Managing editor Michelle Pini discusses legal stouches and reputations following Linda Reynolds' defamation win against former staffer Brittany Higgins. In a later defamation trial brought by Lehrmann, it was found that on the balance of probabilities, he had raped Higgins. Many may recall Ms Reynolds referring to her staffer at the time of the allegations against Lehrmann as “a lying cow”, for which the former senator later publicly apologised. Ms Reynolds sued her former staffer – a rape victim – because she was offended by tweets Ms Higgins made about her, which Reynolds said damaged her reputation and the WA Court upheld her defamation claims. Ms Reynolds – who, it appears, is able to afford the exercise – has now been awarded a large sum for the damage caused to her reputation by Ms Higgins.