Hanna Basha

Partner

Litigation, arbitration & dispute resolution

T: 020 7465 4371 Email Hanna Basha

Hanna is a recognised leader in the field of defamation, privacy and breach of confidence, having acted in a number of landmark cases in the High Court.

As well as litigation, Hanna has a wealth of experience in media and crisis management and advises clients on strategies for preventing and dealing with significant reputational attacks. She is able to put a responsive strategy in place quickly and effectively when clients are facing unwanted media attention. She skilfully manages media storms.

Hanna also acts for her clients in more general litigation, regulatory matters, employment disputes and inquests where maintaining reputation or privacy is key. She has been involved in a number of high profile inquests, disciplinary hearings, employment claims and sports disputes, representing clients in the High Court, before coroners and before governing and regulatory bodies.

Chambers UK describes Hanna as “exceptional” and recognises that she “gains the confidence of clients in sometimes quite difficult circumstances.”

The Legal 500 UK describes Hanna as “first rate” and “highly knowledgeable.”

Qualified 1999, joined Payne Hicks Beach as a partner 2017.

"Hanna Basha is an exceptional partner. You never get the impression of anything but total control of the case, and her ability to combine commercially sensible suggestions with a killer instinct for the highlights of your claim and the lowlights of your opponents, makes her a formidable reputation management specialist." The Legal 500 UK 2025

"Hanna Basha is extremely helpful and provides unparalleled client-centred service, always going above what is expected." Chambers HNW

"Hanna provided an exceptionally effective response to a complex critical issue under considerable time pressure. She is an outstanding lawyer and is responsive, pragmatic, knowledgeable and skilled." Chambers UK Guide 2025

"Hanna Basha is brilliant. She is calm in stressful situations but a streetfighter when it is called for." Chambers UK Guide 2025

"Hanna brings warmth, empathy and humour as well as judgement, intellect and an eye for detail. She is a pleasure to work with, a trusted adviser and our first call in a crisis." Chambers UK Guide 2025

Awards & Accolades

Chambers UK Guide 2025 ranks Hanna Basha for ‘Defamation/Reputation Management (UK-wide)’.

The Legal 500 UK 2025 ranks Hanna Basha as a ‘Leading Partner’ for the ‘Reputation Management’ category.

The Legal 500 UK 2024 ranks Hanna as a Leading Individual under Reputation Management, and is recommended under two other categories. The directory notes Hanna’s “extensive experience in defamation, privacy, harassment and data protection, with particular expertise in pre-publication situations.” Hanna is described as a “safe pair of hands” and “very experienced,” as well as “excellent, sensible, pragmatic and fearless in her advocacy for her client.” She is commended for being an “astute and commercially minded lawyer who is able to assist clients who have reputational issues to achieve the best result in the best way.”

Ranked as a Leading Individual in Chambers High Net Worth, Hanna is described as “a standout, brilliant practitioner” who is “extremely helpful and provides unparalleled client-centred service, always going above what is expected.” She is further recognised for being “very calm and pragmatic and sees the bigger picture,” as well as being “great at negotiating for her clients.”

Hanna has been listed as a “Top Recommended Reputation & Privacy Lawyer” in the Spear’s 500 for six consecutive years and is listed in the Spear’s Reputation Lawyers Index 2024.

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Hanna Basha

Awards & Accolades

Recent Insights

Payne Hicks Beach reputation and privacy lawyers listed in The Spear’s Reputation Indices 2025

Parliamentary privilege should be reviewed to protect sanctity of courts- Hanna Basha for The Times.

Expertise

Hanna Basha

Articles & speaking engagements

Payne Hicks Beach reputation and privacy lawyers listed in The Spear’s Reputation Indices 2025

Parliamentary privilege should be reviewed to protect sanctity of courts- Hanna Basha for The Times.

Finfluencing – A Criminal and Reputational Risk?

Privacy and Media expert Hanna Basha advocates for UK ban on social media for under-16s.

Victory for Nick Hargrave in Davidoff & Ors v Hargrave.

Decision of His Majesty’s Coroner in the inquest of Steve Dymond

Is spreading misinformation punishable under the Online Safety Act? Mark Jones and Hanna Basha for City AM

AI and the rise of deepfakery podcast

Public statements can have privacy implications for politicians – Hanna Basha for The Times

PAUL KERNAGHAN’S INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF THE ICGS PUBLISHED 13 MAY 2024

Industry reax: Ofcom warns social media firms of bans without safety compliance

Ofcom warns social media platforms of potential under-18 ban for non-compliance

Are your reputation and privacy at risk if you donate to a political party?

Legal issues that arise from ‘deepfakes’ being used in online scams

Online Safety Act receives Royal Assent

The BBC ‘wrong guy’ – Hanna Basha for Media Watch

Does your client have a right to privacy over tax investigations?

The changing privacy of sports stars – Hanna Basha writes for the Times

Powers to search – Dispute Resolution Partners for Independent Schools Magazine

Privacy and Media Law expert Hanna Basha comments for Law360 on the Government’s proposed curbs on ‘strategic lawsuits against public participation’ (SLAPPs)

Supreme Court privacy ruling to protect suspects in criminal investigations

LexisNexis: Continuing online publication and the public interest defence (Lachaux v Independent Print and another)

Is the UK still a top destination for international students in 2021?

Schools: balancing discipline and privacy

Deepfakes: is the law capable of protecting individuals in light of new technology?

Was it Ever Realistic for Huw Edwards to Maintain his Privacy?

Public Interest v Public Protection

Georgia Harrison wins record damages and an injunction from Stephen Bear in her civil claim.

‘Dated’ Official Secrets Act must now include public interest defence

Key Libel Cases To Watch In The New Court Term – Hanna Basha features in Law360

Right to privacy: why the suspended BBC presenter remains anonymous – Hanna Basha comments for The Guardian

Narrower SLAPPs Crackdown Prompts Functionality Queries – Hanna Basha comments for Law 360

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