Criminal law doesn't wait, and neither can you. Landmark appellate decisions, sweeping reform and rising practice demands are reshaping every stage of a matter. Join some of New South Wales' most experienced barristers, accredited specialists and recognised criminal law specialists for a power-packed day of practical insight. Get ahead of the latest appellate decisions, gain guidance on Commonwealth crime, sentencing and parole, and sharpen your trial preparation for sexual offence matters. Strengthen your trial preparation, navigate your ethical obligations with confidence and learn how to run a smarter, lower-risk practice. Earn CPD across substantive law, ethics, professional skills and practice management, and return to the office and court with strategies you can use immediately.

Presenters

Peter O'Brien, Principal Solicitor and Founder, O’Brien Criminal and Civil Solicitors
Peter is the Principal Solicitor and founder of O’Brien Criminal & Civil Solicitors. With more than 25 years of experience across Australian jurisdictions, he practises in criminal defence and civil litigation, with particular expertise in intentional tort claims involving unlawful imprisonment, malicious prosecution, assault and battery. He has appeared in courts at all levels and in major Royal Commissions. Peter is co-author of Intentional Tort Litigation in Australia, published by Federation Press. His honours include Children’s Lawyer of the Year for the Northern Territory in 2001, the Australian Human Rights Commission Law Award in 2016, the Law Society of NSW President’s Medal in 2023, the UTS Law Faculty Alumni Award and UTS Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in 2024, and the Law Council of Australia President’s Award in 2024. He and his firm also received the Law Society of NSW Pro Bono Service Award in 2024. Peter regularly contributes to public legal discussion, including appearances on ABC Four Corners, 60 Minutes, SBS Insight, ABC News, Channel 7 News and SBS.

Sam Macedone, Principal and Accredited Specialist Criminal Law, Macedone Legal
Sam Macedone is the Principal of Macedone Legal and an Accredited Specialist in Criminal Law. With 50 years experience across all aspects of law, he has established a reputation as a legal expert. Sam appears frequently as a legal commentator on TV and radio stations. Sam’s main professional focus is criminal advocacy work. During an extensive career, he has been involved in a number of high profile cases, more recently, the case of Curtis Scott, NSW NRL player, who was unlawfully detained by NSW Police. Sam has had the conduct of matters in the Local Court, District Court, Supreme Court, the Court of Criminal Appeal and the High Court of Australia. Sam has been nominated for the Law and Justice Foundation’s Pro Bono Partnership Award on three occasions in recognition of his work with/contribution to Enough is Enough. Sam was awarded the prestigious 2013 NSW Law Society President’s Medal. The medal is awarded annually by the Law Society of NSW to one of its members in recognition of that member’s significant personal and professional contributions to the betterment of law and justice in the community. It is an award that he is profoundly proud of. Sam is a past president and current life member of the St George Sutherland Regional Law Society.

Caitlin Akthar, Barrister, Forbes Chambers
Caitlin is a barrister at Forbes Chambers and host of the 5 Cases podcast. Caitlin practices principally in criminal, appellate, administrative and public law, across NSW and interstate. Prior to being called to the bar, Caitlin practiced as a solicitor in the Criminal Law Division of Legal Aid NSW, including as the Solicitor in Charge of the Appeals Unit. As a solicitor, Caitlin was a member of the Criminal Law and Children’s Issues committees of the Law Society of NSW.

Arjun Chhabra, Barrister, Maurice Byers Chambers
Arjun specialises in appellate and judicial review matters. He has appeared in the High Court of Australia and regularly appears in State and Federal appellate courts. He practices in criminal law, public/administrative law, and family law. Arjun focuses on issues of statutory construction, the limits of judicial and public power, and the admissibility of evidence. He has authored several papers as well as the seminal evidence law text, Exclusionary Provisions in the Uniform Evidence Law, published by Thomson Reuters. Prior to joining the Bar, Arjun worked at various criminal law firms and commercial law firms in Australia, China, and the Middle East, including Baker & McKenzie, Clyde & Co, Blake Dawson Waldron (now Ashurst) and the Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT).

Michal Mantaj, 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.

John Sutton, Director, John Sutton Law
John is the Principal of John Sutton Law. He is a Law Society of NSW Accredited Specialist in criminal law, the only one in Orange and one of three on the Central West. Prior to setting up John Sutton Law, John was one of the Directors of J Sutton Associates based in Sydney, and before that the national practice director of a major law firm and the national executive director of criminal law with staff in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, and, for a period, in Perth. John commenced his legal work as a police officer for the Metropolitan Police Force in London. In 1992, he joined the NSW Police Force and spent many years as a police prosecutor. He commenced private practice, mainly in criminal law, in 1999. In 2005, John worked in the Victorian Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, prosecuting corrupt Victoria Police Drug Squad officers, in what was known as the Underbelly Drug Wars. John has now moved to the Central West of NSW with a practice based in Orange and surrounds. Over his legal career, John has advised thousands of clients on criminal and criminal related matters.

Dev Bhutani, Barrister, Maurice Byers Chambers
Dev practises in criminal law, in both trials and appeals. He is regularly instructed in serious matters including homicide, large-scale drug importation, terrorism, serious violence, sexual offences, significant fraud, corporate crime, and regulatory and environmental prosecutions. Dev’s speciality is trial work. He is often briefed early for his tactical judgment, particularly in pre-trial negotiation, and is known for his ability to synthesise and present a case. His advice is regularly sought in matters involving complex evidentiary issues, large documentary briefs or intricate directions of law. He has appeared in significant appellate matters, including cases concerning the mental element of terrorism offences and the powers of the District Court on appeal. Dev has developed a specialist practice in the consequential orders that follow criminal convictions, including parole, high-risk offender orders, asset confiscation, coercive hearings, disciplinary proceedings, migration, working with children checks and firearms licences. He appears as sole counsel or led by Senior Counsel. Dev is listed in Doyle’s Guide 2026 as a Leading Criminal Law Junior Counsel in New South Wales and as a Recommended Criminal Law Junior Counsel in Australia. Dev has been a member of the NSW Bar Association’s Criminal Law Committee since 2021 and sits on a Professional Conduct Committee. He is a trainer with the Australian Advocacy Institute and mentors through the Law Society’s and Diverse Women in Law’s mentoring programs.

Kayla Nielsen, Associate Director, Criminal Law Team Leader, Conditsis Lawyers
A skilled and determined criminal defence lawyer, Kayla appears regularly in the Local Court and District Court representing clients across a broad range of criminal matters. As the Newcastle Criminal Law Team Leader, Kayla oversees and supervises the practice of other lawyers while maintaining a strong and active advocacy practice of her own. Kayla’s experience spans domestic violence matters, driving and traffic offences, and a wide range of indictable and summary offences. In addition to her Local Court advocacy, Kayla works closely with the firm’s two trial advocates, briefing and instructing them in District Court trials and sentence proceedings. Kayla understands that careful and considered preparation is critical to achieving the best possible outcome. She takes the time to listen to her clients, to understand their background and personal circumstances. Kayla’s accomplishments received recognition when she was named a finalist in the 2024 and 2025 Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 Awards (Criminal Law).

David Carroll, Barrister, Maurice Byers Chambers
David has practiced in Criminal Law since 1994 and has a particular expertise as a trial and appellate advocate. He has appeared in the High Court, NSW Court of Appeal and Court of Criminal Appeal and the Supreme Courts of NSW, ACT and Victoria. Since coming to the Bar in 2002, David has appeared at all levels of the criminal justice system including regularly appearing before commissions of inquiry including; ICAC, PIC, NSW Crime Commission, Australian Crime Commission and the Coroner’s Court.