MEET:
Hayley Webster
“Hayley’s general client care skills and team-player like qualities are also rare finds for one so talented. She is an asset to any legal team with fast moving and complex work’’.
Anthony McKeever, Havard Law, 2026
Hayley practises in media law, employment law, public law, and human rights.
Hayley is currently developing a practice in all aspects of media and information law including defamation, misuse of private information, and data protection. Hayley’s media law experience includes:
Defamation
- Ebin Europe Ltd v Shin Acted as sole counsel for the Defendant in a defamation claim by his previous employer in relation to statements made during a private company meeting. The Defendant obtained summary judgment in his favour and the claim was struck out. Read more.
- Yang v Izard Acted as sole counsel for the Defendant in a defamation claim. The Defendant successfully resisted the Claimant’s application to set aside a strike out, and the Claimant’s claim was dismissed as totally without merit.
- During pupillage, Hayley assisted the claimant counsel team in the trial of Blake v Fox [2024] EWHC 146 (KB). Further Coverage:
Privacy
- Beckett v Graham [2026] EWHC 1794 (KB), successfully resisted a strike out application on the basis of issue estoppel (led by Anthony Hudson KC). Read more.
- Graham v Beckett [2026] EWHC 920 (KB), successfully argued on appeal that a claimant who amended their claim form in manuscript without permission before it was served was not required to file that amended claim form with the court before it could be validly served on the defendants (led by Anthony Hudson KC). Further Coverage:
- Sculfor v MGN [2026] EWHC 597 (Ch), acting as junior counsel led by Hugh Tomlinson KC for the Claimants in the Mirror Group “phone hacking” litigation. Read more.
Other
- Hayley does pre-publication work for the Sun and the Observer newspapers. She also has experience of live broadcast pre-publication, which involves the application of OfCom principles, at GB News and Big Brother Live.
- Hayley is a member of the legal reference panel for the Centre for Women’s justice, and has provided advice on matters involving media law
Hayley acts in all areas of employment law and regularly acts for both claimants and respondents.
- Involved in Stewart v Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office [2025]: ET decision establishing circumstances in which a civil servant could lawfully make “protected disclosures” to national media (in case relating to the UK withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021), led by Gavin Millar KC
- Successfully represented the Respondent in an 8-day unfair dismissal, harassment, victimisation, disability disclination, and failure to make reasonable adjustments claim (with over 50 issues). All claims were dismissed.
- Acted as junior counsel in Airey v Ronald Fletcher Baker LLP [2025] 2201751/2023, in which all claims brought by a former salaried partner against a law firm were comprehensively dismissed. Further Coverage:
- Advised on a complex employment matter about the lawfulness of only recruiting candidates with ‘lived experience’ of immigration and asylum.
- Advised on the lawfulness of workplace dress codes in relation to Article 9 and freedom of religion (with Karon Monaghan KC).
- Advised on a complex multi-jurisdictional employment matter involving issues of foreign law, breach of contract and the tort of negligence (assisting Edward Kemp KC).
- Police Law: Hayley has extensive experience on advising in actions against the police, and has acted for claimants in a range of actions for compensation arising out of breaches of the Human Rights Act 1998 by public authorities including various police services and Electronic monitoring services. She has been involved in successful part 18 application hearings in the County Court, and s.329 Criminal Justice Act 2003 proceedings.
- Hayley has experience in claims against the Armed Forces DSCU, and has acted for individuals subjected to sexual violence in their claims for breaches of Article 3 and the investigative duty.
- King Berebon v Shell Petroleum Development Co of Nigeria Ltd 2025 (awaiting judgment). Acted as junior counsel acting for the Claimants in the Bodo litigation arising out of two massive oil spills in Nigeria.
- Hayley has experience of clerking school exclusion hearings, including at the Independent Review Panel stage and reconsideration stage.
- Hayley also has experience of representing both students and educational institutions in fitness to study proceedings and appeals.
- Successfully defended a teacher in a teacher disciplinary hearing after they were accused of using excessive force against a pupil.
- Successfully defended a teacher in a teacher disciplinary hearing after they were accused of making inappropriate comments to pupils.
- Bar Practice Course, ICCA, (2022) – awarded Inner Temple exhibition scholarship
- BA in Jurisprudence, University of Oxford, Harris Manchester College, (2021) – first class honours, Wronker Prize in Administrative Law
- PhD in Philosophy, University of Massachusetts (2018)
- MLitt In Philosophy, University of Aberdeen (2012) – distinction, awarded the Carnegie Trust postgraduate scholarship
- MA in English Literature and Philosophy, University of Aberdeen (2010) – first class honours, Seafield medal for best English literature student in final exams, Bain medal for best philosophy student in final exams, George Bruce medal for creative writing
Hayley is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. In order to provide legal services to their clients, including advice and representation services, Hayley needs to collect and hold personal data. This includes their client’s personal data and the personal data of others who feature in the matter upon which they are instructed. To read Hayley’s privacy notice in full, please see here.
