The 2026 listing of leading New South Wales Criminal Law Senior Counsel details Kings Counsel and Senior Counsel practising in criminal law matters in the NSW legal market who have been identified by the states Criminal law solicitors for their expertise and abilities in the area.
Preeminent
Simon Buchen SC, Forbes Chambers
Tim Game SC, Forbes Chambers
Matthew Johnston SC, Forbes Chambers
Phillip Strickland SC, Forbes Chambers
Murugan Thangaraj SC, Forbes Chambers
Leading
Gabrielle Bashir SC, Forbes Chambers
Paul Coady SC, Maurice Byers Chambers
Angela Cook SC, Forbes Chambers
Avni Djemal SC, Forbes Chambers
Troy Edwards SC, Forbes Chambers
Ragni Mathur SC, Maurice Byers Chambers
Bret Walker SC, Fifth Floor St James Hall
Recommended
Madeleine Avenell SC, Public Defenders Chambers
Margaret Cunneen SC, State Chambers
David Dalton SC, Maurice Byers Chambers
Peggy Dwyer SC, Forbes Chambers
Kirsten Edwards SC, Forbes Chambers
Lester Fernandez SC, Forbes Chambers
Sean Flood SC, Black Chambers
Sharyn Hall SC, Samuel Griffith Chambers
Greg James KC, Eleventh Floor Garfield Barwick Chambers
Dean Jordan SC, Forbes Chambers
Peter Lange SC, Maurice Byers Chambers
Bill Neild SC, Forbes Chambers
Stephen Odgers SC, Forbes Chambers
Sam Pararajasingham SC, Forbes Chambers
Richard Pontello SC, Sir Owen Dixon Chambers
Tom Quilter SC, Public Defenders Chambers
Julia Roy SC, Sixth Floor Selborne/Wentworth Chambers
Previous editions
2025 edition published June 2025
Market Leader
Phillip Boulten SC, Forbes Chambers
Preeminent
Tim Game SC, Forbes Chambers
Philip Strickland SC, Forbes Chambers
Leading
Gabrielle Bashir SC, Forbes Chambers
Simon Buchen SC, Forbes Chambers
Matthew Johnston SC, Forbes Chambers
Murugan Thangaraj SC, Forbes Chambers
Bret Walker SC, Fifth Floor St James Hall
Recommended
Paul Coady SC, Public Defenders Chambers
Angela Cook SC, Forbes Chambers
Margaret Cunneen SC State Chambers
David Dalton SC, Maurice Byters Chambers
Avni Djemal SC, Forbes Chambers
Peggy Dwyer SC, Forbes Chambers
Troy Edwards SC, Forbes Chambers
Sharyn Hall SC, Samuel Griffith Chambers
Ragni Mathur SC, Maurice Byers Chambers
2024 edition published July 2024
Market Leader
Phillip Boulten SC, Forbes Chambers
Preeminent
Tim Game SC, Forbes Chambers
Philip Strickland SC, Forbes Chambers
Bret Walker SC, Fifth Floor St James Hall
Leading
Gabrielle Bashir SC, Forbes Chambers
Matthew Johnston SC, Forbes Chambers
Belinda Rigg SC, Public Defenders Chambers
Recommended
Simon Buchen SC, Forbes Chambers
Angela Cook SC, Forbes Chambers
Margaret Cunneen SC, State Chambers
Avni Djemal SC, Forbes Chambers
Peggy Dwyer SC, Forbes Chambers
Troy Edwards SC, Forbes Chambers
Ragni Mathur SC, Maurice Byers Chambers
Stephen Odgers SC, Forbes Chambers
Murugan Thangaraj SC, Forbes Chambers
2023 edition published June 2023
Market Leader
Phillip Boulten SC, Forbes Chambers
Preeminent
Tim Game SC, Forbes Chambers
Philip Strickland SC, Forbes Chambers
Bret Walker SC, Fifth Floor St James Hall
Leading
Gabrielle Bashir SC, Forbes Chambers
Grant Brady SC, Forbes Chambers
Matthew Johnston SC, Forbes Chambers
Recommended
Troy Anderson SC, Public Defenders Chambers
Simon Buchen SC, Forbes Chambers
Margaret Cunneen SC, State Chambers
Troy Edwards SC, Forbes Chambers
Dean Jordan SC, Forbes Chambers
Ragni Mathur SC, Maurice Byers Chambers
Stephen Odgers SC, Forbes Chambers
Richard Pontello SC, Sir Owen Dixon Chambers
Belinda Rigg SC, Public Defenders Chambers
John Stratton SC, Sir Owen Dixon Chambers
Murugan Thangaraj SC, Forbes Chambers
2022 edition published August 2022
Market Leader
Phillip Boulten SC, Forbes Chambers
Preeminent
Tim Game SC, Forbes Chambers
Bret Walker SC, Fifth Floor St James Hall
Leading
Gabrielle Bashir SC, Forbes Chambers
Matthew Johnston SC, Forbes Chambers
Philip Strickland SC, Forbes Chambers
Recommended
Grant Brady SC, Forbes Chambers
Simon Buchen SC, Forbes Chambers
Margaret Cunneen SC, State Chambers
Stephen Odgers SC, Forbes Chambers
Richard Pontello SC, Sir Owen Dixon Chambers
