How are AI, digital evidence and new offences changing the way you run trials? The 2026 Criminal Law Conference brings together Queensland’s leading specialists to unpack the new realities of criminal practice - in trial, in evidence and in advocacy. Get practical updates on sentencing reforms, corruption and misconduct defence strategy, and lawful search and seizure powers. Explore how AI tools, digital evidence and cybercrime are influencing investigations and trials. Get a handle on the newest sexual offence reforms and gain trial-ready strategies for cross-examining vulnerable witnesses plus for managing the ethical issues in defence practice. Built for criminal lawyers who want to stay ahead of every change, sharper on evidence, stronger in trial and ready for whatever comes next.

Presenters

Michael O’Brien, Principal, Fisher Dore Lawyers
He was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2016 and joined the Fisher Dore team in 2017. Michael previously worked as an associate to a Judge of the District Court and has experienced a diverse range of court settings throughout Queensland. He appears in court daily on a wide-range of matters, in the Magistrates Court through to the Supreme Court.

Anna Waite, Senior Associate and Practice Manager, Gnech and Associates
She is a leader of the firm’s practice in criminal defence, domestic violence, professional misconduct, human rights, and anti-discrimination law, with a particular emphasis on public service corruption and white-collar criminality. Her expertise encompasses representing clients accused of corruption-related offences, including bribery, abuse of office, and breaches of public trust, as well as defending professionals facing allegations of misconduct arising from corrupt practices. Anna regularly represents clients for serious white-collar crime and corruption matters, and appears as a solicitor advocate in sentences, inquests, section 222 appeals, and bail applications before the Magistrates, District, and Supreme Courts. She is highly experienced in navigating complex proceedings before regulatory bodies and commissions such as the Queensland and Australian Human Rights Commissions, Queensland Industrial Relations Commission, Administrative Appeals Tribunal, and Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal, where she advocates for clients in cases involving corruption investigations, disciplinary actions, and anti-discrimination claims.

Cameron Browne, Managing Director, Potts Lawyers
Cameron has practiced exclusively in criminal law since he was admitted in 2001. He is a director at Potts Lawyers, having commenced his articles of clerkship at the predecessor of the firm in 1999. He has appeared as an advocate in multiple jurisdictions and is passionate about educating graduates and junior practitioners. His practice has included undertaking cross-examination at committals for sexual offences, along with instructing counsel at numerous trials for offences of this type. An accredited specialist in Criminal Law, Cameron is a former president of the Gold Coast District Law Association and relocated to the firm’s Brisbane office in 2019.

Anna Cappellano, Barrister, Higgins Chambers
Anna has practiced at the private Bar in Queensland since 2008. She is passionate about social justice and providing fearless advocacy for people who find themselves confronting the criminal justice system. Anna’s practice at the Bar focuses primarily on criminal law and regulatory matters. She regularly appears on behalf of both defendants and prosecuting authorities at the State and Commonwealth level in proceedings in the District Courts, Supreme Court of Queensland, the Queensland Court of Appeal and the Norfolk Island Court of Petty Sessions and Supreme Court. In 2022, Anna was one of the Counsel Assisting the Commission of Inquiry into Queensland Police Service responses to domestic and family violence. Anna is also member of the Bar Association’s Criminal Law Committee.

Emma Higgins, Legal Director, Robertson O’Gorman Solicitors
Emma Higgins is a legal director at Robertson O'Gorman Solicitors having joined the firm in 2011. A Queensland Law Society accredited specialist in criminal law, Emma appears in a variety of criminal matters before the Magistrates Court and superior courts. Emma has extensive trial and appellate experience in a range of criminal proceedings. She has appeared as solicitor advocate in superior courts and has a keen interest in the relationship between mental health and criminal proceedings. Emma achieved a Bachelor of Laws with Honours, a Bachelor of Business majoring in Economics from the Queensland University of Technology. In addition to criminal law, Emma has developed a practice in disciplinary law and is a member of the Queensland Law Society Disciplinary Law Committee.

