A Matter of Reputation

Why is it that enviromental and climate issues now seem to cut across every area of business and legal practice - and what is the best way to address them? On the latest episode of our A Matter of Reputation podcast, Dina Hudson, Lead Consultant (D&I) at Byfield, is joined by Maria O’Loan, Head of Environment and Planning at Tughans LLP, to explore this question.The discussion also covers: 👉 How communications, stakeholder engagement and public trust have become central to planning and infrastructure processes and consent.👉 What "social licence" is, how you can build it, and why it's increasingly essential when engaging with communities. 👉 The tension governments and nations are facing between development and investment and environmental and social concerns - and what that means for the future. A key takeaway? It's more important than ever how you articulate and communicate the benefits of a project or position - public perception cannot be ignored, and public support (or opposition) can be the difference between a project's success - or failure. Thank you for listening!

In our first episode, we unpack why reputation matters in moments of dispute, what listeners can expect from the series, and dive into the ongoing collective redress regime review - a topic that’s redefining how group actions and public communications play out in the UK and beyond.Thank you for listening!

In this week’s episode, Michael is joined by Persephone Bridgman Baker, Partner at Carter-Ruck, to explore how reputational risk intersects with disputes and investigations, often long before issues become public, and to reflect on her path into media and reputation management and how she advises clients in crises where legal, media and commercial pressures collide. The discussion examines how reputational risk is assessed alongside legal risk, the dangers of early missteps, the balance between silence and engagement, working effectively with PR advisers, advising boards and senior executives under scrutiny, and how the role of reputation in disputes is evolving, with practical takeaways for organisations preparing for the next crisis. Thank you for listening!

In this week’s episode, Dina is joined by Elizabeth Robertson, Co-founder of Robertson Pugh. They discuss launching Elizabeth's unique boutique with investigator Henry Pugh, and the importance of reputation management. Drawing on her fascinating career, Elizabeth reflects on the overturned Libor convictions and the role of the press, the reputational risks around sanctions work, and how regulators use the media as part of their enforcement toolkit.Thank you for listening!

Gus and Dina explore how disputes increasingly unfold in public long before and sometimes without legal resolution, from the Beckham family’s very public estrangement to Prince Harry’s landmark High Court battle with the British press. They examine how narratives evolve when there is no clear legal endpoint, how litigation timelines interact with media pressure, and what happens when court documents themselves become part of the public conversation under the Transparency Pilot Scheme. The discussion also turns to Byfield Consultancy’s latest report on PFAS forever chemicals, asking how rising public awareness of complex environmental and health risks is reshaping the legal and reputational landscape for companies, and why communications strategy is now inseparable from both private disputes and major litigation.Thank you for listening!

In this episode of A Matter of Reputation, Gus Sellitto speaks to Hugh Evans, former disputes partner at DLA Piper and now a senior adviser to Byfield’s Disputes and Investigations team, about how reputation has moved from the margins to the centre of litigation strategy.Thank you for listening!

In Part 2 of this conversation, Byfield Founder Gus Sellitto continues the discussion with Peter Ashford, Chair of London Arbitration Week and independent arbitrator, and Artem Doudko, partner in Osborne Clarke’s Dispute Resolution practice.Building on Who Speaks for Arbitration? — Byfield’s strategic report — they explore how arbitration is understood beyond the legal sphere, and the role the media plays in shaping that perception.The conversation looks at how international arbitration is covered by major publications such as the Financial Times, The Times, Reuters and Bloomberg, and considers how the industry can further strengthen understanding of the complex, high-value issues arbitration helps to resolve. They discuss the opportunity for clearer, more consistent communication — and who is best placed to lead that narrative.They also examine the role of industry platforms such as London Arbitration Week (LAW) and London International Disputes Week (LIDW), and what they set out to achieve in elevating the profile of disputes and arbitration globally.Finally, the discussion turns to the future pipeline of talent — considering how arbitration can be more effectively introduced to students, trainees and those at the start of their legal careers.A clear message emerges: arbitration plays a vital role in global business, and there is a real opportunity to tell that story more clearly — across media, markets and the next generation.Thank you for listening!

In this week’s episode, Dina sits down with Chaya Hanoomanjee, Partner and Managing Director at Austen Hays, to explore how she found her way into specialising in class actions and what it really takes to shape the marketing and PR strategy behind major group claims. Chaya walks through some of the standout cases she’s worked on — including the high-profile action against Grindr — and offers her perspective on the rapidly evolving landscape of group litigation in the UK.Thank you for listening!

In Part 1 of this conversation, Byfield Founder Gus Sellitto speaks to Peter Ashford, independent arbitrator, mediator and consultant and Chair of London Arbitration Week, and Artem Doudko, Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and partner in Osborne Clarke’s Dispute Resolution practice.Drawing on Who Speaks for Arbitration? — a strategic report by Byfield — they explore how international arbitration is perceived beyond the legal community, and who is shaping its public narrative.The discussion examines the gap between arbitration’s global importance and its limited visibility among businesses, and considers what the arbitration community can do to communicate its value more clearly, credibly and consistently.Read the full report here: https://byfieldconsultancy.com/who-speaks-for-arbitration/Thank you for listening!