Criminal Law Conference: Legislative Updates, Evidence and Advocacy

Criminal Law Conference: Legislative Updates, Evidence and Advocacy
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Friday, 27 March 2026

9.00am to 5.15pm

InterContinental Melbourne The Rialto - 495 Collins Street, Melbourne

263V05

$795

Level: Advanced

Jurisdiction: VIC

Brochure: VIC

Division: Legal - AU

Series: 263V

Practice Area: Criminal Law

Crime is big news in Victoria at the moment with increased criminal behaviour, new bail offences, reform in consent in sexual offences, changes to the Criminal Procedure Act regarding committals, changes to the youth justice system, and more. Navigate through these reforms plus essential skills. Master consent complexities and tackle the intersections between intervention orders, migration law and criminal law. Develop practical strategies for cross-examining child witnesses and stay alert to the current state of forensic science and its impact on your cases.

Session 1: Critical Updates for Criminal Lawyers and Pressure Points in Practice 263V05A

9.00am to 1.15pm $505

Chair: Emma Turnbull, Director, Emma Turnbull Lawyers, Accredited Criminal Law Specialist’ Preeminent Criminal Defence Lawyer, Doyle’s Guide 2025

9.00am to 10.00am

Changes to Committals in Victoria

• New purpose of Committal hearings
• New test for leave to cross examine witnesses
• Prohibitions on cross examination of certain witnesses broadened
• Fast tracking of certain offences to Supreme Court

Presented by Melinda Walker; Accredited Criminal Law Specialist, Leading Criminal Defence Lawyer, Doyle’s Guide 2025

10.00am to 11.00am

Rethinking Consent in Sexual Offences: Challenges and Directions

• Legal framework for consent in sexual offence cases
• Impact of charges, bail and sentencing
• Visa cancellations including mandatory & risk of re-offending cancellations

• Key legislative reforms and their implications for prosecutors and defence practitioners
• Evidentiary challenges in establishing or contesting consent
• Comparative insights: lessons from other jurisdictions on consent laws
• Practical strategies for advocacy

Presented by Dr Felicity Gerry KC, Crockett Chambers

11.00am to 11.15am Morning Tea

11.15am to 12.15am

Professional Skills

Forensic Science: The Current State

Forensic science is evolving rapidly and legal rules lag, you must stay alert to new techniques, admissibility challenges and shifts in doctrine. Courts are increasingly scrutinising DNA transfer, low-template DNA, and mixed profiles, the mere presence of DNA may no longer carry the weight it once did. Look beyond the report. Challenge the assumptions. Anticipate where the next evidentiary battles will be fought.

Presented by Anna Davey, Director, Forensic Foundations International

12.15am to 1.15pm

Mandatory Sentencing in Victoria and the Commonwealth: Key Reforms, Cases and Practical Implications

• Overview of mandatory sentencing regimes in Victoria and the Commonwealth
• Recent legislative amendments impacting sentencing discretion
• Key cases shaping the interpretation and application of mandatory sentencing provisions
• Practical implications for defence practitioners: negotiations, pleas and case strategy
• Emerging trends and future directions

Presented by Jim McGarvie, Partner, Stary Norton Halphen, Recommended White Collar Crime Lawyer, Doyle’s Guide 2025

Session 2: Professional Skills for Criminal Lawyers and Navigating the Youth Justice System 263V05B

2.00pm to 5.15pm $420

Chair: Gordon Chisholm, Barrister, Parnell’s Barristers

2.00pm to 3.00pm

Professional Skills

Cross-Examining Child Witnesses

• Considerations for how to make your questioning more effective and persuasive
• Understanding how children process, retain and communicate information
• Framing questions in a way that is clear, simple and appropriate for the child’s developmental stage
• Managing inconsistencies in a child’s version without appearing adversarial or undermining credibility

Presented by Tanya Skvortsova, Barrister, Stawell Chambers

3.00pm to 4.00pm

When Intervention Orders, Migration and Criminal Law Intersect: Practical Guidance for Lawyers

Presented by Manny Brennan, Partner, Emma Turnbull Lawyers; Accredited Specialist in Criminal Law and Joseph Adamo, Senior Associate, Emma Turnbull Lawyers

4.00pm to 4.15pm Afternoon Tea

4.15pm to 5.15pm

Youth Justice Under the Spotlight

• Explore the recent reforms in Youth Justice in Victoria, a current concern for the Criminal Justice system. Consider practice trends and emerging challenges, consider how to respond and what you need to anticipate in 2026 and beyond.
• Join this forward-looking and highly practical discussion on youth justice. Hear from leading barristers, solicitors and prosecutors to examine the key developments reshaping how young people are processed, supported and represented in the criminal justice system.

