Ten Questions to a Media Lawyer
Karyn Harty is Global Co-Chair of Disputes and is a partner and Head of the Litigation practice group in Dentons’ Dublin office.
When did you know you wanted to be a lawyer?
I was originally meant to join the army. At 16 I was awarded a scholarship to the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst in the UK and was destined to be an army officer. As every female officer I met in the first year of the scholarship was an administrator, I decided that wasn’t for me and returned the scholarship, much to my parents’ dismay.
I then applied for 5 different degree subjects and happened to get the grades to read Law at Queen’s University, Belfast, which led to me securing an apprenticeship with a Belfast firm. 30 years on, having been part of the first generation in my family to go to university, I’m proud to lead the Disputes practice group in the Irish office of Dentons, which has a superb media defence team, and to serve as Global Co-Chair for Disputes for the firm.
What was your first legal job? Did it spark your interest in media law – if not, how did the interest develop?
My first legal job was working as a receptionist over the summer while I was at college in a small solicitor’s office in Belfast. I was a terrible receptionist, but a good typist. I did not encounter any media law there, but I did learn a lot about management from how badly the admin staff were treated and I vowed that I would always aim to be a good person to work for!
My interest in media law was sparked when I was an apprentice solicitor and learned to give urgent pre-publication advice. I cut my teeth working with newspapers such as the Sunday World, the Sunday Times and the Daily Mail, which I enjoyed immensely. I qualified into a busy media law practice and have been privileged to specialise in media law ever since, as well as my broader commercial disputes and white collar defence practice.
What is the best advice you’ve received as a lawyer?
When qualifying I was advised by a mentor, the late, great Owen Catchpole, that I should never, ever act for friends or family, on the basis that I could never be sufficiently independent. I have always stuck to that advice and arrange for someone else to advise.
What are some of the memorable cases / matters that shaped you as a lawyer?
I have been fortunate to be entrusted with a lot of very interesting media cases over the years, but undoubtedly the ones that went to fully fought jury trial are the most memorable.
Winning MGN’s appeal in the Supreme Court in respect of the disproportionately large jury award to Irish businessman Denis O’Brien really stands out when I think back to my early career.
Mr O’Brien had been wrongly reported to have made a payment to a politician. The Supreme Court set aside the award and sent the case back for retrial. But what really got me was the Supreme Court declining to award MGN its costs of the successful appeal, which was truly exasperating having won the appeal. Of course, when the case went before a fresh jury, the plaintiff secured an even higher sum in damages from a different jury that wasn’t allowed to be told about the original award. While immensely frustrating at the time, the case was probably instrumental in Ireland’s appeal courts subsequently adopting a practice of substituting figures in place of overturned jury awards.
What is a fun, little known fact about you?
I once wrote a poem that inspired Senator George Mitchell, President Bill Clinton and PM Tony Blair to press on in the Northern Ireland peace talks.
What issues are keeping you up at night?
The menopause! Seriously. After 4 children I thought I was done with sleep deprivation and it’s now entirely self-generated.
Who are some favorite Irish authors?
I am an avid reader and there are some fabulous contemporary Irish novels that deserve a shout out, such as Louise Kennedy’s Trespasses, Audrey Magee’s The Colony, Emma Donoghue’s Haven, Ferdia Lennon’s superb debut novel Glorious Exploits… Would you like me to stop now?
Favorite film or TV show dealing with the law?
Brooklyn 99, thanks to my kids.
I’m visiting Ireland for a week – what should I see and do?
Once you’ve seen Dublin, which is definitely where you should start, there are so many must sees around the island, including the Giant’s Causeway in my home county of Antrim, the Ring of Kerry, Cork city and West Cork, Donegal. Sure look, just bring a rain jacket and you’ll be grand.