Lily joined Chambers in 2019 upon successful completion of her pupillage. She acts for both claimants and defendants and accepts instructions across all areas of Chambers’ practice.
Lily has significant experience providing pre-publication advice to print publishers, newspapers, academic journals and broadcasters. She regularly advises leading publishing houses, provided legal and Ofcom compliance advice to Channel 5 in respect of over 200 commissioned shows, and was a night lawyer for The Times newspaper.
Lily recently worked with Sir Michael Tugendhat on the JUSTICE Advisory Group’s response to the Government’s Independent Human Rights Act Review (specifically on the issues concerning freedom of expression). She is also a Contributing Editor to the quarterly Zoom In magazine and the weekly Zoom In Brief.
During pupillage, Lily spent time at the BBC, The Sun and The Times. Prior to joining 5RB, she interned with an international media defence charity and a production company. Lily was also President and Vice President of the University of Bristol Bar Society.
Lily mentors aspiring barristers from underrepresented backgrounds and regularly speaks at events concerning social mobility at the Bar. She is also a member of 5RB’s Equality and Diversity Committee and Inner Temple’s Bar Liaison and Junior Bar Association Committees.
Recent cases
- 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.
- 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 defendant 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 McCormack [2021] EWHC 2671 (QB): PTR decision in a libel action considering 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 (for C, with Greg Callus and led by Adam Wolanski KC). (3-day trial took place in May 2022 – judgment reserved.)
- Wright v Granath [2021] EWCA Civ 28: 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).
- 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).
- 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).
Cases assisted during pupillage
- Simon v Lyder [2019] UKPC 38: an appeal to the Privy Council from Trinidad and Tobago, concerning the reliance on extrinsic, post-publication facts to establish reference in a libel action (assisting Adam Speker KC for D/A).
- Richard Burgon v News Group Newspapers [2019] EWHC 195 (QB): a 3-day libel trial in the High Court (assisting Adam Speker KC for C).
- Arcadia, Topshop/Topman & Sir Philip Green v The Telegraph [2019] EWHC 223 (QB): the discontinuance of a claim for an injunction in an action for breach of confidence (assisting Desmond Browne CBE KC for D).
- Tinkler v Ferguson & Ors[2018] EWHC 3563 (QB): a preliminary issue meaning hearing in a libel and malicious falsehood action, concerning an announcement published on the London Stock Exchange’s Regulatory News Service (assisting Andrew Caldecott KC and Jacob Dean for D).
During pupillage, Lily’s supervisors were Jacob Dean, Christina Michalos KC and Adam Speker KC.
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
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
General Secretary, Inner Temple Junior Bar Association
Committee Member, Inner Temple Bar Liaison Committee
Committee Member, 5RB Equality and Diversity Committee
School Governor and Director, Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School
Featured cases
Wright v Granath (CA)
[2021] EWCA Civ 28 15/01/2021
Wright v McCormack
[2021] EWHC 2671 (QB) 08/10/2021
All cases
Defamation and Malicious Falsehood
Wright v McCormack
[2021] EWHC 2671 (QB) 08/10/2021
Wright v Granath (CA)
[2021] EWCA Civ 28 15/01/2021
5RB Talks
5RB Back to Basics talk - Defamation
1 Sep 2021
With Lily Walker-Parr & Julian Santos
Articles
High Court refuses application for trial of preliminary issues in defamation claim (Bindel v PinkNews)
By Lily Walker-Parr. 16 Jul 2021
Decision to lift reporting restrictions upheld prior to final welfare hearing (Al Maktoum v Al Hussein)
By Lily Walker-Parr. 14 Apr 2020
LexisNexis Information Law Practice Note - Applications for interim injunctions for breach of privacy
By Lily Walker-Parr. 22 Sep 2019
LexisNexis Information Law Practice Note - Misuse of Private Information
By Lily Walker-Parr. 22 Sep 2019
In 5RB News
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
Contact
Email: clerks@5rb.com