Dr. Adrian McCullagh, Principal, ODMOB Lawyers
Adrian has degrees in Computer Science and Law as well as a Ph.D. in IT Security. He obtained his Ph.D. from the Information Security Research Centre at the Queensland University of Technology. He has been practicing in IT law for more than 30 years being one of the pioneer IT lawyers within Australia. He is a member of the Queensland Law Society and a member of the American Bar Association and participate in the Information Security Forum. In 1999 he was the QUT Faculty of Information Technology Alumnus of the year. Even though in private practice he continues to undertake research matters with academics at the Griffith University and the University of Queensland and has published in a wide variety of academic journals in the USA, UK and Australia. He is a member of the Intellectual Property and Information Technology Committee for the Queensland Law Society. Adrian’s current research interests include Telecoms security, IT security, IT governance, cryptocurrencies, Blockchain and its uses in supply chain management, Decentralised Autonomous Organisations and Identity Management. He is also investigating the impact of autonomous vehicles and machine learning and their policy considerations.


Dan Rogers, Legal Director, Robertson O’Gorman Solicitors
Dan Rogers is the Legal Director of Robertson O'Gorman Solicitors and an accredited specialist in criminal law. Dan regularly presents to other solicitors at Queensland Law Society conferences and seminars on criminal law. He also conducts guest lectures on criminal law at various universities. He has been published in various law journals and has contributed to legal texts on criminal law and human rights. Dan is a Member (former President) of Caxton Community Legal Centre’s Management Committee, QLS Councillor, a member of the ethics committee of the Queensland Law Society and a member of the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council, advising the Attorney-General on sentencing matters. Dan is named variously as a leading and preeminent criminal lawyer in Queensland and Australia by Doyle's Leading Lawyers List. As a solicitor advocate, Dan regularly argues his own cases in the higher courts instead of briefing counsel. Dan also specialises in in white collar and corporate crime, professional discipline matters, inquests and workplace health and safety investigations.

Calvin Gnech, Principal, Gnech and Associates
A leading Queensland law firm specialising in criminal corruption, public service criminal offending, white-collar crime, and professional misconduct defence. With over two decades of experience spanning legal practice and law enforcement, Calvin began his career as a sworn member of the Queensland Police Service in 2000 before moving into prosecution. He has since built a national practice, regularly appearing as a solicitor advocate before courts and tribunals across Australia, including high-profile coronial inquests and public inquiries such as the Northern Territory Coronial Inquest into the death of Kumanjai Walker, the Bondi Junction Inquest, Queensland Flood Inquiry, the Federal Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and the Lehrmann Inquiry. Calvin is highly experienced in matters involving the Crime and Corruption Commission, having appeared in significant investigations like Operation Tesco and Operation Belcarra, and represents a broad range of professionals in corruption, misconduct, and licensing proceedings. In 2024, Calvin was appointed by the Queensland Law Society as one of only four senior ethics counsellors with specialist expertise in criminal law, and he continues to contribute to the profession through government consultation committees, legal writing, professional development presentations, and leadership roles including Chairperson of the Society’s Occupational Disciplinary Law Committee.

Patrick Wilson, Barrister, Halsbury Chambers
Patrick Wilson is an experienced criminal barrister based in Brisbane. Patrick routinely conducts trials, sentences and appeals in the Supreme, District and Magistrates courts throughout Queensland, He is a member of the Legal Aid Queensland panel of barristers. He has a broad criminal practice consisting of defending and prosecuting all manner of charges ranging from serious indictable offences in the superior courts to regulatory prosecutions in the summary jurisdiction. Prior to being called to the Bar, Patrick was a solicitor with substantial experience in litigation dealing with commercial, building and construction, and negligence matters.

Emily O’Hagan, Partner, Wallace O’Hagan Lawyers
Emily O'Hagan graduated with Honours in a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Psychology, from Griffith University, completing elective study in Criminal Law and Forensic Mental Health at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. Following her admission Emily commenced working at Russo Lawyers and specialised in the practice of criminal defence. Emily was recognised as a Senior Associate at Russo Lawyers in 2014 and became a founding partner of Wallace O'Hagan Lawyers in 2015. Emily appears in all criminal law jurisdictions. Emily has extensive trial experience in the full range of traffic and criminal offence, and has represented clients at every level of the criminal justice system, from pleas of guilty before the Magistrates Court to Supreme Court Appeals.