“[3.] The claimant shall by 4pm on15 March 2023 make an application for permission to lift the stay. The application shall be supported by draft particulars of claim setting out the legal basis for the claim against each named defendant and identifying the cause of the loss and damage claimed and complying with the Civil Procedure Rules and the associated Practice Directions. [4.] If the Claimant fails to comply with paragraph 3 above the claim shall be struck out.”
“the past 16 hours have been very difficult for my father and me, and I regret to inform you, that just like the previous occasions when my father was caused to suffer a debilitating autistic meltdown, his health has worsened and he is unable to continue and is awaiting a doctor’s visit. My priority is to take care of my disabled father (as well as my own mental health, as I also am believed to suffer from autism). My priority therefore remains my father’s health, and I will therefore also not be able to be present at the hearing. My disabled father will be medicated and asleep at 10am UK time today (2am in the US) and as we live in a small one room studio, I will not be able to attend the hearing. In addition, based on my experience of my father’s previous autistic meltdowns/shutdowns, he will not be able to attend the session tomorrow (Wednesday), and I have prior work deliverables due by Wednesday, as I had planned for the hearing to finish by today. Although I will not be able to dial into the hearing today, I will check my emails to answer any questions that you may have. My father hopes that (Just like in the High Court and EAT had done when he was caused to suffer debilitating autistic meltdowns/shutdowns) we are able to reschedule, so that we get a chance to present our arguments orally to you, as the defendants have done. In the future, we ask the barristers to respect my father’s autism and disability which was caused by the actions of the defendants and to make reasonable adjustments so that a fair hearing can occur. Thank you for your consideration.”
“[2.] These arise from (inter alia) defamatory statements and malicious falsehoods about the Claimant, some originally made by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in 2018 and repeated by Paul Michell of Cloisters Chambers, an agent acting on behalf of the LSE for whom the LSE and Cloisters Chambers are therefore vicariously liable, and by Cloisters Chambers (its constituent members), the organisation which published Mr Michell’s and the LSE’s defamatory statements on their public website (www.cloisters.com), noting that Cloisters Chambers owes a duty of care for the Claimant as they represented him in his ongoing litigation in the Employment Tribunal against the LSE, for whom Mr Michell is also acting… [3.] Dr Piepenbrock will be seeking damages for the Defendants’ cause and/or contributory role in his disability and lost academic and/or residual career, valued at approximately£4 million after tax…”
“Liability for publication arises from participation in, or authorisation of, the publication complained of: Watts v Times Newspapers Ltd[1997] QB 650 , 670. Someone who is a joint author of an article is liable, as is a person who reads and edits text for publication. It may not be necessary for the defendant to know the specific words to be used, but it is necessary to show some knowing and active involvement in the process of publication of the words or message complained of; a “passive instrumental role” in that process is insufficient: Bunt v Tilley[2007] 1 WLR 1243 [23]. It is certainly not enough to be aware of a defamatory publication and to fail to take steps to prevent it: Underhill v Corser[2010] EWHC 1195 (QB) .”
“to impose legal responsibility upon anyone under the common law for publication of words it is essential to demonstrate a degree of awareness or at least an assumption of general responsibility …”
“[31.] Cloisters Chambers, which is managed by Martin McLeish as Head of Chambers, has a case to answer for in the High Court for ostensibly being the legal entity which publishes and provides the platform for its barristers like Mr Michell to post harassing and defamatory information on Cloisters’ website. By way of analogy, Mr Michell is like a journalist who wrote a defamatory article, and Cloisters is like the publisher who is responsible for the content of all of its journalists. … [35.] If Mr McLeish and Mr Michell would concede that Cloisters is in fact a legal entity which can be held responsible for any unlawful actions, then there would have been on reason for Dr Piepenbrock to have had to list individual members of Cloisters as individual Defendants…”
“(1) A person must not pursue a course of conduct - (a) which amounts to harassment of another, and (b) which he knows or ought to know amounts to harassment of the other. (2) For the purposes of this section…, the person whose course of conduct is in question ought to know that it amounts to or involves harassment of another if a reasonable person in possession of the same information would think the course of conduct amount to harassment of the other.”
“… has sought justice in the courts not for the money, as he has always pledged the majority of any damages to charity. He has simply sought justice in the courts, so that no other innocent people would be harmed by the LSE. All those countless staff members who have taken settlements have only allowed the LSE to institutionalise its unethical and unlawful behaviour. Dr Piepenbrock has a responsibility to ensure that no other innocent lives will be destroyed by the LSE.”