Hope Williams
Call: 2021
Call: 2021
Hope Williams is recognised as a strong emerging junior in defamation and privacy law. Her clients include various media organisations (the BBC, Channel 4, Tortoise Media, Telegraph Media Group, Associated Newspapers, Mirror Group and News Group), as well as individuals, corporations and public authorities.
Her recent notable cases include acting for comedian Steve Coogan in a defamation claim about the film ‘The Lost King’; for the BBC in WFZ, a privacy and contempt claim by a high-profile person concerning allegations of serious sexual misconduct; and for Channel 4 in Ryland v Channel 4, a series of complex FOI appeals concerning the use of confidentiality clauses and non-disclosure agreements.
She appeared as Junior Counsel to the Inquiry into the Retirement of the Former Commissioner of Police in Gibraltar, where she was acknowledged for discharging her role with “complete independence, skill and professionalism” and “grappl[ing] with the many unexpected contingencies”.
Hope is particularly interested in the intersection between media and public law, including production orders by the police against media organisations, data protection cases involving journalism, and Freedom of Information Act Appeals. She also regularly advises on reporting restrictions in the criminal and family courts.
Hope is listed as a Rising Star by Legal 500 (2025, 2026) and Up and Coming by Chambers & Partners (2025, 2026) for defamation and privacy.
Acted for the Ds (Pathe Productions Ltd, Baby Cow Productions Ltd and Steve Coogan) in a libel claim about the film ‘The Lost King’, a dramatisation of the search for the remains of Richard III (led by Antony White KC and Gervase de Wilde).
Acted for the Ds in a defamation and harassment claim concerning allegations of fraud contained in email publications, culminating in the successful strike out of the defamation claim and discontinuance of the harassment claim (led by Adam Wolanski KC).
A defamation claim arising from allegations of sexual assault made by the defendant about the claimant, which were set out in two emails sent to university staff as part of an internal welfare process. The application to add Hope’s client as a new defendant was successfully withdrawn.
Appeared for News Group in the Court of Appeal to successfully defend the High Court’s decision not to grant an injunction over photographs taken by paparazzi on a public beach (led by Adam Wolanski KC).
Acted for the BBC in a privacy and contempt claim by a high-profile person concerning the proposed broadcast of allegations of serious sexual misconduct (led by Adam Wolanski KC).
Advised News Group in a misuse of private information claim brought by convicted rapist Richard Baker, over articles published in The Sun about his offending.
Acted for Mirror Group Newspapers in claims brought by celebrities and other individuals concerning accusations of unlawful news-gathering activities, including voicemail interception and blagging.
Acted for the BBC in a breach of confidence claim brought by the Attorney General, seeking to injunct the identity of an MI5 covert human intelligence source (led by Lord Pannick KC and Adam Wolanski KC).
Acted for a high-networth individual in a breach of confidence, data protection and privacy claim arising from hacking activity (led by Adam Wolanski KC).
Advised an NHS trust on a breach of confidence and data protection claim brought by a patient over disclosures of abuse to law enforcement.
Acting for Channel 4 in in a series of complex and interrelated Freedom of Information appeals concerning the use of NDAs and confidentiality clauses at Channel 4 (led by Jonathan Scherbel-Ball).
Acting for the BBC and journalist Alex Homer in a Freedom of Information Act appeal, seeking access to a Serious Case Review into a serious child sex abuse case (led by Jonathan Scherbel-Ball).
Successfully struck out a right to be forgotten claim against the BBC concerning journalistic material.
Advised a media organisation on a potential data loss incident, including advising on necessary reports to the ICO, internal management measures and settlement proposals.
Acted for Folkestone & Hythe District Council to successfully strike out a harassment claim brought against the Council’s former Monitoring Officer.
Acting for Associated Newspapers and the Telegraph in three claims brought by NewsX Community Interest Company over payment for photographs.
Obtained a Transparency Order for the Sunday Times in High Court care proceedings involving allegations of fabricated or induced illness.
Acted for the BBC in a privacy and contempt claim by a high-profile person concerning the proposed broadcast of allegations of serious sexual misconduct (led by Adam Wolanski KC).
Junior Counsel to the Inquiry (led by Julian Santos KC) in a widely reported Gibraltar public inquiry, advising retired High Court Judge Sir Peter Openshaw. Hope’s role included advising on media law issues, including on: (1) applications by the Royal Gibraltar Police and Chief Minister of Gibraltar to restrict the publication of documents that had been disclosed to the Inquiry; and (2) the application by the Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation to live stream the Inquiry.
Advising a media organisation on its evidence to the Inquiry.
For more information
For more information or to instruct Hope please get in touch with our clerking team, who can deal with your enquiry and provide any required information: