There has been a great deal of legislative change in Queensland in criminal law and we bring it all to you. Consider the most significant cases and legislative change across domestic violence, coercive control, consent, mental health defences, and sentencing over the past year. Gain practical tips and strategies for trial advocacy, dealing with jury challenges, refining trial techniques, and managing contested orders and breaches. Plus lock down your core area CPD points. 243Q22

Presenters

Ms Kristy Bell, Director,
Kristy Bell is director at Bell Criminal Lawyers. Kristy is one of a handful of Accredited Criminal Law Specialists in Queensland. She is a member of the Queensland Law Society’s Criminal Law and Specialist Accreditation Committees and has been recognised as one of Queensland’s recommended leading Criminal Defence Lawyers in Doyle’s Guide. Kristy works on all kinds of criminal and quasi-criminal matters including investigative hearings, commissions, coronial inquests, parole applications and criminal confiscations matters.


Mr. Alex Nelson, Barrister-at-Law, Gibbs Chambers
Alex Nelson was first admitted to practice as a lawyer in New South Wales in 1998. He was enrolled as a Solicitor in Queensland in 1999 and called to the Bar in March 2010. Alex’s first role as an Army Lawyer where he got the opportunity to prosecute and defend courts martial. After resigning his full time commission, he continued as an Army Reserve Legal Officer for several years while he worked as a solicitor in commercial law before establishing his own law firm in Townsville where he, and several employed solicitors undertook family law, criminal law and commercial litigation. After 8 years he was called to the bar, commencing practice in Brisbane in 2010. The highlight of Alex’s work in criminal law has been acquittal for both murder and manslaughter. He has had more acquittals in sex crime and serious assaults than he cares to count and has enjoyed some great successes in the Court of Appeal. His work in criminal law jury trials enhances his other major area of practice which is defamation law where the right to a jury is maintained.


Cameron Browne, 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.


Simon Lewis, Barrister, Sunshine Coast Chambers
Simon was admitted as a Solicitor in 1991 and called to the Bar in 1994. Since that time I have developed a solely Criminal Practice appearing in all Queensland jurisdictions. I have regularly prosecuted for both the State and Commonwealth and I am briefed in complex criminal matters particularly homicides and drug matters by both Legal Aid Queensland’s serious crime teams and private practitioners.


Ms. Brittany White, Principal,
Brittany is the Legal Practitioner Director of Fuller & White Solicitors, a firm of solicitors based in Brisbane City and Cleveland practising in the areas of criminal law, traffic law, domestic violence and child protection matters. Brittany has worked as a legal practitioner in criminal law and related areas for sixteen years, firstly undertaking criminal prosecutions work with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions and the Queensland State Government before moving to private criminal defence in 2012. She co-founded Fuller & White Solicitors in August 2016. Brittany is a member of the Queensland Law Society Criminal Law Committee and the Legal Aid Industry Reference Group. She also co-chairs the LGBTQIA+ criminal justice working group and the is a member of the Mental Health Advocacy Working Group through the Queensland Law Society.


Mr. Chris Lumme, Principal Lawyer,
Chris is a criminal defence lawyer on the Sunshine Coast and one of the founding Principal Lawyers of Lumme Rynderman Legal. He has practised primarily in the criminal law sphere since his admission as a legal practitioner in 2014. During this time he has worked on complex cases from appeals, defending murder prosecutions, high level drug trafficking operations to privately run prosecutions on behalf of the RSPCA (Qld). As a specialist defence solicitor, Chris brings to the firm a wealth of legal knowledge and an eagerness to fight for his client. He takes a special interest in appeals and mental health issues. Chris Lumme, has also been included on the list of individual criminal solicitors (only one of two based on the Sunshine Coast) as one 2022's best criminal lawyers in Queensland. Chris has also taken a keen interest in animal law issues - particularly prosecutions for animal cruelty offences and Regulated Dog notices (whether dangerous dog or menacing dog) issued by Local Councils. All animals should be treated with compassion and Chris has built a reputation for pushing back against restrictive Local Council decisions that seek to infringe upon an animal owners rights. He understands that your pet is an equal member of your family.


Ms. 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.


Kylie Hillard, Barrister, Griffith Chambers
Kylie has been working in the legal profession since 2002 and has been a barrister since 2009. She works in a variety of areas including criminal law, defence and prosecution, and has a strong interest in human rights and domestic violence advocacy. She has recently been involved in the Commission of Inquiry into Police Responses to Domestic and Family Violence where she represented Women's Legal Service Queensland, and she has also recently appeared for Sue and Lloyd Clarke at the inquest into the death of their daughter Hannah Clarke and her three children. Kylie is currently a member of the Equal Opportunity Subcommittee of the Bar Association of Queensland and the Australian Bar Association.


Calvin Gnech, Legal Practice Director, Gnech and Associates
Calvin is the Legal Practice Director of Gnech & Associates. He gained his early legal experience in the criminal justice system serving the community as a sworn Queensland police officer and police prosecutor before moving to private practice. Calvin has extensive experience in the area of criminal law and is regularly recognised as one of Queensland’s recommended leading Criminal Defence Lawyers in Doyle’s Guide. He is highly experienced in dealing with the internal disciplinary investigations across many professions including lawyers, the medical profession, corrective service officers, teachers and police officers. Calvin regularly represents clients in Crime and Corruption Commission investigations, Royal Commissions and Inquiries most recently appearing in the Inquiry into the Criminal Justice System in the Australian Capital Territory (R v Lehrmann). Calvin has in the past been an appointed committee member on the QLS Industrial Law Committee. Calvin currently sits on the QLS Ethics Committee and is the Chairperson of the QLS's Occupational Disciplinary Law Committee.


Mr. 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.