For the busy criminal lawyer, this symposium brings together the most significant developments in one place for you. You will gain strategies for navigating mental health and other personal history issues that affect the accused, dealing with co-accused in the Local Court, managing stalking charges and Stay Applications. Delve into expert practical guides to trial strategy relating to expert evidence and cross-examination. With a sharp focus on tools you can apply in court immediately, this online conference is absolutely essential viewing.

Presenters

Andrew Boe, Barrister, Black Chambers
Andrew Boe is a barrister who has appeared in trial courts in most jurisdictions of Australia and in appeal courts in NSW, Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and in the High Court. Prior to coming to the Bar in 2009, Andrew operated law practices in Brisbane, since his admission in 1989. Andrew specialises in the criminal jurisdiction however, he has also appeared in administrative law, family law and child protection cases, coronial Inquest. commissions of inquiry and defamation trials.


Angela Cooney, National Practice Director, Armstrong Legal
Angela Cooney is the National Practice Director of Criminal Law and is responsible for supervising and managing her Criminal Law team in addition to her own caseload. She practices in both NSW and the ACT. Angela is an Accredited Criminal Law Specialist. Angela is a confident and formidable advocate for her clients. She commonly appears in very complex and serious matters but is able to assist clients with all kinds of criminal and traffic offences. Angela is an experienced court advocate having appeared in the Local and District Court, the Court of Criminal Appeal as well as in federal jurisdictions in a multitude of matters, including complex strictly indictable trials. With over a decade of experience in criminal law, Angela understands the often interrelated issues that arise in criminal matters and is able to guide clients through emotional and difficult times with sensitivity. Angela is passionate about providing clients with high quality and easy to understand legal advice and her experience allows her to provide clients with a first-class service. Not only is she a technically impeccable lawyer who understands the law – she is approachable and personable and provides her clients with representation to the highest quality.

Ian Lloyd KC, Trust Chambers
Ian Lloyd KC was called to the NSW Bar in 1977. He took silk in 1989. He is also a member of the bar in Hong Kong, New York and England & Wales. Mr Lloyd is one of Sydney’s leading criminal law silks. Mr Lloyd was during the 1980s a Senior Crown Counsel with the Hong Kong Government and in the early 1990s the Senior Crown Prosecutor for NSW. Mr Lloyd is also a former Justice of the Court of Appeal of the Fiji Islands and Conjoint Associate Professor with the University of Newcastle Law School. He has previously lectured in law at the University of Technology, the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the University of Notre Dame, Sydney.

Mahmud Hawila, Barrister, Black Chambers
Mahmud Hawila appears and advises in a broad range of criminal, regulatory and public law matters, drawing upon his experience as a Police Prosecutor, Police Officer and Government Lawyer. Mahmud has conducted prosecutions on behalf of the NSW Police Force, Transport for NSW, Revenue NSW, Point to Point Transport Commissioner, Department of Education, Liquor & Gaming NSW, Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, local councils and various other regulatory agencies. Mahmud accepts both Defence and Prosecution briefs to appear in all New South Wales Courts and Tribunals, including in regional and remote locations. He features on Legal Aid NSW Panels, the Commonwealth DPP Briefing Panel, and holds an ongoing Commonwealth Counsel Rate. Prior to coming to the Bar, Mahmud practised in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution team at Hunt & Hunt Lawyers. In that capacity he acted on behalf of government agencies in regulatory prosecutions, appeals, administrative reviews, commissions of inquiry and coronial inquests. Earlier in his career, Mahmud served in the NSW Police Force as a General Duties Police Officer, and later a Police Prosecutor. During his time in General Duties, Mahmud conducted numerous criminal investigations, and provided legal advice to investigators on the exercise of legislative powers and the sufficiency of briefs of evidence. Mahmud has extensive advocacy experience in conducting defended criminal hearings, sentencing proceedings, and applications relating to bail, Apprehended Violence Orders, forensic procedures, mental health, and confiscation of proceeds of crime.

Eugene Renard, Barrister, Samuel Griffith Chambers
Eugene is a Barrister at Samuel Griffith Chambers. He specialises in criminal defence with a particular focus on jury and judge alone trials. He regularly appears unled for people charged with serious offences in the Local, District and Children’s Court and accepts briefs to appear in all Australian courts and tribunals including regional and remote locations across New South Wales and interstate. Prior to being called to the Bar, Eugene was a Solicitor Advocate at Legal Aid NSW and an accredited specialist in criminal law.

