Alongside his role as Osborne Clarke’s Head of Client Strategy, Ashley is a commercial litigator specialising in board-level crisis management and disputes relating to the internet, cybersecurity, data, and reputation.
"Ashley Hurst is brilliant, he is very connected in the TMT world. No hesitation, he is our go-to adviser on policy-related tech matters. He is a fully rounded adviser."
Ashley's practice spans numerous sectors, in particular Technology, Media and Retail. Whilst he typically acts for large, international companies, he also enjoys acting for fast-growth start-ups and disruptors, helping them to overcome barriers to growth.
Ashley co-leads the international Cyber and Contentious Data Protection team where his work in handling cyber-attacks and their regulatory and litigation consequences combines his data protection and crisis management expertise. He also has deep experience in advising social media platforms in relation to intermediary liability issues and regulatory scrutiny.
Media and information law expert Ashley Hurst – ‘who is destined to be at the top of the profession for a long time‘ – assists major tech and media companies, as well as high-profile individuals.
Helping you succeed in tomorrow's world
Clients tend to call me in times of crisis, which makes for a fast-paced and varied practice. My best skill is probably an ability to cut to the heart of a complex problem, distil it in simple terms, and assemble the right team of experts to devise practical solutions and help clients to make sound decisions under pressure.
I'm also passionate about helping both Osborne Clarke and its clients to do things more efficiently and communicate more clearly using technology.
"Ashley Hurst is an outstanding cyber lawyer."
The Paradise Papers
Advised Appleby in relation to its high profile litigation against The BBC and The Guardian in relation to the Paradise Papers.
Phone Hacking Crisis
Played a central role in advising News Corp in relation to the phone-hacking crisis, including defending group action litigation, establishing a compensation scheme, and navigating through the early stages of the crisis.
Ransom attack
Acting for a well-known retailer in relation to a ransom attack, leading the crisis response and dealing with the regulatory and litigation consequences.
Insights
Online Safety Bill: changes to watch out for
Regulatory Outlook | January 2022
Supreme Court in Lloyd v Google dismisses data protection class action
Online Safety Bill: Parliament and DCMS proceed with separate scrutiny and inquiry into the draft online safety law
Parliamentary committee indicates timing of pre-legislative scrutiny as the government's digital and culture department launches probe into content of the...
The High Court strikes out unfounded claims following a cyberattack
Judgment confirms that non-data protection claims cannot be pursued when the incident is perpetrated by a third party and closes...
OSB in focus: will the Online Safety Bill increase the scope for actions brought by individuals against online platforms?
Draft legislation designed to make the UK the safest place to be online (while defending freedom of expression) requires difficult...
OSB in focus: is the Online Safety Bill a skeleton or a springboard for dynamic regulation?
The UK's draft online safety legislation contains a range of powers for ministers to be able to change aspects of...
OSB in focus: what categories of content and communications are within the Online Safety Bill's scope?
The threat of big fines on annual global turnover means that it is crucial that online services understand the nature...
OSB in focus: what types of service will be caught by the UK Online Safety Bill?
Internet service providers will need to assess whether they come within the scope of the draft legislation and take stock...