“Hayley is excellent. Prompt, efficient, resourceful, flexible and I have found her pleadings and advice to be a model of clarity. She is a pleasure to work with”
“Hayley has not only been exceptionally prompt and proactive in drafting specialist proceedings but has also provided thorough and extremely relevant advices which perceptively highlight the central issues in the litigation “.
’’She is an up-and-coming shining star. I have worked now for some 22 months with Hayley on cases of acute strategic and legal complexity. Throughout that time, my instructions have been demanding and time sensitive. Throughout, the quality and cogency of Hayley’s advice have been excellent, along with the speed she can analyse and improve draft documents." “Hayley’s general client care skills and team-player like qualities are also rare finds for one so talented. She is an asset to any legal team with fast moving and complex work’’.
“Hayley has been an absolute pleasure to work with. My firm has instructed her on a number of matters and we have had the most fantastic experience. I would not hesitate to recommend her to others (and often do). Hayley is incredibly approachable, responsive, knowledgeable, insightful, sharp and understanding of what both clients and instructing solicitors need. She goes above and beyond to help in any way that she can. I feel incredibly lucky to have had the pleasure of working with her and look forward to doing so on our current and future matters”.
“Hayley Webster is an outstanding junior barrister, I instruct her regularly in complex defamation and privacy cases. She is calm, forensic in her approach and has excellent judgement. She is also a persuasive advocate. I have instructed Hayley as sole Counsel in some matters, and also as part of a team with Leading Counsel, who I know greatly appreciate her input. Hayley is a pleasure to work with and I look forward to instructing her many more times in the future”.
+44 (0)20 7404 3447
“Hayley’s general client care skills and team-player like qualities are also rare finds for one so talented. She is an asset to any legal team with fast moving and complex work’’.
Anthony McKeever, Havard Law, 2026
MAIN AREAS OF PRACTICE
- Media and Information Law
- Employment Law
- Crime
- Private International Law
- International Law
- Police, Inquests and Prison
- Commercial Public Law
- Civil Liberties and Human Rights
Hayley Webster
Contact Hayley: HayleyWebster@matrixlaw.co.uk | +44 (0)20 7404 3447
Contact Hayley's Practice Team (Team M): TeamM@matrixlaw.co.uk
Hayley practises in media law, employment law, public law, and human rights.
Media Law
Hayley is currently developing a practice in all aspects of media and information law including defamation, misuse of private information, and data protection. Hayley’s media law experience includes:
Defamation
- Ebin Europe Ltd v Shin Acted as sole counsel for the Defendant in a defamation claim by his previous employer in relation to statements made during a private company meeting. The Defendant obtained summary judgment in his favour and the claim was struck out. Read more.
- Yang v Izard Acted as sole counsel for the Defendant in a defamation claim. The Defendant successfully resisted the Claimant’s application to set aside a strike out, and the Claimant’s claim was dismissed as totally without merit.
- During pupillage, Hayley assisted the claimant counsel team in the trial of Blake v Fox [2024] EWHC 146 (KB). Further Coverage:
Privacy
- Beckett v Graham [2026] EWHC 1794 (KB), successfully resisted a strike out application on the basis of issue estoppel (led by Anthony Hudson KC). Read more.
- Graham v Beckett [2026] EWHC 920 (KB), successfully argued on appeal that a claimant who amended their claim form in manuscript without permission before it was served was not required to file that amended claim form with the court before it could be validly served on the defendants (led by Anthony Hudson KC). Further Coverage:
- Sculfor v MGN [2026] EWHC 597 (Ch), acting as junior counsel led by Hugh Tomlinson KC for the Claimants in the Mirror Group “phone hacking” litigation. Read more.
Other
- Hayley does pre-publication work for the Sun and the Observer newspapers. She also has experience of live broadcast pre-publication, which involves the application of OfCom principles, at GB News and Big Brother Live.
- Hayley is a member of the legal reference panel for the Centre for Women’s justice, and has provided advice on matters involving media law
Employment Law
Hayley acts in all areas of employment law and regularly acts for both claimants and respondents.
