About Us

The Media Legal Defence Initiative is a non-governmental charity which works in all regions of the world to provide legal support to journalists and media outlets who seek to protect their right to freedom of expression.

Founded in 2008, the Media Legal Defence Initiative was created to expand the resources available to assist the media to defend their rights in legal cases, and to direct those resources to areas of greatest need.

The Media Legal Defence Initiative works to strengthen media legal defence capacity around the world by supporting initiatives to enhance the legal knowledge, skills and effectiveness of those working in the field.

We are based in London and work closely with a world-wide network of experienced media and human rights lawyers, local, national and international organisations, donors, foundations and advisors who are all concerned with defending media freedom.

The Media Legal Defence Initiative has a unique role in this area. Our understanding of the challenges the media face in defending their legal rights, our experience in bringing together practitioners in the field from many countries to share knowledge and collaborate and our access to top expertise around the world means we are well placed to give effective assistance when it is needed.

Our strength lies in our knowledge and networks and our ability to deploy resources where needed most. We have experience of working in media legal defence across cultures and jurisdictions and building relationships between people working in this field.