Presenters

Michal Mantaj, Director, Trial Advocate, Conditsis Lawyers
Michal has over 18 years experience as a criminal law practitioner. In that time, Michal has advised and represented thousands of clients charged with criminal offences spaning the whole spectrum of the criminal law, from minor traffic matters to offences attracting a maximum penalty of life imprisonment such as murder and large scale drug trafficking. He has appeared as solicitor advocate in the Local, District, Supreme Courts and the Court of Appeal and Court of Criminal Appeal. Additionally, Michal is a Law Society accredited specialist in criminal law; a member and deputy chair of the Law Society Criminal Law Committee; a former lecturer at a Traffic Offender Intervention Program and frequently presents papers at MCLE seminars. Michal is a director at Conditsis Lawyers, where Michal and other advocates, accept instructions from other solicitors to appear in all matters including trials, in much the same way as solicitors would instruct counsel.


Nicholas Cowdery AO KC FAAL, Former Director of Public Prosecutions for NSW (1994-2011), former Barrister (1971-2017), former Associate Judge of the District Court of NSW, Adjunct Professor of Law, University of New South Wales and University of Sydney; Chair of the National Human Rights Committee, Law Council of Australia; Director, Justice Reform Initiative
Nicholas Cowdery AO KC FAAL has been involved in criminal justice for 55 years – as a prosecutor, defender, judge and teacher. He was the Director of Public Prosecutions for NSW from 1994 to 2011. Since then, as an Adjunct Professor, he has taught criminal justice courses at the Universities of Sydney and of NSW. He is a past President of the International Association of Prosecutors and founding Co-Chair of the Human Rights Institute of the International Bar Association. He is Chair of the National Human Rights Committee of the Law Council of Australia and has held related offices in the past. He speaks to community groups about criminal justice issues. He is a director of the Justice Reform Initiative, working to reduce reliance upon imprisonment as the answer to every criminal problem. He campaigns for drug law reform and was involved in the campaigns to legalise abortion and voluntary assisted dying. He is the author of three books: “Getting Justice Wrong: Myths, Media and Crime” (Allen & Unwin, 2001); “Frank & Fearless”, with Rachael Jane Chin (NewSouth, 2019); and “Discretion in Criminal Justice” (LexisNexis, 2022).

Presenters

Michal Mantaj, Director, Trial Advocate, Conditsis Lawyers
Michal has over 18 years experience as a criminal law practitioner. In that time, Michal has advised and represented thousands of clients charged with criminal offences spaning the whole spectrum of the criminal law, from minor traffic matters to offences attracting a maximum penalty of life imprisonment such as murder and large scale drug trafficking. He has appeared as solicitor advocate in the Local, District, Supreme Courts and the Court of Appeal and Court of Criminal Appeal. Additionally, Michal is a Law Society accredited specialist in criminal law; a member and deputy chair of the Law Society Criminal Law Committee; a former lecturer at a Traffic Offender Intervention Program and frequently presents papers at MCLE seminars. Michal is a director at Conditsis Lawyers, where Michal and other advocates, accept instructions from other solicitors to appear in all matters including trials, in much the same way as solicitors would instruct counsel.


Nicholas Cowdery AO KC FAAL, Former Director of Public Prosecutions for NSW (1994-2011), former Barrister (1971-2017), former Associate Judge of the District Court of NSW, Adjunct Professor of Law, University of New South Wales and University of Sydney; Chair of the National Human Rights Committee, Law Council of Australia; Director, Justice Reform Initiative
Nicholas Cowdery AO KC FAAL has been involved in criminal justice for 55 years – as a prosecutor, defender, judge and teacher. He was the Director of Public Prosecutions for NSW from 1994 to 2011. Since then, as an Adjunct Professor, he has taught criminal justice courses at the Universities of Sydney and of NSW. He is a past President of the International Association of Prosecutors and founding Co-Chair of the Human Rights Institute of the International Bar Association. He is Chair of the National Human Rights Committee of the Law Council of Australia and has held related offices in the past. He speaks to community groups about criminal justice issues. He is a director of the Justice Reform Initiative, working to reduce reliance upon imprisonment as the answer to every criminal problem. He campaigns for drug law reform and was involved in the campaigns to legalise abortion and voluntary assisted dying. He is the author of three books: “Getting Justice Wrong: Myths, Media and Crime” (Allen & Unwin, 2001); “Frank & Fearless”, with Rachael Jane Chin (NewSouth, 2019); and “Discretion in Criminal Justice” (LexisNexis, 2022).