Law firm cleared to put its case on advice to NI on NoW phone hacking
Law firm Harbottle & Lewis has been released from its client confidentiality obligations to defend itself after criticism by global media mogul Rupert Murdoch at a House of Commons hearing.
The legal firm, which was accused by Rupert Murdoch of having made a "major mistake" during the internal investigation by News International internal investigation into phone hacking at the News of the World, will be able to defend itself against allegations that it helped cover up the scandal, the Guardian reports.
News International has told the firm that it will authorise it to speak to the Parliamentary Committee and Metropolitan Police having released it from its obligations of confidentiality.
Rupert Murdoch has criticised the legal advice given by the firm over email files containing information sought by investigators.
The firm has claimed that the brief issued to it by News International was ‘narrower’ than that implied by Murdoch who had told the Wall Street Journal that the advice of Harbottle & Lewis was a ‘massive mistake’.
The firm had previously been asked to review 300 internal emails sent and received by senior staff at the News of the World, which it has now said it believes did not contain any ‘reasonable evidence’.
Harbottle & Lewis is now reported to have contacted the home affairs select committee with the aim of using parliamentary privilege to offer testimony to counter Murdoch’s statement.