Lily Walker-Parr

Lily Walker-Parr

Lily joined Chambers in 2019 and represents both claimants and defendants across all areas of Chambers’ practice, including libel, misuse of private information, data protection, reporting restrictions and open justice, copyright, contempt and harassment by publication.

Lily has appeared in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court and County Court and has experience of trials, injunctions and complex interlocutory hearings. She is ranked as ‘Up and Coming’ in defamation and privacy in Chambers and Partners UK Bar Guide 2024, where she is described as “a surprisingly bold advocate for her years”.

Lily also has significant experience providing pre-publication legal and regulatory advice in respect of print, broadcast and social media. Her clients include leading publishing houses, newspapers, broadcasters, academic journals, and PR for companies, public figures and celebrities. Additionally, she worked as a night lawyer for The Times, legalled live broadcasts on TalkTV, and spent two years on secondment at Channel 5 advising in respect of the production and content of over 200 commissioned shows.

Examples of recent work include:

Misuse of Private Information and Breach of Confidence

  • Advised in respect of a claim for misuse of private information and harassment concerning alleged threats by D to disclose C’s private information. An interim injunction had already been granted but the case settled before the return hearing. This was a complex matter, as the unusual demands of the interim Order risked engaging D’s privilege against self-incrimination, in circumstances where there were live parallel criminal proceedings (for D).
  • Phone Hacking Litigation (2022): Acting for Mirror Group Newspapers (D) in claims brought by numerous celebrities and other individuals concerning accusations of unlawful news-gathering activities, including voicemail interception and blagging.
  • Blauel v John: Settlement following a claim for breach of a Non-Disclosure Agreement against the Claimant’s ex-husband, Sir Elton John (for C, led by Adam Wolanski KC).

Reporting restrictions

  • Hinduja v Hinduja [2022] EWCA Civ 1492: Partially successful appeal against a decision to lift a reporting restriction in the Court of Protection, in proceedings concerning one of the UK’s wealthiest families (for A (as media law counsel), with Sam Chandler and led by David Rees KC of 5 Stone Buildings).

Libel

  • Mueen-Uddin v SSHD: (Judgment outstanding) Instructed to appear in the Supreme Court on an appeal against the striking out of C’s libel and data protection claim in respect of an allegation, published in a Government report, that C was a war criminal. The appeal examined the doctrines of Hunter and Jameel abuse of process and the correct application of the ‘rule in Dingle’ (for C/A, led by Jacob Dean).
  • Wright v McCormack: Twitter libel case concerning an allegation that C had fraudulently claimed to be Satoshi Nakamoto, the inventor of bitcoin (for C, with Greg Callus. Led by Adam Wolanski KC to trial and Lord (David) Wolfson KC in the Court of Appeal):
    • The Pre-Trial Review decision considered a number of complex substantive and procedural issues, including the applicability of the ‘rule in Dingle‘ to serious harm under s.1 of the Defamation Act 2013 ([2021] EWHC 2671 (QB); [2022] E.M.L.R. 10).
    • C succeeded on liability following a 3-day High Court trial in May 2022 ([2022] EWHC 2068 (QB); [2023] E.M.L.R. 2).
    • C’s appeal against the nominal damages award was refused, but the Court of Appeal examined in detail the circumstances in which a libel claimant’s general damages could be reduced due to litigation conduct ([2023] EWCA Civ 892; [2023] E.M.L.R. 20).
  • Obtained permission to serve a libel claim outside the jurisdiction, in Ghana, under CPR rr.6.36 and 6.38, and s.9 of the Defamation Act 2013 (for C).
  • Security for costs ordered against a claimant holding company based in the Marshall Islands, with an unless Order that the claim be struck out in default of payment. Claim subsequently struck out with costs (for D).
  • Sykes v Shaw: Statement in Open Court read following settlement of a libel claim involving serious allegations made in a Facebook post (for C).
  • Wright v Granath [2021] EWCA Civ 28; [2021] 4 W.L.R. 24: An appeal regarding the application of the lis pendens provisions of the Lugano Convention in personality rights claims, where the defendant applies for Negative Declaratory Relief in another signatory state (for C/A, with Greg Callus and led by Adam Wolanski KC).
  • Wright v Ver [2019] EWHC 2094 (QB): A Twitter libel claim which considered the jurisdiction provisions in s.9 of the Defamation Act 2013 (for C, led by Adam Wolanski KC).

