Defamation

Defamation – making false or damaging statements that may harm somebody’s reputation – can be difficult in strata schemes, where everyone is living in close quarters.

Unfortunately, situations will arise in community titles schemes where committee members, lot owners, or building managers will seek advice on a defamation dispute. We have acted for all stakeholders in community titles schemes to make defamation claims and defend them.

Our approach to these disputes is a commercial and pragmatic one.

If you want a firm that will simply charge forward with a defamation action without regard for costs or collateral damage – we are not for you.

If you want a firm that understands how a defamation action blends with a community titles scheme, appreciates the importance and sensitivity of personal reputations and relationships in a scheme, and knows how to cost-efficiently drive or defend a defamation action to achieve a commercial outcome – we can help.

Our experience includes:

drafting concerns notices on behalf of clients concerned by another person’s defamatory comments to facilitate an early retraction and apology; and
responding to concerns notices and defending defamation claims in a pragmatic and cost-efficient manner.