Sydney’s top criminal lawyers, barristers and counsel revealed
When Sydney’s wealthy and powerful wind up in court there are a select few legal minds they turn to. These are the 12 brightest legal eagles gracing the courts in 2021.
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When Sydney’s stars, suits and power players wind up in legal trouble, there are certain legal professionals they turn to again and again.
From the solicitors in the local court to the barristers and silks running the most high profile trials of the year, these are the brilliant minds Sydney’s powerful people turn to in a crisis with the law.
BRET WALKER SC
Widely regarded as one of Australia’s most brilliant legal minds, Bret Walker SC is the expert called upon by corporate high flyers, politicians, and – famously – the man who was once Australia’s most powerful Catholic.
Clients reportedly shell out tens of thousands of dollars a day for the privilege of being represented by the highly experienced silk, who has acted in all kinds of cases for Australia’s most powerful people.
Famously, Mr Walker represented the former Cardinal George Pell in his successful High Court appeal against his conviction for alleged child sex offences.
He also represented former Attorney-General Christian Porter in his defamation suit against the ABC before the case was discontinued following mediation between the parties.
Mr Walker also represented Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and his Nationals party colleague Fiona Nash when both were caught up in the 2017 citizenship debacle which called the eligibility of seven Australian federal MPs into question.
MARGARET CUNNEEN SC
Margaret Cunneen made her name as the NSW Deputy Senior Crown Prosecutor who helped put notorious paedophile Robert “Dolly” Dunn, triple murderer Michael Kanaan, gang rapist Bilal Skaf and the Butcher of Bega – disgraced gynaecologist Graeme Reeves – behind bars.
She stunned some people in Sydney when she then crossed to the other side of the courtroom to begin a new phase of her career as a defence barrister.
Since her switch to defence, Ms Cunneen has represented celebrated homicide detective Gary Jubelin after he was charged with making illegal recordings during his investigation into the disappearance of mid-north coast toddler William Tyrrell.
She also recently represented Blake Davis, who was convicted of manslaughter after he killed an intruder at his Forest Lodge home with a samurai sword, and now acts for former Sydney school teacher Monica Young after she pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a student.
IAN LLOYD QC
Ian Lloyd’s legal expertise has seen him travel far and wide, with his experience seeing him admitted to the NSW Bar, the Bar of England and Wales, the Hong Kong Bar and the New York Bar before he was appointed Queens Counsel in 1989.
The experienced QC was once the NSW Senior Crown Prosecutor and trained judges and prosecutors in Cambodia on assignment with the United Nations.
Nowadays, Mr Lloyd focuses on his private practice largely in NSW, representing high profile clients such as former detective Glen McNamara, for whom he applied for bail after McNamara was charged with killing low level drug runner Jamie Gao in 2014. McNamara was subsequently convicted.
Mr Lloyd also secured bail for Sarah Budge – the girlfriend of Kings Cross nightclub identity John Ibrahim and soon-to-be mother of his child – after she was charged and later found not guilty of firearm possession offences.
PHILLIP BOULTEN SC
Former president of the NSW Bar Association Phillip Boulten has acted for a star-studded list of clients – among them multiple NRL players.
The experienced criminal defence barrister represented fallen NRL player Jarryd Hayne in his first sex assault trial at Newcastle District Court in late 2020, which ultimately resulted in a hung jury.
The highly sought-after Boulten was unable to represent Hayne in his retrial – in which he was ultimately convicted and jailed – due to his busy schedule.
Hayne continues to insist he is innocent and will appeal the verdict in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal.
Mr Boulten also represented former South Sydney Rabbitohs player Sam Burgess when he fought charges of intimidation and assault relating to his former father in law Mitchell Hooke.
Burgess was found guilty in Moss Vale Local Court but his conviction was subsequently overturned in the Goulburn District Court.
BELINDA RIGG SC
Experienced lawyer Belinda Rigg was the first woman ever appointed as NSW’s senior public defender.
Ms Rigg has more than 17 years of experience and has recently acted for a range of high profile defendants facing grave charges.
She recently represented Mert Ney, who was sentenced at Sydney District Court to 44 years behind bars for callously murdering sex worker Michaela Dunn in the Sydney CBD before taking to the street armed with a knife.
Ms Rigg also acted for Vinzent Tarantino, who faced a Supreme Court trial for the murder of missing western Sydney school Quanne Diec and was ultimately found not guilty by a jury.
In 2020 Ms Rigg also acted for convicted mass killer Robert Xie in his bid to have his convictions overturned.
RICHARD PONTELLO SC
Richard Pontello is another high profile silk favoured by footy players in strife.
Mr Pontello took carriage of NRL player Jarryd Hayne’s retrial on sex assault offences in Sydney District Court after his first trial ended in a hung jury.
