Presenters

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).

Michael Gleeson, Barrister, Black Chambers
From March 2020 to March 2025 Michael had been employed by the Office Director of Public Prosecutions, (ODPP), as a Crown Prosecutor and regularly appeared in the NSW District Court, Supreme Court, and Court of Criminal Appeal during his 5-years with the ODPP. Called to the Bars of both England and Wales and New South Wales and having acquired a wealth of experience as a barrister in both jurisdictions, Michael’s principal areas of practice included criminal law, sports law, regulatory and compliance, as well as inquests and commissions of inquiry. He possesses widespread experience across a broad range of jurisdictions including the District Court of New South Wales, Industrial Relations Commission, Supreme Court of New South Wales, New South Wales Court of Appeal, New South Wales Crime Commission, Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) and ACCC. Following ten successful years in continuous practise as a barrister in well-regarded chambers in the United Kingdom, Michael transferred his highly developed advocacy and advisory skills to Australia. Initially maintaining a mixed practice in common law, Michael later moved into specialising in complex and often high-profile criminal matters. Prior to his appointment as a Crown Prosecutor in 2020, he had developed a well-balanced practice prosecuting for the State and Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, as well as engaging in private and legally aided defence work. Michael’s extensive criminal practice covers the full spectrum of indictable criminal offences, including murder, armed robbery, sexual offences (encompassing historic child sexual abuse matters), fraud and large-scale public disorder. He has been regularly instructed to appear in multi-defendant cases for the prosecution and defence as a junior counsel or led by King’s Counsel/Senior Counsel. In addition to gaining substantial experience as a jury trial advocate, Michael has also appeared before the New South Wales Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) in conviction and sentence appeals. He is also a member of the Serious Indictable Crime Panel and Complex Criminal Law Panel of Legal Aid NSW. Michael has a passion for sport, with such interest extending to his professional work as Counsel. An avid triathlete and runner, he was also appointed the legal director of Triathlon NSW for 8 years. Rumour has it Michael will be running the 2025 Sydney Marathon for charity.