Christian Porter’s new wife Karen Espiner the lawyer for war crime accused Oliver Schulz

Sydney lawyer Karen Espiner — who recently married former politician Christian Porter — has taken on the highest-profile case of her career.

Hotshot Sydney solicitor Karen Espiner, who recently became the newest Mrs Christian Porter, has taken on her highest-profile legal role — as the lawyer for accused war criminal Oliver Schulz.

The decorated SAS veteran faces a potential life sentence if convicted, after this week becoming the first Australian charged with the war crime of murder over the death of an Afghanistan villager in Uruzgan Province in 2012.

Espiner tied the knot with former federal attorney-general Porter, 53, in Byron Bay this year. She appeared via video link for Schulz at Queanbeyan Local Court hours after his arrest on Monday.

Schulz also was not in court, with the magistrate told he was in police custody “between Cooma and Queanbeyan”.

Lawyer Karen Espiner married ex-politician Christian Porter this year.

Former trooper Oliver Schulz has been charged with the war crime of murder

Espiner did not apply for bail for Schulz and he was remanded in custody.

High-flying UK-born Espiner, 37, is an accredited NSW specialist in criminal law, and was named Criminal Law Partner of the Year in the 2020 Lawyers Weekly Awards.

Apart from them both being lawyers, she has something in common with her new husband — a discreet tattoo.

Porter has a Star Wars fighter tattoo on one arm, which he describes as “a symbol of prevailing against the adversity of what appear to be overwhelming odds”.

Espiner has a tattoo on her wrist, either a butterfly or a semicolon, which is known to be a symbol of solidarity against depression, suicide, addiction and other mental health issues.

Schulz’s arrest on Monday followed a joint operation by homicide detectives, the Australian Federal Police and intelligence officers under the Office of the Special Investigator.

The OSI was set up in 2021 in the wake of an inquiry by the Inspector-General of the Australian Defence Force led by NSW Supreme Court judge and Army Reserve major general Paul Brereton.

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