Hector Penny
Call: 2023
Call: 2023
Hector Penny joined 5RB as a tenant in October 2024, and practices across the range of chambers’ work, including libel (defendant and claimant), privacy, harassment, data protection, freedom of information and reporting restrictions.
He has appeared unled in the County Court and KBD. Notable recent led instructions include:
Hector trained and practised as a solicitor specialising in corporate/M&A law at Slaughter and May from 2017 to 2021. Following his LLM and prior to pupillage, he was employed as a solicitor at a specialist media law firm for one year.
Hector has acted in a number of defamation matters, for claimants and defendants. He frequently offers pre-action advice, including drafting correspondence.
As a solicitor, Hector acted for a number of claimants and defendants in defamation claims.
Acting for The Spectator in its defence of a libel action.
Hector acted for the claimants in the 10-week privacy and confidentiality trial of Lawrence & Ors v Associated Newspapers Limited in early 2026 (and a number of preliminary hearings with reported judgments), led by David Sherborne alongside Ben Hamer and Luke Browne.
He has offered pre-action advice to publishers defending privacy complaints, and has acted led and alone in a number of pre-trial privacy matters.
Hector has advised corporate and individual clients on data protection matters, including non-contentious corporate matters, and in hybrid data protection-defamation claims.
In which as a pupil he assisted Ben Gallop.
Hector has advised claimants and defendants in harassment matters at the pre-action and pre-trial stages, including in a complex cross-border intended claim and a local authority prospective claimant, and has appeared in the County Court and KBD for harassment defendants.
Hector has advised clients on prospective proceedings for injunctive relief in harassment and privacy.
As a solicitor he advised clients on a number of blackmail cases, including as to pre-action strategy and preparation for issuing proceedings.
Hector has provided regular pre-publication and other advice to publishers and broadcasters. Clients include The Times, The Sun, HarperCollins, and Channel 4.
He undertook a part-time placement at Channel 4 at the start of his tenancy, where he advised on various pre-broadcast issues, including regulatory, libel and contempt.
During placements at Channel 4 and The Times Hector gained experience of media regulation issues, including offering advice in relation to Ofcom and IPSO complaints.
As a solicitor, Hector advised clients in making complaints to Ofcom.
Hector has acted for an applicant on a major contempt application as a tenant, led by Greg Callus.
As a pupil he assisted Greg Callus in editing the contempt chapter of the White Book 2024.
During pupillage and tenancy Hector was involved in various reporting restriction matters in the family court, led or supervised by members of chambers.
He has also advised on open justice issues in the Employment Tribunal.
For more information
For more information or to instruct Hector please get in touch with our clerking team, who can deal with your enquiry and provide any required information: