel lawyer sets his sights on Israel’s enemies; Jewish News - Top lawyer with MS says Israeli medics ‘won’t take no for an answer’; Australian Jewish News - UK lawyer’s MS triumph
Career History
Early Career — George Davies Solicitors (Manchester)
Lewis began his career in Manchester. At George Davies Solicitors, notable early cases included Royle v. Manchester City Football Club and the Garry Flitcroft privacy case. Source: Super Lawyers - One Rogue Solicitor
Taylor Hampton (2010–c. 2014)
Lewis joined the small London law firm Taylor Hampton as a “consultant” (a semi-freelance role on commission) in May 2010. It was during this period that the Milly Dowler phone hacking scandal broke and Lewis was retained by the Dowler family. Sources: BCL Legal - A Day in the Life of Mark Lewis at Taylor Hampton; The Lawyer - Phone hacking lawyer Mark Lewis leaves Taylor Hampton for Seddons
Seddons (c. 2014–c. 2019)
Lewis joined Seddons as a partner. He continued his media law practice there and it was while at Seddons that his SDT disciplinary hearing took place (2018). Source: Legal Business - Media lawyer Mark Lewis fined £2,500
Patron Law (c. 2019–present)
Lewis joined Patron Law as a partner, heading up the firm’s civil and commercial litigation offering from Israel. He now lives in Netanya, approximately 20 miles north of Tel Aviv. He holds rights of audience to appear in the upper courts as a Solicitor-Advocate. Sources: Patron Law - Mark Lewis bio; Patron Law - Privacy & Libel Expert Mark Lewis Joins Patron Law; Patron Law - Israel-UK Legal Services
Phone Hacking Scandal (2008–2012)
Lewis played a central role in exposing the News of the World phone hacking scandal, which he has described as “walking into a John Grisham novel.”
Gordon Taylor case (2008): Lewis represented Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), whose phone had been hacked by the News of the World. Although no story was ever published based on the hacking, Lewis called this his “eureka” moment — it proved that phone hacking was not limited to royal correspondent Clive Goodman but was a wider practice. James Murdoch agreed to a settlement of £700,000 (including legal costs; some sources report £425,000 in damages alone). The Guardian revealed this settlement in July 2009, which became pivotal in exposing the broader scandal.
Milly Dowler case: Lewis took on the Dowler family’s case against the News of the World on a no-win, no-fee basis. Milly Dowler was a 13-year-old schoolgirl who went missing in March 2002; her body was found in September 2002. The family had believed she might still be alive because her phone was still accepting voicemail messages — it later transpired that the News of the World had hacked and deleted messages from her phone, destroying potentially crucial evidence. Lewis negotiated a £3 million settlement for the Dowler family, the largest ever phone hacking settlement. The revelation of the Dowler hacking was described as a “nuclear” moment that led directly to the closure of the News of the World and the Leveson Inquiry.
Broader representation: Lewis represented more than 80 people who accused the News of the World of hacking their phones.
Surveillance of Lewis: Three solicitors including Lewis, who was representing 70 alleged hacking victims, may have had their own voicemails illegally accessed. There are also allegations that Lewis was put under surveillance by a private investigator acting for the News of the World. Sources: PBS Frontline - Mark Lewis: The Lawyer Who “Walked Into a John Grisham Novel”; Patron Law - Mark Lewis bio; HuffPost - News Of The World Targeted Phone Hacking Lawyers; Channel 4 News - Solicitors’ phones hacked by News of the World; House of Commons - News International and Phone-hacking Committee Report
Notable Defamation and Libel Cases
Jack Monroe v Katie Hopkins
Lewis represented food blogger Jack Monroe against columnist Katie Hopkins. The court ordered Hopkins to pay £24,000 in damages plus approximately three times that in court costs. Lewis took the first “Twibel” (Twitter libel) case to trial. Source: Patron Law - Mark Lewis bio
Martin Lewis v Facebook
