UK Legal Regulator Criticized for Handling of Oligarch’s Alleged SLAPP Case

The Solicitors Regulation Authority ruled no wrongdoing by lawyers representing sanctioned Russian warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin in a libel case against journalist Eliot Higgins, sparking calls for stronger anti-SLAPP measures.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) found no evidence of misconduct by Discreet Law, the firm representing Yevgeny Prigozhin in a libel case against journalist Eliot Higgins.
The case, described as a textbook example of a SLAPP, involved Prigozhin suing Higgins over tweets linking to articles about his ties to the Wagner Group, which he later admitted to leading.
Higgins incurred over £100,000 in legal costs, and his lawyers criticized the SRA for delays and ignoring evidence in their nearly two-year investigation.
Critics, including the UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition, argue the SRA's decision undermines confidence in its ability to hold law firms accountable in SLAPP cases.
The controversy has reignited parliamentary debates on the need for stronger anti-SLAPP legislation, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledging action but no immediate plans for new laws announced.