Gill Phillips succeeds Mark Hanna as new co-author of McNae’s Essential Law for Journalists

Gill Phillips, the former director of editorial legal services for The Guardian

Gill Phillips, the former director of editorial legal services for the Guardian, has been appointed by the NCTJ and Oxford University Press to succeed Mark Hanna as co-author of the 27^th edition of McNae’s Essential Law for Journalists.

Gill will work alongside co-author Sian Harrison, law service editor of PA Media, who picked up the baton from Mike Dodd last year.

First published in 1954 and authored by Leonard McNae of the Press Association, McNae’s offers unrivalled practical guidance on the law and the ethics related to journalism and a wide range of reporting situations.

The book is regarded as an invaluable tool for everyone who wants to be taken seriously as a journalist, editor or journalism trainer.

Gill’s career in the media began as an assistant solicitor at the BBC (1987-1996) followed by nine years at Times Newspapers.

She joined Guardian News and Media (GNM) in 2009, where she managed the editorial legal team, reporting to the editor. Her role involved advising on a wide range of media law-related matters including defamation, privacy, data protection, contempt of court and reporting restrictions.

She has been involved in advising GNM publications on Wikileaks, Edward Snowden, and various big data leak stories such as the Panama and Paradise Papers, as well as the Uber files and the Suisse secrets.

As a well-known and highly-respected media lawyer, Gill’s experience spans print, online and broadcast media. She qualified at Clifford Chance and was senior lecturer at the College of Law covering civil litigation, criminal law and employment law. She is a part-time employment tribunal judge and co-author of the University of Law Employment Law handbook.

Announcing Gill’s appointment, which has just received formal approval by delegates at Oxford University Press, Joanne Butcher, chief executive of the NCTJ said: “Mark’s incredible work on McNae’s over the years made the search for his successor a daunting task and I’m thrilled Gill Phillips has accepted the challenge of following in his footsteps.

“A friend of McNae’s for many years and with an outstanding track record in media law, Gill is held in the highest regard by all of us at the NCTJ and we look forward to her contribution to this historic and celebrated text.”

Gill said: “I am honoured to be stepping into such well respected and admired shoes.  Mark has played such a key role in the modern McNae’s and I hope I can live up to his high standards.

“I am looking forward to working with Sian on the 27^th edition, helping to ensure it remains unrivalled and continues to be an invaluable, accessible and practical guide for journalists and media practitioners.”

Helen Swann, senior commissioning editor at Oxford University Press, said: “Gill will be a superb addition to the McNae’s team, and we’re delighted to have her on board. Her experience and expertise are second to none, and we feel confident that this important book will thrive under her authorship.”

Mark Hanna has co-authored McNae’s Essential Law for Journalists since 2009

The formal approval of Gill’s appointment also marks the end of Mark Hanna’s co-authorship of McNae’s, which began in 2009.

Known as a “a walking, talking encyclopaedia of anything worth knowing about media law”, Mark’s name has become synonymous with media law, regulation and ethics. He continues to be a member of the NCTJ’s media law examinations board.

Mark joined the department of journalism studies at the University of Sheffield in 1996. He was a senior lecturer and was awarded emeritus status on his retirement from the university in 2020.

Before this, Mark worked on newspapers for 18 years, including roles as the investigations reporter and deputy news editor on the Sheffield Star, and Northern reporter at The Observer. His journalism awards included Provincial Journalist of the Year in the British Press Awards.

He was honoured by the NCTJ in 2020 with the chairman’s award at the annual Awards for Excellence for his outstanding contribution to journalism training and education.