We are pleased to announce that Matt Gill, Senior Associate at Good Law Project, is our first Next Generation Media Lawyer of the Month for 2025! Congratulations Matt.

Matt is a defamation lawyer at Good Law Project. At GLP, Matt advocates for activists, defends public participation, and counters attempts by those with power to shut down scrutiny and accountability. His work includes advising on pre-publication legal risks and defending clients’ freedom of speech post-publication. Since joining GLP in 2024, Matt has advised survivors of sexual assault, greenwashing whistleblowers, and anti-corruption researchers, among others.

Before joining GLP, Matt worked in the media litigation teams at Wiggin and Howard Kennedy, where he worked on a wide range of media disputes.

Matt also enjoys explaining media law cases to the public on TV and radio and is regularly interviewed for the BBC, ITV, and Sky News.

Find out more about Matt’s journey into media law below:

What made you decide to specialise in media law?

At first, I became interested in media law because I enjoyed consuming the news - from politics to pop culture - and because I felt that defamation cases had a real impact on people’s lives. Other less tangible areas of law didn’t excite me in the same way. Later, I realised how important it is that people are able to use speech to hold those in power to account. That principle continues to motivate me.    

You left Howard Kennedy to move to the Good Law Project. Why did you decide to make the move? Was this a difficult decision?

I have long been a supporter of Good Law Project, in particular its work fighting Covid PPE corruption and supporting Nina Cresswell, who successfully defended a defamation claim against her when she wrote about being sexually assaulted. So, when Good Law Project posted a job advert for a defamation lawyer, I knew I had to apply. Working at GLP is like nowhere else because, thanks to donations from the public, we are able to take on important cases that otherwise wouldn't progress or would go undefended, and we can do so pro bono or on conditional fee agreements.

Tell us more about the type of work you undertake at the Good Law Project

I joined Good Law Project in 2024. GLP is a not-for-profit campaign organisation that seeks to use the law for a better, fairer, and greener future. We bring and defend cases on behalf of people and organisations who want to hold power to account and to make positive changes in society.

In my role as a defamation lawyer, I advise and defend people and organisations who use their voice to stand up for others and speak truth to those in power.

Since joining GLP, I have defended survivors of sexual assault when they have spoken out about their experience, a lawyer who faced regulatory action when they criticised the actions of the Israeli government in relation to military action in Gaza and the West Bank, and an NGO that faced legal threats when they wrote about e-payment providers' vulnerabilities to Russian money-laundering.

What advice would you give to aspiring lawyers?

Finding work experience can be hard but it can really help to secure your dream job. Try writing to firms that do types of work that interest you. Tell them why you are interested in that work and why you are keen to learn more. You can also write to your local court and ask to shadow a judge, also known as judge marshalling. If that fails, go and watch court hearings at your local Magistrates Court, Crown Court, or County Court. Don't be afraid to dip in and out of a few court rooms until you find some cases that sound interesting - you're allowed to be there!

When you have finished studying and it's time to look for a job, it is important to know that there are so many different areas in which lawyers work. Of course, there are lots of lawyers in finance, and crime, and tax, but if you love sport, or film, or you're interested in politics, or the environment, there are lawyers working in all these areas too, and many more besides. Think about how you might build a legal career in the area you're interested in from an early stage and look out for opportunities to get some experience. You might want to apply for a training contract at a firm with a team that specialises in actions against the police, or charity law, or even equine law. I have most enjoyed my work when I have been working on cases on topics that interest me outside of work; finding some of that work at an early stage in your career can make it easier to move to more specialist teams and firms later on.

In an alternative universe where lawyers didn’t exist and every job was paid exactly the same – what would be your job and why?

A TV presenter, ideally a gameshow host. The sillier the gameshow, the better.