Belinda Rigg SC, Public Defenders Chambers
Murugan Thangaraj SC, Forbes Chambers
2021 edition published August 2021
Market Leader
Phillip Boulten SC, Forbes Chambers
Preeminent
Hament Dhanji SC, Forbes Chambers
Tim Game SC, Forbes Chambers
Bret Walker SC, Fifth Floor St James Hall
Leading
Gabrielle Bashir SC, Forbes Chambers
Grant Brady SC, Forbes Chambers
Matthew Johnston SC, Forbes Chambers
Philip Strickland SC, Forbes Chambers
Murugan Thangaraj SC, Forbes Chambers
Recommended
Simon Buchen SC, Forbes Chambers
Margaret Cunneen SC, State Chambers
David Dalton SC, Maurice Byers Chambers
Stephen Odgers SC, Forbes Chambers
Ertunc Ozen SC, Maurice Byers Chambers
Belinda Rigg SC, Public Defenders Chambers
John Stratton SC, Sir Owen Dixon Chambers
Winston Terracini SC, Sir Owen Dixon Chamber
2020 edition published August 2020
Preeminent
Phillip Boulten SC, Forbes Chambers
Bret Walker SC, Fifth Floor St James Hall
Leading
Grant Brady SC, Forbes Chambers
Hament Dhanji SC, Forbes Chambers
Tim Game SC, Forbes Chambers
Matthew Johnston SC, Forbes Chambers
Recommended
Gabrielle Bashir SC, Forbes Chambers
Simon Buchen SC, Forbes Chambers
Gregory James QC, 11th Floor Garfield Barwick Chambers
Stephen Odgers SC, Forbes Chambers
Belinda Rigg SC, Public Defenders Chambers
John Stratton SC, Sir Owen Dixon Chambers
Philip Strickland SC, Forbes Chambers
Winston Terracini SC, Sir Owen Dixon Chambers
Murugan Thangaraj SC, Forbes Chambers
2019 edition published August 2019
Preeminent
Phillip Boulten SC, Forbes Chambers
Hament Dhanji SC, Forbes Chambers
Tim Game SC, Forbes Chambers
Leading
Gabrielle Bashir SC, Forbes Chambers
Grant Brady SC, Forbes Chambers
Simon Buchen SC, Forbes Chambers
Matthew Johnston SC, Forbes Chambers
Stephen Odgers SC, Forbes Chambers
Philip Strickland SC, Forbes Chambers
Murugan Thangaraj SC, Forbes Chambers
Bret Walker SC, Fifth Floor St James Hall
Recommended
Anthony Bellanto QC, Trust Chambers
David Dalton SC, Maurice Byers Chambers
Mark Dennis SC, Forbes Chambers
Gregory James QC, 11th Floor Garfield Barwick Chambers
Dean Jordan SC, Forbes Chambers
Ian Lloyd QC, Trust Chambers
Ertunc Ozen SC, Public Defenders Chambers
Malcolm Ramage QC, Forbes Chambers
Belinda Rigg SC, Public Defenders Chambers
Craig Smith SC, Forbes Chambers
John Stratton SC, Sir Owen Dixon Chambers
Winston Terracini SC, Sir Owen Dixon Chambers
2018 edition published August 2018
Preeminent
Philip Boulten SC, Forbes Chambers
Hament Dhanji SC, Forbes Chambers
Tim Game SC, Forbes Chambers
Graham Turnbull SC, Forbes Chambers
Leading
Gabrielle Bashir SC, Forbes Chambers
Grant Brady SC, Forbes Chambers
Matthew Johnston SC, Forbes Chambers
Philip Strickland SC, Forbes Chambers
Bret Walker SC, Fifth Floor St James Hall
Recommended
David Dalton SC, Maurice Byers Chambers
Dean Jordan SC, Forbes Chambers
Ian Lloyd QC, Trust Chambers
Stephen Odgers SC, Forbes Chambers
Malcolm Ramage QC, Forbes Chambers
Belinda Rigg SC, Public Defenders Chambers
Mark Robinson SC, Maurice Byers Chambers
Kara Shead SC, Directors Chambers
John Stratton SC, Sir Owen Dixon Chambers
Winston Terracini SC, Sir Owen Dixon Chambers
Murugan Thangaraj SC, Forbes Chambers
2017 edition published August 2017
Preeminent
Philip Boulten SC, Forbes Chambers
Hament Dhanji SC, Forbes Chambers
Tim Game SC, Forbes Chambers
Tim Gartelman SC, Samuel Griffith Chambers
Graham Turnbull SC, Forbes Chambers
Leading
Gabrielle Bashir SC, Forbes Chambers
Grant Brady SC, Forbes Chambers
Matthew Johnston SC, Forbes Chambers
Philip Strickland SC, Forbes Chambers
Winston Terracini SC, Sir Owen Dixon Chambers
Recommended
Anthony Bellanto QC, Samuel Griffith Chambers
David Dalton SC, Maurice Byers Chambers
Greg James QC, Eleventh Floor Garfield Barwick Chambers
Dean Jordan SC, Forbes Chambers
Ian Lloyd QC, Trust Chambers
Stephen Odgers SC, Forbes Chambers
Malcolm Ramage QC, Forbes Chambers
Craig Smith SC, Public Defenders Chambers
John Stratton SC, Sir Owen Dixon Chambers
Murugan Thangaraj SC, Forbes Chambers
Bret Walker SC, Fifth Floor St James Hall