Paul Svilans

Paul has spent more than 30 years at the centre of Australian media law, defending defamation and contempt claims for major publishers and acting for prominent individuals.

His practice covers defamation, copyright, statutory publication restrictions and defamation insurance. He provides day to day pre-publication advice to media organisations and regularly trains journalists on defamation law.

Paul appears in the Supreme, Federal and District Courts and has run matters in the ACT Supreme Court.

Notable matters

• Acting for Dow Jones & Co in the landmark defamation proceedings brought by Joseph Gutnick in the Supreme Court of Victoria and the High Court of Australia.
• Defending Nine Network Australia in defamation proceedings in the NSW Supreme Court.
• Defending a country builder's claims against a national broadcaster through two jury hearings and numerous unsuccessful appeals by the plaintiff.
• Defending an investment adviser's claims, discontinued after trial in the Supreme Court.
• Defending a defamation claim brought by a sitting member of Federal Parliament.
• Successfully resisting a permanent injunction sought against a publisher by a medical services provider.
• Resisting injunction proceedings in the NSW Supreme Court seeking to restrain a national broadcaster from airing a story.
• Defending Nine Network and other publishers in the NSW District Court and the ACT Supreme Court.

Recognition

• 2025Best Lawyers Australia
• 2024Chambers Guide
• 2023Doyle's Guide, Leading Defamation and Media Lawyer
• 2018Best Lawyers Australia, Defamation and Media Law
• 2017Doyle's Guide, Recommended Media and Entertainment Lawyer