Panellists include:
Paul Galbally, Partner, Galbally O’Bryan; Accredited Specialist in Criminal Law; Preeminent Criminal Defence Lawyer, Doyle’s Guide 2025

Melinda Walker; Accredited Criminal Law Specialist, Leading Criminal Defence Lawyer, Doyle’s Guide 2025

Anoushka Jeronimus, Director, Westjustice

Attend and earn 7 CPD units including:

5 units in Substantive Law

2 units in Professional Skills

PRESENTERS:

Emma Turnbull, Director, Emma Turnbull Lawyers
Emma Turnbull is a Director and founding partner of Emma Turnbull Lawyers Pty Ltd. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and a Master of Laws (LLM) from Monash University. Emma is an Accredited Criminal Law Specialist with the Law Institute of Victoria A passionate and forceful advocate, Emma appears regularly in all courts across the Victorian criminal law jurisdiction. This includes appearing as Counsel and instructing solicitor in Supreme and County Court trials, mental impairment trials, County Court and Magistrates’ Court plea hearings and bail applications. She is an industry leader and a forceful advocate for change and development of criminal law practice. Emma has been acknowledged annually as a leading criminal defence lawyer in Doyle’s Guide (as has her firm), she has been a finalist in the Australian Law Awards and Partner of the Year awards, and most relevant to the topic today she is speaking to – Emma won the national Lawyers Weekly 2024 Wellness Advocate of the Year award.

Melinda Walker; Accredited Criminal Law Specialist
Melinda was admitted to practice in 2000, commenced sole practice in 2003 and has conducted her practice coming on 23 years. She has now been involved in the services of Law for over 31 years in various capacities. She attained Accredited Criminal Law Specialisation in 2014 and was Co-Chair of the Executive Committee for the Criminal Law Section of the Law Institute of Victoria (“LIV”) 2017-2021. In 2017 Melinda was appointed the Chair of the Bail Reform Committee on behalf of the Law Institute of Victoria to make submissions to the Honourable Justice Coghlan who presided over the Bail review. She was also LIV representative at the Bail Reform Project, Criminal Justice Strategy & Coordination – Bail Reform Implementation Working Group convened by the Department of Justice & Regulation 2017-2018 to identify priorities for the development of the “Coghlan Recommendations” and consider proposals for action and appeared before the Coroners Court inquest into the death of Veronica Nelson as a member of expert panel on bail law. Melinda has extensive experience and knowledge of all jurisdictions and have appeared as counsel and instructor in all courts. I have represented many Indigenous clients and appeared in Koori Court both in the Magistrates’ Court and County Court jurisdictions. She has now been involved in the services of Law for close to 30 years in various capacities. This includes paid and volunteer work. Melinda is an active participant in law reform in the areas of bail, family violence, sentencing, youth, policy and procedure.

Dr Felicity Gerry KC, Crockett Chambers

Dr Felicity Gerry KC is an international barrister at Crockett Chambers, Melbourne and Libertas Chambers, London, Her practice includes admission before the International Criminal Court and the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague, as well as the Dubai International Financial Centre, with ad hoc admission in Hong Kong, Gibraltar and the Cook Islands, positioning her at the forefront of comparative and transnational approaches to criminal law and procedure. Felicity has long expertise prosecuting or defending in serious sexual offence cases. She is a co-author of Bourke’s Criminal Practice Guide card for Victoria on modern slavery, sex work, children, animal law, and compensation and is currently updating The Sexual Offences Handbook.

Manny Brennan, Partner, Emma Turnbull Lawyers

Manny Brennan is a partner at Emma Turnbull Lawyers having been with the firm since 2015. He holds a law degree Honours and is an accredited criminal law specialist. A talented and experienced advocate, Manny appears in all Court jurisdictions, having developed a niche expertise in the preparation and defence of indictable crime matters. Manny has expanded his advocacy work in recent years with appearances on behalf of witnesses in Royal Commission Public Hearings, supplementing this important advocacy work with detailed and complex written submissions. Having represented a broad range of clients facing criminal prosecution as well as representing a large number of survivor witnesses in recent Royal Commissions, Manny has first hand experience in dealing with stress and trauma in his criminal law practice.

