The 2026 listing of leading Australian Criminal Law Senior Counsel details Queens Counsel and Senior Counsel practising in criminal law matters across all Australian legal markets who have been identified by the nation’s criminal lawyers and barristers for their expertise and abilities in the area.
Preeminent
Simon Buchen SC, Forbes Chambers – Sydney
Dermot Dann KC, Holmes List – Melbourne
Tim Game SC, Forbes Chambers – Sydney
Saul Holt KC, 8 Petrie Terrace Chambers – Brisbane
Matthew Johnston SC, Forbes Chambers – Sydney
Philip Strickland SC, Forbes Chambers – Sydney
Murugan Thangaraj SC, Forbes Chambers – Sydney
Leading
Gabrielle Bashir SC, Forbes Chambers – Sydney
Christopher Carr SC, Parnell’s Barristers – Melbourne
Neil Clelland KC, Parnell’s Barristers – Melbourne
Angus Edwards KC, Lucas Chambers – Brisbane
David Edwardson KC, Bar Chambers – Adelaide
David Hallowes SC, Parnell’s Barristers – Melbourne
Jeffrey Hunter KC, Lucas Chambers – Brisbane
Colin Mandy SC, Parnell’s Barristers – Melbourne
Rishi Nathwani KC, Parnell’s Barristers – Melbourne
Ruth O’Gorman KC, Higgins Chambers – Brisbane
Ruth Shann SC, Parnell’s Barristers – Melbourne
Recommended
Angela Cook SC, Forbes Chambers – Sydney
Avni Djemal SC, Forbes Chambers – Sydney
Craig Eberhardt KC, Level 20 Inns of Court – Brisbane
Slade Howell SC, Forbes Chambers – Sydney
Lisa-Claire Hutchinson SC, Forbes Chambers – Sydney
Bret Walker SC, Fifth Floor St James Hall – Sydney
Paul Yovich SC, Francis Burt Chambers – Perth
Previous editions
2024 edition published August 2024
Preeminent
Phillip Boulten SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Dermot Dann KC, Holmes List - Melbourne
Leading
Tim Game SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
David Hallowes SC, Parnell's Barristers - Melbourne
Saul Holt KC, 8 Petrie Terrace Chambers - Brisbane
Jeffrey Hunter KC, Lucas Chambers - Brisbane
Ruth Shann SC, Parnell's Barristers - Melbourne
Philip Strickland SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Bret Walker SC, Fifth Floor St James Hall - Sydney
Recommended
Jane Abbey KC, Len King Chambers - Adelaide
Gabrielle Bashir SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Christopher Carr SC, Parnell's Barristers - Melbourne
Margaret Cunneen SC, State Chambers - Sydney
Philip Dunn KC, Foley's List - Melbourne
David Edwardson KC, Bar Chambers - Adelaide
Scott Henchliffe KC, Edmund Barton Chambers - Adelaide
Ian Hill KC, Greens List - Melbourne
Paul Holdenson KC, Foley's List - Melbourne
Matthew Johnston SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Colin Mandy SC, Parnell's Barristers - Melbourne
Peter Morrissey SC, Meldrum's List- Melbourne
Ruth O'Gorman KC, Higgins Chambewrs - Brisbane
Tom Percy KC, Albert Wolff Chambers - Perth
2023 edition published August 2023
Preeminent
Phillip Boulten SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Dermot Dann KC, Holmes List - Melbourne
Saul Holt KC, 8 Petrie Terrace Chambers - Brisbane
Leading
Tim Game SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
David Hallowes SC, Parnell's Barristers - Melbourne
Peter Morrissey SC, Meldrum's List- Melbourne
Ruth Shann SC, Parnell's Barristers - Melbourne
Philip Strickland SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Bret Walker SC, Fifth Floor St James Hall - Sydney
Recommended
Gabrielle Bashir SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Grant Brady SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Christopher Carr SC, Parnell's Barristers - Melbourne
Margaret Cunneen SC, State Chambers - Sydney
David Edwardson KC, Bar Chambers - Adelaide
Simon Freitag SC, Albert Wolff Chambers - Perth
Ian Hill KC, Greens List - Melbourne
Paul Holdenson KC, Foley's List - Melbourne
Jeffrey Hunter KC, Lucas Chambers - Brisbane
Matthew Johnston SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Colin Mandy SC, Parnell's Barristers - Melbourne
Ruth O'Gorman KC, Higgins Chambewrs - Brisbane
Tom Percy KC, Albert Wolff Chambers - Perth