Dr Yega Muthu, Principal Lawyer, YM Lawyers
Drawing on his experience from both academia and professional practice, Dr Yega Muthu established YM Lawyers to provide a service to clients built on insight and excellence. From years of experience, Yega has specialised in mental health law, guardianship,criminal law, human rights, succession and personal injury. In view of his mental health practice, he views his role in protecting vulnerable people in the community from exploitation. Subsequently, recognising his aptitude Yega was granted the judicial position as the ‘Lawyer’ member of the Mental Health Review Tribunal from 2008-2012. Yega also obtained his PhD in law focusing on psychiatry from Macquarie University. Yega maintains his role as a solicitor in practice including teaching Mental Health Law at the Australian Catholic University, where he is an Adjunct Associate Professor.


Sophie Anderson, Barrister, Commercial Bank Chambers
Sophie has extensive experience as a lawyer and advisor involved in criminal defence law. She appears in all criminal matters including Jury Trials, Sentences, and Appeals. She also has other legal experience having practised in areas including Employment, Discrimination and Industrial Relations law. Sophie has previously lectured and tutored at Southern Cross University; and additionally co-authored course materials. Sophie began her career as a solicitor, specialising in criminal defence work, having been recognised for her specialised knowledge in this area by the NSW Law Society in 2005, with accreditation. She initially worked with the Aboriginal Legal Service in both their metropolitan and regional offices from Redfern Sydney to Dubbo in Western NSW and finally Lismore in the Far North Coast of NSW. She was called to the Bar in 2014. After joining the NSW Bar in 2014, Sophie was the recipient of the Inaugural Christopher Gee Award for Advocacy in the 2014 Bar Course. She is an ongoing committee member on the Criminal Law Committee, and Wellbeing Committee with the NSW Bar Association since 2021. Sophie is also the Far North Coast Bar Representative for NSW. In 2025, Sophie was recognised by the Doyle’s Guide as a Recommended Barrister, the only recipient outside Sydney. Aside from being a member of the Bugmy Bar Book Committee, Sophie is also co-host on the podcast "5 cases Podcast" which reviews cases of interest to criminal practitioners each month; and is available on any podcast platform of your choice.

Kenneth Hall Averre MBE, Barrister, Forbes Chambers
On 19 November 2025, Kenneth Hall Averre MBE was officially appointed as a Judge of the District Court of New South Wales. Kenneth Hall Averre MBE is a member of Forbes Chambers and practices predominantly in the area of criminal law. Kenneth appears at all stages of the criminal process including the Local Court, Children's Court, the District Court, the Supreme Court and in appeals to Court of Criminal Appeal NSW. He has appeared in appeals to the Full Court of the Federal Court (extradition) and on a special leave application to the High Court. Kenneth has advised on and appeared in numerous appeals against conviction and/or sentence in the Court of Criminal Appeal (NSW) ranging from murder to sex offences and he is also a member of the Specialist Barrister Panel (Complex Criminal Law) Panel, Legal Aid General Crime Panel and the Children's Crime Panel. Kenneth started his career as a solicitor working in a small largely criminal practice in England before leaving to work as a volunteer in the Solomon Islands in the office of the Public Solicitor. He was appointed as the Public Solicitor of Solomon Islands at the time of the Australian led intervention mission in 2003 before coming to the NSW bar.

Lindsay Stankovic, Partner, Liberato Defence Lawyers
Lindsay is a Partner at Liberato Defence Lawyers. Her practice is focused on complex and serious indictable crime, including allegations of murder and manslaughter, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, drug supply and importation, violent offending and white-collar crime. She holds a Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours and began her career as an Associate in the District Court before working for leading criminal defence firms in Sydney and later founding Liberato with Damien Mahon. In 2023, Lindsay was a finalist in the Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 Awards (Criminal Law), and in 2024 and 2025 she was listed as a Criminal Law Rising Star in Doyle’s Guide.

Damien Mahon, Partner, Liberato Defence Lawyers
Damien is an Accredited Specialist in Criminal Law and Partner at Liberato Defence Lawyers. He was worked exclusively in criminal defence private practice throughout his career and has acted for accused persons in many serious and high profile matters in New South Wales, including allegations of murder and terrorism. He appears regularly as a solicitor advocate in the Local, District and Supreme Courts. Since founding Liberato together with Lindsay Stankovic, Damien maintains a diverse practice in Newcastle, Sydney and wider NSW, with a dedicated focus on complex and serious trial proceedings.