Data protection

  • Cleary v Marston (Holdings) Ltd [2021] EWHC 3809 (QB); [2022] Costs L.R. 1451 – Appeared at the case management hearing in a claim for data protection, misuse of private information and breach of confidence. Nicklin J set down guidance for allocation and pleading low value data breach claims with overlapping causes of action (for C).

Legal commentary and seminars

Lily regularly hosts training seminars for media lawyers and journalists and writes on issues concerning media law. Recent publications include:

Awards and scholarships

  • Pegasus Trust Scholarship (USA 2022), Inns of Court, 2020
  • Exhibition Award, Inner Temple, 2017
  • Duke of Edinburgh Entrance Award, Inner Temple, 2017
  • Advocacy Scholarship, University of Law, 2017
  • Winner, Herbert Smith Freehills’ Moot, University of Bristol, 2017
  • PASS Scholarship, Inner Temple, 2016
  • Jeremy McMullen Award, Middle Temple, 2016

Additional experience

During pupillage, Lily’s supervisors were Jacob Dean, Christina Michalos KC and Adam Speker KC. She assisted members of chambers with a variety of court and advisory work, including a libel trial, a meaning hearing, a discontinuance hearing and an appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. Lily also spent time at the BBC, Channel 5, The Sun and The Times.

Prior to joining 5RB, Lily interned with an international media defence charity and a production company.

Lily also mentors aspiring barristers from underrepresented backgrounds and regularly speaks at events concerning social mobility at the Bar. She is a member of 5RB’s Equality and Diversity Committee and the Inner Temple’s Bar Liaison and Junior Bar Association Committees.

Called

2018 Called to the Bar of England and Wales

Education

Law (LLB), University of Bristol - 2014-2017
Bar Professional Training Course, University of Law (Bloomsbury) - 2017-2018

Areas of work

Defamation and Malicious Falsehood
Pre-publication Advice
Data Protection and Information Law
Injunctive Relief
Privacy and Confidence
Harassment
Reporting the Courts and Contempt
Intellectual Property

Memberships

Inner Temple
Co-President, Inner Temple Junior Bar Association​ 
Committee Member, Inner Temple Bar Liaison Committee
Committee Member, 5RB Equality and Diversity Committee
Yearbook Editor, Inner Temple

Featured cases

Wright v Granath (CA)

[2021] EWCA Civ 28 15/01/2021

Wright v McCormack

[2021] EWHC 2671 (QB) 08/10/2021

Hinduja v Hinduja

[2022] EWCA Civ 1492 18/11/2022

All cases

Defamation and Malicious Falsehood

Wright v McCormack (CA)

[2023] EWCA Civ 892 02/08/2023

Wright v McCormack

[2021] EWHC 2671 (QB) 08/10/2021

Wright v Granath (CA)

[2021] EWCA Civ 28 15/01/2021

Reporting the Courts and Contempt

Hinduja v Hinduja

[2022] EWCA Civ 1492 18/11/2022

5RB Talks

5RB Back to Basics talk - Defamation

1 Sep 2021
With Lily Walker-Parr & Julian Santos

Publications

In 5RB News

20 Feb 2024

5RB hosts BVL student internship

11 Dec 2023

5RB hosts Media Law Insight Evening for BVL students

5RB is a proud sponsor of BVL, a charity offering free legal educational and work experience opportunities to students aged between 16-18 who attend non-fee paying schools.

1 Nov 2023

Supreme Court to hear abuse of process appeal in Mueen-Uddin v SSHD

20 Oct 2023

5RB tops rankings in Chambers & Partners

19 Jul 2023

Article on approaches to transparency in cases involving allegations of abuse

15 Jun 2023

Court of Appeal hears nominal damages appeal

3 Jan 2023

5RB cases dominate Spear’s reputation cases roundup 2022

11 Nov 2022

Court of Appeal hands down judgment on open justice in the Court of Protection

Hinduja v Hinduja [2022] EWCA Civ 1492

28 Feb 2022

Statement in open court in Arron Sykes v Melanie Shaw

Ms Shaw has joined in a statement in open court this morning, following settlement of Mr Sykes’ libel claim

28 Jan 2022

McCormack refused permission to appeal PTR decision

The (late) application was today refused by Warby LJ without a hearing.

18 Sep 2019

Welcome to our newest tenant

Lily Walker-Parr joins 5RB