Harbottle defends itself from Murdoch "mistake" claim

updated on 26 July 2011

As lawyers become increasingly sucked into the phone-hacking scandal (see "Law Soc and SRA drawn into hacking story"), law firm Harbottle & Lewis has been given permission to defend itself over Rupert Murdoch's claim that the firm made a "major mistake" in the legal advice it gave the corporation in 2007 in respect of an internal investigation into phone hacking. After originally refusing to release Harbottle from its professional duties of confidentiality, News International acquiesced allowing the firm to answer questions from the Metropolitan Police Service and parliamentary select committees.

Harbottle had contacted the Commons culture, media and sport select committee out of concern that its reputation had been damaged by Murdoch's testimony, alleging that Murdoch had criticised the firm's legal advice without revealing the full extent of the brief it had been given. A statement from the firm suggested that the brief had been narrower than Murdoch had implied. The culture, media, and sports committee is planning to write to Harbottle & Lewis asking its representatives to appear when it resumes in October.