Joseph Adamo, Senior Associate, Emma Turnbull Lawyers
In 2022, Joseph joined our team of leading criminal defence lawyers after having several years’ of experience at a leading family law firm. Joseph was promoted in 2023 to Senior Associate at Emma Turnbull Lawyers and recognised in 2024 as a Rising Star in the Doyle’s Guide listings for Victorian Criminal Defence Lawyers. Joseph is a solicitor advocate that appears in all Victorian Courts on a daily basis. He is admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Victoria and has signed the High Court roll of Practitioners. An experienced courtroom advocate, Joseph has an established reputation for his thorough preparation and strong advocacy for clients appearing in Family Violence and Personal Safety Intervention Order contested matters. He has followed his interest in criminal justice advocacy by joining our specialist team of criminal defence lawyers. Joseph is committed to ensuring that his clients receive excellent representation, and he will leave no stone unturned when defending his clients. As a very diligent criminal defence lawyer, Joseph prides himself on providing sound advice and ensures each of his clients are guided through the Court process.

Jim McGarvie, Partner, Stary Norton Halphen
Jim McGarvie is a Partner at Stary Norton Halphen. He has a diverse range of experience in all areas of criminal law, including appearing in contested hearings, committals and trials.

Gordon Chisholm, Barrister, Parnell’s Barristers

Gordon’s primary interest is criminal law, and he is available for city and country matters.

Gordon is a holder of the Victorian Bar’s Indictable Crime Certificate. He is on the ‘Criminal Trial Preferred Barrister List’ compiled by VLA.

Prior to coming to the Bar, he worked for three and a half years at Slades & Parsons Solicitors. Before that he was associate to her Honour Judge Lewitan AM.

Gordon obtained a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) and a Bachelor of Laws from The University of Melbourne. His honours thesis in Arts looked at language abilities in chimpanzees. Kissing the Blarney Stone was another important educational and professional milestone. He read with Ben Ihle QC. His senior mentor is Peter Chadwick QC.

Tanya Skvortsova, Barrister, Stawell Chambers

Tanya Skvortsova is a trial advocate who came to the Bar in 2018. She most frequently appears for individuals accused of sexual misconduct in the criminal jurisdiction, in disciplinary matters and in civil proceedings. Prior to coming to the Bar Tanya worked for various prosecutorial agencies and the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. She holds a Master of Science (Criminal Justice) from the University of Alabama, with a specialist focus on sexual offending.

Anna Davey, Director, Forensic Foundations International
In 1988, Anna was employed by the then State Forensic Science Laboratory as part of a small team formed to introduce DNA profiling to Victoria for criminal casework. By 1994, she was Team Leader and had developed an interest in education and training in forensic science. In 1997, Anna moved from casework to lead the ‘Quality Management, Education and Information Services’ team. From 2000 – 2004, Anna held the position of Executive Officer of the National Institute of Forensic Science and in 2004, was appointed Deputy Director. In 2008, Anna Davey founded Forensic Foundations International, a specialised service providing flexible fit-for-propose forensic program for expert and legal practitioners. These services involve training, consultancy, case review and auditing. Anna operates in all areas of the forensic sciences, focusing on quality management, the interface between science and the legal system, and forensic science based R&D. She brings an unequalled depth of knowledge and experience to these subjects. Anna is the immediate past Vice President (Australia) of the Australian and New Zealand Forensic Science Society (ANZFSS) and is Secretary of Victorian Chapter of the Australian Academy of Forensic Science.

Paul Galbally, Partner, Galbally O’Bryan
Paul Galbally is a partner at Galbally & O'Bryan as well as an Accredited Criminal Law Specialist. He has been retained in some of the country's largest and complex criminal law proceedings which for the most part have involved white collar crime. He acted on behalf of a co-accused in the Elliott foreign exchange trial. He was retained in the Pro-Image proceeding and recently acted on behalf of Glenn Wheatley and is currently retained by Mr Andrew Lindberg, the former CEO of AWB, in regard to a civil penalty proceeding brought by ASIC and Mr Martin Kemp, a former director of ABC Learning Centres Ltd.

Anoushka Jeronimus, Director, Westjustice 
Anoushka is the Director of the Youth Law Program at WEstjustice. She joined there in 2020. Prior to that she worked at VLA, commencing in July 2007 with the Youth Legal Service and moving into the Youth Crime Team in 2012. She successfully gained specialist accreditation in Children's Law in 2012 and was awarded 2012 Children's Law Award along with VLA for the work she led in relation to the Tyler Cassidy Inquest. She was appointed Program Manager of Youth Crime in July 2014. Prior to VLA, Anoushka spent a year in Cambodia volunteering with a children's right advocacy NGO and before that, as a lawyer at the Top End Women's Legal Service in Darwin. She has a deep interest in the rights young people in conflict with the law and is committed to effective advocacy on their behalf. Anoushka is a member of the Law Institute’s Criminal Law Executive and Children’s Law Advisory Committee; the Victorian Multi Cultural Committees North West Regional Advisory Committee and was recently appointed as a Director of the Sentencing Advisory Council.