Hope Williams

Hope joined 5RB in 2021 and specialises in defamation, privacy, breach of confidence, information law and harassment. Her clients include individuals, corporations and public authorities as well as a range of media organisations (the BBC, Channel 4, Telegraph Media Group, Associated Newspapers, Mirror Group and News Group).

Hope has a growing public law practice and has advised on production orders by the police against media organisations, Freedom of Information appeals, and all aspects of public inquiries including confidentiality and data protection issues.

Her recent work includes:

Defamation

• Taylor v Pathe Productions Limited & Ors: Acting for actor Steve Coogan and two film production companies in a defamation claim about the film ‘The Lost King’ (led by Antony White KC and Gervase de Wilde);
• Gwilliam v Freeman: Acting for the Ds in a defamation and harassment claim including allegations of fraud contained in email publications, culminating in the successful strike out of the defamation claim (led by Adam Wolanski KC).

Privacy

• Stoute v NGN: acting for the successful respondent in Stoute v NGN, the 2023 Court of Appeal privacy case concerning photographs taken by paparazzi on a public beach (led by Adam Wolanski KC).
• WFZ v BBC: acting for the BBC in a privacy and contempt claim brought by a person with a high public profile, including in C’s application to make collateral use of a journalist’s witness statement (led by Adam Wolanski KC).
• Attorney General v BBC: acting for the BBC in the case brought by the Attorney General to injunct the disclosure of the identity of an MI5 covert human intelligence source (led by Lord Pannick KC and Adam Wolanski KC).
• Phone Hacking Litigation: acting for Mirror Group Newspapers in claims brought by celebrities and other individuals concerning accusations of unlawful news-gathering activities, including voicemail interception and blagging (2022).

Data protection and FOI

• Ryland v Channel 4: Acting for Channel 4 in two Freedom of Information Act appeals concerning the use of NDAs and confidentiality clauses at Channel 4 (led by Jonathan Scherbel-Ball).
• Acting for a senior BBC journalist in a Freedom of Information Act appeal seeking access to documents.

Public Inquiries

• Inquiry into the Retirement of the Former Commissioner of Police (Gibraltar): Junior Counsel to the Inquiry, advising The Hon. Mr Justice Openshaw (led by Julian Santos).
• UK Covid-19 Inquiry: Advising a media organisation on its evidence to the Inquiry.

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.

• “Hope is exceptionally talented, polished and hardworking. She is unquestionably a future star of the Bar.’ (Legal 500 2026)
• “I could not fault Hope, her advice is spot-on and she is always on hand to assist.” (Chambers & Partners 2026)
• “Hope is super sensitive to the needs of clients, very practical and hands-on.” (Chambers & Partners 2026)
• “Hope is a brilliant barrister. She is highly intelligent, extremely hardworking and a real team player. She has already become one of the most sought after juniors in the field ….” (Legal 500 2025)
• “Hope is very thorough and fantastic to work with.” (Chambers & Partners 2025)
• “Hope is very approachable and will have an excellent career.” (Chambers & Partners 2025)

Prior to 5RB

Hope holds a Bachelor of Law (Hons I) from the University of Sydney, and a Master of Law (Class I) from the University of Cambridge. Her thesis explored contempt issues arising from true crime podcasts.

Prior to joining Chambers, Hope was a Research Assistant at the Law Commission of England and Wales. In Australia, she was the Researcher to the New South Wales Court of Appeal, Judicial Assistant to Acting Justices of Appeal Emmett and Sackville, and Head Paralegal at Allens Linklaters Sydney.

Awards and scholarships

• WM Tapp Studentship in Law (Gonville & Caius, University of Cambridge)
• Mills and Reeve Prize for Comparative Family Law (University of Cambridge)
• Zoe Hall Scholarship (University of Sydney Law School)
• Sir Dudley Williams Prize (University of Sydney Law School)
• Rose Scott Prize (University of Sydney Law School)
• Nancy Gordon Smith Prize (University of Sydney Law School)
• Caroline Munro Gibbs Memorial Prize for Torts (University of Sydney Law School)