Lewis advised Martin Lewis (MoneySavingExpert.com founder) against Facebook in campaigning litigation aimed at protecting people affected by online scams. Source: Patron Law - Mark Lewis bio
Peter Wilmshurst and Nigel Short
Defending cardiologist Peter Wilmshurst and Sheffield Wednesday fan Nigel Short led to a meeting with the then Lord Chancellor and contributed to the Libel Reform Campaign, which resulted in the Defamation Act 2013. Source: Patron Law - Mark Lewis bio
Rachel Riley v Laura Murray (2019–2022)
Lewis acted for Rachel Riley in a defamation claim against Laura Murray, a Labour stakeholder manager to the Leader of the Opposition (Jeremy Corbyn). The case centred on a tweet by Murray in March 2019 in which she characterised Riley as “dangerous” and “stupid” after Riley posted a provocative tweet. Despite finding Riley’s tweet “provocative, even mischievous” and that Riley could “hardly complain” it provoked a reaction, the High Court found in Riley’s favour in May 2021. Murray was ordered to pay £10,000 in damages (reduced due to “clear element of provocation”) plus Riley’s legal fees of approximately £1.1 million. The Court of Appeal dismissed Murray’s appeal, upholding the original judgement. Sources: Jewish Chronicle - Rachel Riley instructs Mark Lewis to pursue libel claim against Corbyn staffer Laura Murray; Novara Media - Corbyn Staffer Takes Fight Against ‘Lawfare’ to Court of Appeal; Jewish News - Court of Appeal dismisses ex-Corbyn aide’s challenge to Rachel Riley libel win
John Ware v Jewish Voice for Labour (JVL)
Lewis acted for BBC Panorama journalist John Ware in a defamation case against Jewish Voice for Labour and JVL media officer Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi. Ware brought the claim after JVL defamed his reputation following the broadcast of the July 2019 BBC Panorama programme “Is Labour Antisemitic?” Wimborne-Idrissi had said on the BBC Radio 2 Jeremy Vine Show that Ware had “a terrible record of Islamophobia, far right politics” and that the BBC “had to apologise.” The case was settled via mediation, with Wimborne-Idrissi and JVL issuing an apology. Sources: Jewish News - Jewish Voice For Labour settles and apologises in John Ware libel case; Fathom Journal - Yet again, the Courts find for John Ware
Miller & Power v Turner (2023)
Lewis acted for Daniel Miller and Nina Power in a defamation claim against Luke Turner. The case went to a seven-day trial at the High Court in October 2023 before Mrs Justice Collins Rice. The claimants lost: the judge found that Miller and Power had not suffered serious harm to their reputations, and characterised the claimants’ conduct towards Turner as “an exercise in bullying.” The harassment counterclaim fell below the quasi-criminal threshold required. Sources: Per Incuriam Substack - Episode #16: Mark Lewis’ and Patron Law’s conduct in Miller & Power v Turner; Judiciary.uk - Miller and Power v Turner judgment 08.11.23
Mark Shooter
Lewis called allegations against Shooter by The Londoner and other outlets “false and defamatory” when they reported on Shooter’s HMO prosecutions and charity self-dealing. Sources: The Negotiator; The Londoner
Disciplinary Proceedings
Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (2018)
On 28 September 2018, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) decided to prosecute Lewis (then a partner at Seddons). The allegations were:
- In May 2017, he used his Facebook account to post “offensive and profane communications” towards a third party.
- Between July 2015 and December 2016, he used his Twitter account to post offensive and profane communications.
Specific incidents included:
- Telling an 18-year-old Labour supporter to “fk off you stupid ct” and that his father “should have worn a condom.”
- Telling a young Jewish man he hoped his father “would sit shiva for you soon” (i.e., wishing death upon him — “sitting shiva” is the Jewish mourning practice).
- Multiple “death-wishes” directed at online trolls.
Lewis’s defence was that he had been subjected to a “protracted, persistent and disgusting campaign of anti-Jewish, anti-physical disability hatred” including Holocaust denial, anti-Semitic provocations, death threats, and the use of his image superimposed upon images of the gas chambers at Auschwitz.