- Involved in Stewart v Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office [2025]: ET decision establishing circumstances in which a civil servant could lawfully make “protected disclosures” to national media (in case relating to the UK withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021), led by Gavin Millar KC
- Successfully represented the Respondent in an 8-day unfair dismissal, harassment, victimisation, disability disclination, and failure to make reasonable adjustments claim (with over 50 issues). All claims were dismissed.
- Acted as junior counsel in Airey v Ronald Fletcher Baker LLP [2025] 2201751/2023, in which all claims brought by a former salaried partner against a law firm were comprehensively dismissed. Further Coverage:
- Advised on a complex employment matter about the lawfulness of only recruiting candidates with ‘lived experience’ of immigration and asylum.
- Advised on the lawfulness of workplace dress codes in relation to Article 9 and freedom of religion (with Karon Monaghan KC).
- Advised on a complex multi-jurisdictional employment matter involving issues of foreign law, breach of contract and the tort of negligence (assisting Edward Kemp KC).
Public Law
- Police Law: Hayley has extensive experience on advising in actions against the police, and has acted for claimants in a range of actions for compensation arising out of breaches of the Human Rights Act 1998 by public authorities including various police services and Electronic monitoring services. She has been involved in successful part 18 application hearings in the County Court, and s.329 Criminal Justice Act 2003 proceedings.
- Hayley has experience in claims against the Armed Forces DSCU, and has acted for individuals subjected to sexual violence in their claims for breaches of Article 3 and the investigative duty.
International Law
- King Berebon v Shell Petroleum Development Co of Nigeria Ltd 2025 (awaiting judgment). Acted as junior counsel acting for the Claimants in the Bodo litigation arising out of two massive oil spills in Nigeria.
Education Law
- Hayley has experience of clerking school exclusion hearings, including at the Independent Review Panel stage and reconsideration stage.
- Hayley also has experience of representing both students and educational institutions in fitness to study proceedings and appeals.
- Successfully defended a teacher in a teacher disciplinary hearing after they were accused of using excessive force against a pupil.
- Successfully defended a teacher in a teacher disciplinary hearing after they were accused of making inappropriate comments to pupils.
Qualifications and Awards
- Bar Practice Course, ICCA, (2022) – awarded Inner Temple exhibition scholarship
- BA in Jurisprudence, University of Oxford, Harris Manchester College, (2021) – first class honours, Wronker Prize in Administrative Law
- PhD in Philosophy, University of Massachusetts (2018)
- MLitt In Philosophy, University of Aberdeen (2012) – distinction, awarded the Carnegie Trust postgraduate scholarship
- MA in English Literature and Philosophy, University of Aberdeen (2010) – first class honours, Seafield medal for best English literature student in final exams, Bain medal for best philosophy student in final exams, George Bruce medal for creative writing
Hayley's Privacy Notice
Hayley is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. In order to provide legal services to her clients, including advice and representation services, Hayley needs to collect and hold personal data. This includes her client’s personal data and the personal data of others who feature in the matter upon which she is instructed. To read Hayley’s privacy notice in full, please see here
“Hayley is excellent. Prompt, efficient, resourceful, flexible and I have found her pleadings and advice to be a model of clarity. She is a pleasure to work with”
“Hayley has not only been exceptionally prompt and proactive in drafting specialist proceedings but has also provided thorough and extremely relevant advices which perceptively highlight the central issues in the litigation “.
’’She is an up-and-coming shining star. I have worked now for some 22 months with Hayley on cases of acute strategic and legal complexity. Throughout that time, my instructions have been demanding and time sensitive. Throughout, the quality and cogency of Hayley’s advice have been excellent, along with the speed she can analyse and improve draft documents." “Hayley’s general client care skills and team-player like qualities are also rare finds for one so talented. She is an asset to any legal team with fast moving and complex work’’.
“Hayley has been an absolute pleasure to work with. My firm has instructed her on a number of matters and we have had the most fantastic experience. I would not hesitate to recommend her to others (and often do). Hayley is incredibly approachable, responsive, knowledgeable, insightful, sharp and understanding of what both clients and instructing solicitors need. She goes above and beyond to help in any way that she can. I feel incredibly lucky to have had the pleasure of working with her and look forward to doing so on our current and future matters”.
“Hayley Webster is an outstanding junior barrister, I instruct her regularly in complex defamation and privacy cases. She is calm, forensic in her approach and has excellent judgement. She is also a persuasive advocate. I have instructed Hayley as sole Counsel in some matters, and also as part of a team with Leading Counsel, who I know greatly appreciate her input. Hayley is a pleasure to work with and I look forward to instructing her many more times in the future”.