Paul Tweed, a renowned Northern Irish media attorney, boasts of a plethora of high-profile clientele including notable figures such as Gerry Adams, the Kardashians, Sarah Ferguson, and Louis Walsh. Over recent years, he has stood at the helm of some of the most significant libel and defamation cases.
Tweed was thrust into the limelight when a fallout occurred between Barry McGuigan and Barney Eastwood. He defended the latter after an unforeseen loss of McGuigan’s WBA featherweight world crown in June 1986. A case that Tweed claims grew into “the most thrilling libel lawsuit in Irish legal annals”. His clientele comprises globally recognised celebrities including Britney Spears in her 2006 case against the National Enquirer in Britain and Ireland. He also served the ex-first minister of Northern Ireland, Arlene Foster, in her landmark lawsuit against television figure Dr Christian Jensen.
Tweed has seen his fair share of disputes, being a victim of intentional fake news campaigns, attempted hacks on his phone and email, as well as being trailed by private detective hired by “an antagonistic nation”.
Borne and bred in Northern Ireland, Tweed attributes his stamina to face daunting aspects of his profession to the routine distress of the Troubles. Tweed is famously neutral, confessing that he’s likely the lone individual to have received festive greetings from both Gerry Adams and Ian Paisley.
In a captivating dialogue, he passionately argues that internet libel legislation needs to catch up with the rapid advancements in AI and technology. He claims that existing laws are woefully inadequate, facilitating tech giants to trample over individual reputations without the same accountability as traditional media.
Arguably from his extensive experience as a media attorney, Tweed convincingly advocates for the institution of efficient policies to regulate the online domain, contending that digital platforms are profiting considerably from news circulation, including diverting revenue from established media, without bearing any corresponding liabilities.
Freelance critic, John Walshe commends Tweed’s point of view.