Marie Shaw KC, Frank Moran Chambers - Adelaide
2022 edition published September 2022
Preeminent
Phillip Boulten SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Dermot Dann KC, Holmes List - Melbourne
Saul Holt KC, 8 Petrie Terrace Chambers - Brisbane
Leading
Tim Game SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
David Hallowes SC, Parnell's Barristers - Melbourne
Ian Hill KC, Greens List - Melbourne
Jeffrey Hunter KC, Lucas Chambers - Brisbane
Robert Richter KC, Meldrum's List - Melbourne
Peter Morrissey SC, Meldrum's List- Melbourne
Philip Strickland SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Bret Walker SC, Fifth Floor St James Hall - Sydney
Recommended
Gabrielle Bashir SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Christopher Carr SC, Parnell's Barristers - Melbourne
Philip Dunn KC, Foley's List - Melbourne
David Edwardson KC, Bar Chambers - Adelaide
Simon Freitag SC, Albert Wolff Chambers - Perth
Paul Holdenson KC, Foley's List - Melbourne
Matthew Johnston SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Ruth O'Gorman KC, Higgins Chambewrs - Brisbane
Tom Percy KC, Albert Wolff Chambers - Perth
Ruth Shann SC, Parnell's Barristers - Melbourne
Marie Shaw KC, Frank Moran Chambers - Adelaide
Murugan Thangaraj SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
2021 edition published August 2021
Preeminent
Phillip Boulten SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Dermot Dann QC, Holmes List - Melbourne
Saul Holt QC, 8 Petrie Terrace Chambers - Brisbane
Peter Morrissey SC, Meldrum & Hyland List - Melbourne
Leading
Hament Dhanji SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Philip Dunn QC, Foley's List - Melbourne
Tim Game SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Jeffrey Hunter QC, Lucas Chambers - Brisbane
Robert Richter QC, Meldrum & Hyland List - Melbourne
Bret Walker SC, Fifth Floor St James Hall - Sydney
Recommended
Gabrielle Bashir SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Grant Brady SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Christopher Carr SC, Parnell's Barristers - Melbourne
David Edwardson QC, Bar Chambers - Adelaide
Simon Freitag SC, Albert Wolff Chambers - Perth
Justin Greggery QC, 31 Sturt Chambers - Townsville
David Hallowes SC, Parnell's Barristers - Melbourne
Ian Hill QC, Greens List - Melbourne
Paul Holdenson QC, Foley's List - Melbourne
Matthew Johnston SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Tom Percy QC, Albert Wolff Chambers - Perth
Marie Shaw QC,Frank Moran Chambers - Adelaide
Philip Strickland SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
2020 edition published September 2020
Preeminent
Philip Boulten SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Saul Holt QC, 8 Petrie Terrace Chambers - Brisbane
Robert Richter QC, Meldrum & Hyland List - Melbourne
Bret Walker SC, Fifth Floor St James Hall - Sydney
Leading
Grant Brady SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Dermot Dann QC, Holmes List - Melbourne
Hament Dhanji SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Tim Game SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Ian Hill QC, Greens List - Melbourne
Jeffrey Hunter QC, Lucas Chambers - Brisbane
Matthew Johnston SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Peter Morrissey SC, Meldrum & Hyland List - Melbourne
Recommended
Gabrielle Bashir SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Simon Buchen SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Philip Dunn QC, Foley's List - Melbourne
David Edwardson QC, Bar Chambers - Adelaide
David Hallowes SC, Foley's List - Melbourne
Paul Holdenson QC, Foley's List - Melbourne
Tom Percy QC, Albert Wolff Chambers - Perth
Marie Shaw QC,Frank Moran Chambers - Adelaide
Philip Strickland SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
2019 edition published September 2019
Preeminent
Philip Boulten SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Tim Game SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Saul Holt QC, 8 Petrie Terrace Chambers - Brisbane
