News International phone hacking scandal the new allegations, along with high-ranking officers of the Metropolitan Police Service. News International's legal manager Tom Crone left the company on 13 July. As part of his role at the publisher, Crone had served as the "News of the World" chief lawyer and gave evidence before parliamentary committees, that he had uncovered no evidence of phone hacking beyond the criminal offences committed by the royal editor Clive Goodman. He maintained that he did not see an internal report suggesting that phone hacking at the paper went beyond Goodman. On 15 July, Rebekah Brooks, the chief executive of News International,
News of the World royal phone hacking scandal their case, News International hired London-based media specialist solicitors Harbottle & Lewis. At this time, Harbottle & Lewis were also acting for the offices of Prince Charles in their debates with the Metropolitan Police's investigations with regards to the hacking of the phones of his sons, Princes William and Harry. During its work for News International, Harbottle & Lewis took possession of hundreds of internal emails. In a letter dated 29 May 2007, sent to News International head of legal affairs Jon Chapman, Lawrence Abramson of Harbottle & Lewis wrote that: This letter was subsequently used by various News International