After a three-day hearing (22–26 November 2018), the Tribunal found that Lewis had acted with “a lack of integrity” and “failed to uphold the confidence the public places in the profession.” He was fined £2,500 and ordered to pay £10,000 in costs. The bulk of his fine was paid by crowdfunding supporters. Lewis said the SRA was “on the wrong side of history.” Sources: Legal Business - Media lawyer Mark Lewis fined £2,500 in controversial SRA antisemitism row; Law Gazette - Lewis: Regulatory action ‘inevitable’ after tweets wishing death; Jewish Chronicle - Revealed: Mark Lewis told young Jewish man he hoped his father ‘would sit shiva for you soon’; Legal Cheek - Phone-hacking lawyer Mark Lewis fined £2,500 for posting offensive tweets; Legal Futures - SRA “on wrong side of history” says Lewis after Twitter fine
Judicial Criticism — Davidoff v Google LLC (2023)
Mr Justice Nicklin heavily criticised Lewis in Davidoff & Others v Google LLC [2023] EWHC 1958. Lewis had acted for Richard Davidoff of ABC Estates seeking a court order to require Google to disclose the identities of people who had left negative Trustpilot reviews. Nicklin J described Lewis’s evidence as “nothing more than assertion,” “perfunctory, even desultory,” and “simply not good enough.” More seriously, Lewis had stated in witness evidence that the reviews were “false, fabricated statements” — but the judge’s own research showed that at least one review was true and based on findings of another court. This was described as the second time in 2023 that Lewis had “come unstuck because of untrue evidence in his witness statements.” Sources: Skwawkbox - Pro-Israel lawyer Lewis heavily criticised by judge for conduct of case; Per Incuriam Substack - Episode #5: Mark Lewis and the administration of justice; Nelsons Law - Davidoff & Others v Google LLC; Legal Futures - Judge says solicitor made “false” declaration on witness statements
Pro-Israel Advocacy and Organisational Connections
Immigration to Israel (December 2018)
Lewis and his partner Mandy Blumenthal made aliyah (emigrated to Israel) in December 2018. Lewis told Israel’s Channel 10 news that “Europe in my view is finished.” He cited increasing hate speech and threats against him for being Jewish, and blamed Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour Party for growing anti-Semitism. Sources: Times of Israel - ‘Europe is finished,’ leading lawyer says as he leaves UK for Israel; Times of Israel - Citing rising anti-Semitism, leading lawyer to leave UK for Israel
UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI)
Lewis was a director of UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) until his emigration to Israel. UKLFI is an association of lawyers who use their legal skills to support Israel against BDS and other campaigns. Lewis stated: “None of us charge for our time but we devote it to putting legal arguments forward for Israel.” Sources: Times of Israel - UK’s foremost libel lawyer sets his sights on Israel’s enemies; Mondoweiss - What is UK Lawyers for Israel’s relationship to the Israeli government?
Herut UK
Lewis was involved in the relaunch of Herut UK in August 2018, a right-wing Zionist organisation espousing the revisionist Zionist ideology of Vladimir Jabotinsky. (The Israeli Herut party merged with Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud in 1988.) At the relaunch event, attended by more than 70 people, Lewis emphasised the importance of “unapologetic Zionism.” His partner Mandy Blumenthal served as Herut UK’s national director and chaired the event. Harry Saul Markman was introduced as youth director. Sources: Jewish News - More than 70 attend re-launch of UK Zionist group; Mondoweiss - What is UK Lawyers for Israel’s relationship to the Israeli government?
Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA)
Lewis is an honorary patron of the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA). He began advising CAA pro bono two weeks after its establishment, and devised a legal strategy for bringing libel actions that he and CAA use to force those accused of antisemitism into either apologising in court or paying substantial damages. Source: Campaign Against Antisemitism - Renowned libel and privacy lawyer Dr Mark Lewis becomes an honorary patron of CAA
Social Media Presence
Lewis is active on X (formerly Twitter) as @MLewisLawyer, with approximately 43,500 followers. He has been described as “tweeting at all hours of the day, often indulging in hours-long back-and-forths with anti-Semitic trolls.” His combative social media presence led directly to his 2018 SDT disciplinary proceedings. He has described himself as taking “a ruthless approach, believing that it’s necessary to be aggressive against anti-Semites on social media.” Sources: X/Twitter - @MLewisLawyer; Times of Israel - UK’s foremost libel lawyer sets his sights on Israel’s enemies
Edges
Mark Shooter
Legal representative. Defended Shooter against media allegations about rogue landlord activities and charity self-dealing, calling the allegations “false and defamatory.”
Mandy Blumenthal
Romantic partner and carer. Blumenthal is the national director of Herut UK and was formerly head of UK Lawyers for Israel. The couple emigrated to Israel together in December 2018.
UK Lawyers for Israel
Former director of UKLFI until his emigration to Israel. Provided pro bono legal work for the organisation supporting Israel against BDS campaigns.
Herut UK
Involved in the August 2018 relaunch of the revisionist Zionist organisation, where he spoke about “unapologetic Zionism.” His partner Mandy Blumenthal served as national director.
Campaign Against Antisemitism
Honorary patron. Began advising CAA pro bono two weeks after its founding. Devised the legal strategy used by CAA to bring libel actions against those accused of antisemitism.
Patron Law
Current law firm. Partner at Patron Law heading the firm’s civil and commercial litigation offering from Israel, specialising in defamation, privacy, and data protection.