He also acts for former St George Illawarra Dragons rookie Tristan Sailor, who will soon face trial charged with sexual assault over an alleged incident at a Wolli Creek unit in October 2020.
Mr Pontello previously represented Penrith Panthers player Tyrone May when he was convicted of recording intimate images without consent involving a female sexual partner in January 2020.
PENNY MUSGRAVE
Widely respected criminal defence lawyer Penny Musgrave has been involved in some of the state’s most high profile trials, acting for the rich, privileged and powerful in court.
Ms Musgrave continues to act for former NRL player Jarryd Hayne, who is set to appeal his conviction for sexual assault in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal in November.
She also once acted for Adam and Lauren Cranston – the children of former Australian Taxation Office deputy commissioner – after they were charged with tax fraud offences.
Ms Musgrave’s other high profile clients also included notorious conman Hamish McLaren, late child sex attacker Anthony Sampieri and former Auburn Council deputy mayor Salim Mehajer.
She also acts for prominent former businessman Sir Ron Brierley on child abuse material charges, for which he will soon be sentenced after he pleaded guilty.
SAM MACEDONE
Criminal law specialist Sam Macedone achieved a win against police in 2020 when prosecutors dropped charges against his client, NRL star Curtis Scott.
The Canberra Raiders player was handcuffed after he was found asleep under a tree in the middle of the night near NRL headquarters in Moore Park.
Scott was then doused with capsicum spray and tasered even though police bodyworn camera footage later revealed he was barely conscious at the time.
Prosecutors ultimately dropped five charges of assaulting police and resisting arrest and Scott was awarded more than $100,000 in legal costs after he enlisted Mr Macedone to represent him.
Mr Macedone also represented disgraced former A Current Affair reporter Ben McCormack, who was sentenced to a three-year good behaviour bond in 2017 for using a carriage service to promote child abuse material.
KELLIE STARES
Barrister Kellie Stares was once the youngest person ever admitted to the NSW Bar, becoming a barrister when she was just 23.
Ms Stares has acted multiple times for police officers facing serious charges, including James Stuart McMillan, who was acquitted of sexual assault charges.
She also acted for former Wollongong police officer Christopher Dove, who pleaded guilty to neglecting his duty after he drove home a female drink driver when he was unable to transport her to a police station for a breath analysis.
No conviction was recorded in Wollongong Local Court in that matter in 2015.
Ms Stares also represented Ryan Eckersley, one of six police officers charged with assaulting a man in custody at Ballina police station in 2011 and then allegedly orchestrating a cover-up.
Eckersley was ultimately found not guilty of all offences in 2016.
BRYAN WRENCH
Bryan Wrench is a solicitor favoured by the stars, with a string of high profile clients turning to him in their hours of strife.
Mr Wrench acted for NRL star Sam Burgess when he pleaded guilty to driving with cocaine in his system in the Southern Highlands, for which he avoided a recorded conviction.
He also represented Australian music star Shannon Noll when he pleaded guilty to possessing a small bag of cocaine at the Caringbah Hotel in 2018.
Mr Wrench – the protege of famed Sydney legal mind Chris Murphy – also represented Wolf Creek actor John Jarratt when he faced trial and was found not guilty of sexual assault, and the Cook family of the Blue Mountains circus, against whom charges of child sexual abuse were laid and later dropped by police.
AHMED DIB
Sydney defence lawyer Ahmed Dib represents some of the state’s most high profile families – including the Hamze family recently caught up in a shocking public execution.
Former underworld boss Bilal Hamze, 34, was gunned down in an attack as he departed a Japanese restaurant in Sydney’s CBD last month.
Hamze was the cousin of Brothers 4 Life gang leader Bassam Hamzy, who is serving time for murder in Goulburn’s Supermax jail.
Dib represented multiple members of the Hamze family in their Supreme Court bid to have aspects of serious crime prevention orders – laid to prevent what police alleged was the possibility of further violence – relaxed so they could attend Bilal Hamze’s funeral.
Mr Dib has also previously represented disgraced former Auburn deputy mayor Salim Mehajer and notorious Skaf gang rapist Belal Hajeid after he was convicted at Bankstown Local Court of destroying property during an argument with his wife.
MICHAEL MOUSSA
Criminal lawyer Michael Moussa has carriage of a case that has now captured national attention, as a close adviser to federal MP Craig Kelly was charged with alleged sexual misconduct offences.
The Hughes independent MP’s right-hand man Frank Zumbo has been charged with multiple sexual touching and indecent assault offences pertaining to a number of young women.
Mr Moussa has represented Zumbo since the MP’s office manager was alerted to an investigation which began in April 2020.
The head of National Criminal Lawyers also previously represented jailed Sydney socialite Annabel Walker as she pleaded guilty to multiple fraud charges and alleged Bandidos bikie associate Lee Fuller, who is currently fighting cocaine supply charges.
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