Peter Morrissey SC, Meldrum & Hyland List - Melbourne
Robert Richter QC, Meldrum & Hyland List - Melbourne
Leading
Gabrielle Bashir SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Peter Callaghan SC, 8 Petrie Terrace Chambers - Brisbane
Hament Dhanji SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Philip Dunn QC, Foley's List - Melbourne
David Edwardson QC, Bar Chambers - Adelaide<
Ian Hill QC, Greens List - Melbourne
Paul Holdenson QC, Foley's List - Melbourne
Jeffrey Hunter QC, Lucas Chambers - Brisbane
Philip Strickland SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Bret Walker SC, Fifth Floor St James Hall - Sydney
Recommended
Grant Brady SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Simon Buchen SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Neil Clelland QC, Meldrum & Hyland List - Melbourne
Dermot Dann QC, Holmes List - Melbourne
Tony Glynn QC, Fullagar Chambers - Brisbane
David Hallowes SC, Foley's List - Melbourne
Matthew Johnston SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Colin Mandy SC, Foley's List - Melbourne
Tom Percy QC, Albert Wolff Chambers - Perth
Marie Shaw QC,Frank Moran Chambers - Adelaide
2018 edition published August 2018
Preeminent
Philip Boulten SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Tim Game SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Ian Hill QC, Greens List - Melbourne
Peter Morrissey SC, Meldrum & Hyland List - Melbourne
Robert Richter QC, Meldrum & Hyland List - Melbourne
Leading
Gabrielle Bashir SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Hament Dhanji SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Philip Dunn QC, Foley's List - Melbourne
David Edwardson QC, Bar Chambers - Adelaide
Saul Holt QC, 8 Petrie Terrace Chambers - Brisbane
Jeffrey Hunter QC, Lucas Chambers - Brisbane
Graham Turnbull SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Matthew Johnston SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Recommended
Grant Brady SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Peter Callaghan SC, 8 Petrie Terrace Chambers - Brisbane
George Georgiou SC, Foley's List - Melbourne
Tony Glynn QC, Fullagar Chambers - Brisbane
David Hallowes SC, Foley's List - Melbourne
Marie Shaw QC, Frank Moran Chambers - Adelaide
Philip Strickland SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Sam Vandongen SC, Francis Burt Chambers - Perth
Bret Walker SC, Fifth Floor St James Hall - Sydney
2017 edition published August 2017
Preeminent
Philip Boulten SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Tim Game SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Tim Gartelman SC, Samuel Griffith Chambers - Sydney
Ian Hill QC, Greens List - Melbourne
Peter Morrissey SC, Meldrum & Hyland List - Melbourne
Robert Richter QC, Meldrum & Hyland List - Melbourne
Leading
Peter Davis QC, Murray Gleeson Chambers - Brisbane
Hament Dhanji SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Philip Dunn QC, Foley's List - Melbourne
David Edwardson QC, Bar Chambers - Adelaide
Saul Holt QC, 8 Petrie Terrace Chambers - Brisbane
Jeffrey Hunter QC, Lucas Chambers - Brisbane
Graham Turnbull SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Matthew Johnston SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Michael O'Connell SC, Meldrum & Hyland List - Melbourne
Winston Terracini SC, Sir Owen Dixon Chambers - Sydney
Recommended
Gabrielle Bashir SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Grant Brady SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Peter Callaghan SC, 8 Petrie Terrace Chambers - Brisbane
Mandy Fox QC, Dever's List - Melbourne
Tony Glynn QC, Fullagar Chambers - Brisbane
Con Heliotis QC, Foley's List - Melbourne
Soraya Ryan QC, 8 Petrie Terrace Chambers - Brisbane
Marie Shaw QC, Frank Moran Chambers - Adelaide
Philip Strickland SC, Forbes Chambers - Sydney
Sam Vandongen SC, Francis Burt Chambers - Perth