Peter Katsoolis
Criminal Lawyer

I was first admitted to practice in 2001 having graduated with the equivalent of first class honours at UNSW. While at law school I won the Law Book Company Prize for Criminal Laws and the Minter Ellison Prize for Trial Process making it clear what my future professional career was going to be. Before being admitted, I appeared as a law clerk in most criminal jurisdictions up to the NSW CCA. I lectured at UNSW Law School in the areas of evidence, litigation, and criminal procedure and worked for Stephen Odgers SC on an early edition of Uniform Evidence Law. I was also the foundational editor of the Australian Journal of Human Rights. Since being admitted I have been published on human rights and sexual assault law, and presented CLE papers on practice and procedure at the NSW and Australian Crime Commissions.

 

Since 2004, I have been in continuous practice as the principal of Katsoolis + Co. Solicitors + Attorneys, a Sydney-based law firm specialising in high level criminal defence. For over twenty years when you engage me you get me and my experience and expertise from the beginning of your case to the end. I have successfully defended every type of crime in the criminal calendar at all court levels including the High Court of Australia and have featured in numerous best criminal lawyer lists in the news media. The firm prides itself on not just following precedent but making it. I hit the ground running with a succession of successfully defended high profile criminal matters particularly murder and large scale drug supply and have made my name as a serious crime specialist ever since. In 2021 and 2022, I was a finalist in the Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards in the Sole Practitioner category, the only criminal lawyer to have done so.

 

I have run matters in just about every court in New South Wales from Bega to Broken Hill. I have also successfully defended criminal matters in every other Australian State and Territory. I have acted in matters in Asia, the United States, and even Sweden (for a client charged with impersonating George Young of Vanda & Young / AC DC).

 

I have appeared in related jurisdictions such as the Children's Court, the State Parole Authority, the Coroner's Court, the Federal Court, the Mental Health Review Tribunal, as well as in RMS, EPA, Workcover, ASADA, RMS, and ATO prosecutions. I have acted in investigative bodies such as the Crime Commission, the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission and the ICAC. I have also conducted proceedings in family law, employment law, administrative law, personal injury claims (particularly against the State), intellectual property and defamation proceedings. Wherever the litigation is difficult and heavy, I am here to help to achieve absolute wonders for the client. As a testament to my profession repuation and proven track record, I am now acting for third generations of families and routinely accept referrals from the Bench and the profession.

Solicitor details

Katsoolis + Co Solicitors
(02) 9211 7107
peter@katsoolis.com
Notable Cases

NSW Police v Damian McEachern, 18 September 2003, at Parramatta Local Court, received fines for being in possession of six prohibited firearms, the outcome resulted in an enquiry by the NSW Attorney - General leading, inter alia, to significant revisions of the Firearms Act and the capacity of the Local Court to accumulate sentences to 5 years;

 

R v Shi [2004] NSWCCA 135 (LCQ drug supply; importance role of offender vs. purity in State drug matters);

 

Katherine Knight v Regina [2006] NSW CCA 292 (alleged serial killer);

 

R v Koloamatangi [2011] NSW CCA 288 (shooting of a police officer; precedent for post­ Muldrock approach to sentencing for SNPP offences); Koloamatangi v R [2020] NSWCCA 52 (convicted by a jury of murder, successful appeal to the NSW CCA, retried and convicted again; acquitted on second appeal to the NSW CCA);

 

R v Rogerson; R v McNamara [2015] NSWSC 592; Rogerson v R [2021] NSW CCA 160 (ground of appeal upheld but the CCA exercised the proviso); Rogerson v R HCA (Special leave refused but makes it to the High Court of Australia for the second time in the client's lifetime); Inquest into the Whisky Au Go Go fire, Coroners Court of Queensland, (still current);

 

Chidiac, Neil - Application pursuant to Section 78 of the Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001(NSW) [2015] NSWSC 157; Chidiac v R (No.2) [2016] NSW CCA 120; Chidiac v The Queen[2016] HCA HCASL 269 (Special leave ultimately refused but makes it to the High Court for the second time after a successful post- curial enquiry);

 

Inquest into the disappearance and suspected death of Goran Nikolovski, 2020, NSW Coroner's Court;

 

Robert Nikolovski v R [2021] NSW CCA 327 (successful murder appeal - acquitted by the NSW CCA);

 

COPP v Benjamin Gillette - Rothschild [2018] NSW DC (client caught making $1 million in counterfeit $50 notes; received a great result but the case remains suppressed as to how he made the fake notes to protect the RBA's processes );

 

Investigation into the conduct of a Railcorp manager and a Housing NSWemployee, 2014, NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption;

 

Case Study 23: Knox Grammar School, 2015, Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse;

 

State of New South Wales v Scott David Lynn [2015] NSWSC 665 (pro bono defence of the first Extended Supervision Order case);

 

Stephen Dank, c. 2014 - 2015, drugs in sport, various jurisdictions, including ASADA and the AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal. But not his appeal.

 

Yorke & Saunders [2021] FamCA 426; Saunders & Yorke [2022] FedCFamC1A 54 (controversial family law case on behalf of the Applicant mother upheld on appeal; attracted significant media publicity);

 

Smith v Jones [2020] NSWDC 262 (successful defamation case for high profile plaintiff solicitor).

CASES

Area of speciailty 1
R v MD (Homicide)
Client stabbed the deceased at least six, possibly more than 20 times. Crown refused to accept a plea to manslaughter. At trial our legal team fought tooth and and nail and our client was subsequently acquitted of murder on the basis of self-defence.

Area of speciailty 2
R v AS (Firearms)
a. Multiple gun related charges b. Client on parole for firearms matters. Guns and parts of guns located throughout a dwelling he was in. c. Not guilty at trial on the basis the Crown could not prove exclusive possession and control.
Area of speciailty 3
R v BY (Criminal Court of Appeal)
Murder conviction appeal. Client was convicted of murder by a jury for the second time following a successful first conviction appeal to the CCA and a retrial ordered. Client acquitted of murder by the CCA as the evidence relied on by the Crown was unsafe and unsatisfactory.

Awarded Criminal Lawyers 2024

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