High-profile criminal lawyer Brett Galloway fights eviction from Watsons Bay home

High-profile criminal lawyer Brett Galloway is fighting moves to have him evicted from his multimillion-dollar eastern suburbs home for unpaid debts.

High-profile criminal lawyer Brett Galloway is fighting moves to have him evicted from his multimillion-dollar eastern suburbs home for unpaid debts.

The NSW Sheriff’s Office was due to take over the palatial Watsons Bay property on Wednesday morning after Mr Galloway was served with an eviction notice by the NSW Supreme Court on May 17.

A locksmith arrived at the Dunbar Pl residence just before 9am to carry out the court order, along with receivers working on behalf of Aquamore Finance who are understood to be owed about $4 million.

But moments before authorities entered the property, the Sheriff’s office was informed that Mr Galloway had successfully applied to stay the eviction proceedings in an eleventh hour move on Tuesday night.

But moments before authorities entered the property, the Sheriff’s office was informed that Mr Galloway had successfully applied to stay the eviction proceedings in an eleventh hour move on Tuesday night.

Sydney solicitor Brett Galloway successfully applied to stay the eviction proceedings.

The always sharply-dressed lawyer’s wife Ingrid came to the gate and said she would ask Mr Galloway to comment, but went inside the estimated $8 million property and didn’t return.

Mr Galloway’s office phone has been disconnected and an email seeking comment on his financial woes remains unanswered.

A NSW Sheriff’s Office Notice to Vacate obtained by The Daily Telegraph, Mr Galloway was told he had until 9am on June 26 to leave the property.

“The Supreme Court of NSW … has issued a Writ of Possession for possession of the whole of the land,” the letter states.

Notice to vacate served to lawyer Brett Galloway.

Mr Galloway’s partner Ingrid walks their dog as a locksmith and sheriff arrive.

“The Sheriff intends to enter the land described above and cause the person entitled to execution of the judgement to have possession of it.”
Mr Galloway is best known as the dapper lawyer whose reputation for cross-examining like a bulldog saw him listed on speed dial for some of the city’s most colourful characters.

His high-profile former clients include disgraced property developer Salim Mehajer and Ibrahim brothers Michael, Sam and Fadi.

The receivers stand in the street waiting to enter the property of high profile lawyer Brett Galloway on Wednesday morning. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Mr Galloway (left) representing Sam Ibrahim in 2014.

Among his other well-known clients, Mr Galloway acted for cocaine dealer Richard Buttrose, the nephew of media doyenne Ita Buttrose, as well as socialite drug dealer Lisa Stockbridge.

Mr Galloway (right) and fellow solicitor Stephen Alexander outside Central Local Court in Sydney.

Galloway had a drug driving charge dismissed in 2019 after a magistrate found a saliva test at a police station could have been contaminated because officers did not follow proper procedure.

The lawyer was stopped in Paddington in September 2018 for a random roadside drug test after he had visited a client’s house who “appeared to be a methamphetamine user”, the court was told.

Galloway’s oral test recorded a positive reading for ice but a second saliva swab at the police station came back negative.

The charges were later dismissed after Magistrate Ian Rodgers found the officers who took the swab did not adhere to proper procedures.

In 2021, The Fair Work Commission ordered Galloway to pay two former staff of his firm $73,000 in compensation for their unfair dismissal after he sacked them.

On Wednesday afternoon, lawyer Paul McGirr said: “We are instructed by Mr Galloway and are currently looking to resolve the matter and are confident that this will happen efficiently.”

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