“A practical guide to sentences in the Local Court” - a podcast which does exactly what the title says! This excellent informative conversation style podcast is between Robyn and Anna which unpacks what to do to prepare for a plea in mitigation in the Local Court. NOTE: There are several complimentary materials which it is highly recommended that you read before or whilst listening to this podcast. Here is the link Robyn and Anna have combined extensive experience in practising in solely in...

This Podcast is all about CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT PILOT MATTERS: Practice, protocols, procedures and points of difference to other trial matters. This podcast covers all the practical information you need about these matters. Helen Shaw is a senior solicitor in Team 2 of the Criminal Indictable Section in head office at Legal Aid. Helen was admitted as a solicitor in 1998 and has practised predominantly in the area of criminal indictable matters in both private practice and at Legal Aid. Helen...

In this podcast, solicitors Tim Khoo and Diane Elston discuss the Child Protection Register, Child Protection Prohibition Orders and some of the findings of the LECC review, ‘Operation Tusket’ into the NSW Child Protection Register (CPR). Apart from a general overview of the legislative framework they discuss: Why it is important for all practitioners to have a baseline knowledge of the CPR How a person becomes a registrable person, and circumstances where practitioners can seek to avoid the...

Did you know? Understanding mandatory visa cancellations This podcast will give you an understanding of mandatory visa cancellations under the Migration Act and how these powers can impact your clients.   Presented by Duy Pham and Stephanie Blaker, migration lawyers in the Government Law team at Legal Aid Sydney. This podcast explains what happens to visa holders post-sentencing, focusing on the mandatory cancellation provisions in s501(3A) of the Migration Act, and what to keep in mind when...

This podcast aims to assist you in accurately identifying victims of domestic and family violence when they are listed as defendants on ADVOs, and what you can do for them once you have identified that they are a client that requires ongoing assistance from Legal Aid. Discussion topics include Legal Aid’s current policy and guidelines about grants in ADVO proceedings, the legislative definitions of family and domestic violence across both state and commonwealth legislation, and useful tips...

In this podcast, solicitors Caitlin Akthar and Ruth Carty discuss laws relating to sex offences. As well as an overview of common offences, they discuss reforms to the law including: the application of the law of consent to a broader range of offences – s61HE of the Crimes Act; the introduction of a defence of similar age – section 80AG of the Crimes Act; the discretion to declare a young offender is not to be included on the Child Protection Register (CPR) - 3C of the Child Protection...

This is the first podcast in our Criminal Law Division series of podcasts titled "Did you know?" which will cover exciting new developments relevant to criminal lawyers. As part of emergency legislation introduced to respond to COVID-19, the NSW parliament introduced new laws allowing for pre-recorded evidence hearings for a range of witnesses. These hearings have significant implications for the way a criminal trial might unfold. This podcast is a conversation between Caitlin Akthar and...

This podcast is part two of a two-part podcast series which covers a discussion about what psychologists and specifically what neuropsychologists do and their specialisation. It is a conversation between Will Tuckey, barrister and Dr Peter Ashkar, forensic psychologist and a clinical neuropsychologist, about when to engage psychologists, neuropsychologists and psychiatrists and the differences between them and whether they consider the same disorders in the context of criminal...

This podcast is part one of a two-part podcast series which covers a discussion about what psychologists and specifically what neuropsychologists do and their specialisation. It is a conversation between Will Tuckey, barrister and Peter Ashkar, forensic psychologist and a clinical neuropsychologist, about when to engage psychologists, neuropsychologists and psychiatrists and the differences between them and whether they consider the same disorders in the context of criminal behaviour. Peter...

Have you wondered how to best sort and arrange a brief of evidence in the most effective way to brief Counsel?….if so THIS PODCAST IS FOR YOU! You will hear an exchange of ideas and tips from Peter Pearsall Public Defender and Sophie Coulson, Legal Aid Indictable Solicitor. They discuss excellent suggestions for how to compose effective memos, to analyse evidence and how to best instruct Counsel in serious criminal matters. NOTE: During the Podcast reference is made to a paper by author...

In this episode, Gráinne Marsden, Legal Aid solicitor, and Dr Sally McSwiggan, Consultant Neuropsychologist, discuss Section 32 of the Mental Health (Forensic Provisions) Act 1990 with a particular focus cognitive impairment and intellectual disability.  The episode broadly looks at issues including the expert, the client, best practice in briefing experts, how to get your application over the line, and what to do if your client is found ineligible.

This episode is the recording of an in-house seminar given by Professor Elizabeth Elliot AM FAHMS on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and the Law. Professor Elliott is a Distinguished Professor in Paediatrics and Child Health in Sydney University Medical School; Consultant Paediatrician, Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network (Westmead); a National Health and Medical Council of Australia (NHMRC) Practitioner Fellow; and Fellow of the Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. In this seminar,...

In this episode Legal Aid Solicitor Kate Bleasel interviews Felicity Graham, Barrister at Black Chambers, about prosecution disclosure and non-disclosure in criminal matters. The associated papers are also available on this channel.

This paper, written by Barrister's Felicity Graham and Stephen Lawrence, discusses the following in relation to disclosure obligations in criminal maters: 1. Common law principles governing disclosure in criminal matters. 2. Legislation provisions and their different effects. 3. Various sources of policy, practice and procedure that operate in addition to common law and statute which also work to ensure appropriate disclosure occurs. 5. Various mechanisms available to accused persons to...

In this paper, solicitor Emma Bayley reviews the nature and scope of the disclosure obligations of the prosecution, for a better understanding by both prosecutors and defence.