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."

Chambers & Partners

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.

Legal 500

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."

Chambers & Partners
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.