___Georgia Lewer

BA (English), (Hons. Class I) / LLB, (Hons. Class I) (University of NSW).

Admitted as a legal practitioner in NSW in 2009.
Called to the Bar in NSW in 2014.

Principal areas of practice

• Criminal law
• Appellate criminal law
• Commissions of inquiry and inquests
• Statutory offences
• Administrative and public law

Professional background

• Tipstaff to the Hon. Justice David Kirby (2008)
• Solicitor and barrister, North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (2009-2011)

• Solicitor, Children’s Legal Service (Legal Aid NSW) and Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) (2011-2012)

• Senior Solicitor, Inquiries, Crown Solicitor’s Office (2012-2014)

• Barrister, Forbes Chambers (current)

• Lecturer, UNSW (current)

Some cases of note / reported decisions  

• Bugmy v State of New South Wales [2017] NSWCA 25 (led by D Buchanan SC) (appeal against continuing detention order, length of order); 

 

• Council of the City of Sydney v Blue Chips Franchise Pty Ltd [2017] NSWLEC 24 (appearance for prosecution, appeal to Land and Environment Court, failure to comply with direction given by Council, interpretation of various statutory provisions, onus of proof, defence of reasonable excuse);

 

• Costello v R [2017] NSWCCA 32 (sentence appeal, “fresh evidence”, hardship to third parties, illness of family member);

 

• Perish v R  [2015] NSWCCA 98; Perish v R [2014] NSWCCA 233; Perish v R [2014] NSWCCA 129; Perish v R [2016] NSWCCA 89 (led by H Dhanji SC) (murder conviction appeal, various interlocutory motions, claim for legal professional privilege, fresh evidence, admissibility of hearsay, admissibility “over objection”, unreasonable verdict ground);

 

• R v A2 & Ors (No 1) [2015] NSWSC 894 (led by D Jordan SC) (application to exclude evidence obtained pursuant to telephone warrants issued by magistrate, statutory interpretation of the Telephone (Interception and Access Act) 1979 (Cth));

 

• R v Hamzy [2016] NSWSC 1512 (led by M Johnston SC) (murder trial, shoot with intent, self-defence, proportionality, manslaughter verdict);

 

• State of NSW v Baldwin [2016] NSWSC 114; [2016] NSWSC 1498 (application by State for extended supervision order for serious sex offender); 

 

• Counsel, Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption;

 

• Australian Crime Commission v LB [2009] NTSC 43; (2009) 25 NTLR 30; 234 FLR 15 (led by M Abbott QC) (application to set aside subpoena to Australian Crime Commission, legitimate forensic purpose, public interest immunity);

   

• George v O’Neil [2009] NTSC 41; (2009) 24 NTR 228 (error on warrant of commitment, validity of warrant issued after expiration of sentence, when court is functus officio);

 

• Mununggurr v Gordon and Anor, Mununggurr v Balchin and Anor, Mununggurr v Gordon and Anor, Mununggurr v Gordon, Mununggurr v Gordon and Mununggurr v Balchin [2011] NTSC 82; (2011) 30 NTLR 45; 253 FLR 426 (judicial review proceedings relating to mental illness defence, content and use of Chief Health Officer’s certificates);

   

• Olsen v Sims [2010] NTCA 8; (2010) 28 NTLR 116; 245 FLR 64; 206 A Crim R 454 (led by J Tippett QC) (appeal against sentence, repeal of offence and replacement with new offence with mandatory minimum sentence);

  
A more comprehensive list of cases can be provided on application to the clerk of chambers.

Papers and publications

• “Agencies’ powers of search and seizure”, Crime and punishment and everything in between: Criminal law & inquiries update (CSO), 21 May 2014.

 

• “Judicial review of search warrants”, Central South Eastern Regional ALS conference, 3 May 2014.

 

• “Government Privilege", Legal Manager’s Forum, 11 October 2013.

 

• “Criminal and Welfare Rights Collaboration: Centrelink Debts and Prosecution”, National Legal Aid Best Practice Conference, 7 July 2011.

 

• “Innovations in the Top End – Alcohol Court and CREDIT Court for Indigenous Offenders”, IAP Scientific Conference, The Law, the Offender & Psychiatry, 17 October 2009

 

• “Identifying Children in Relation to Criminal Proceedings” Communications Law Bulletin in Sep/Oct 2008.

For further details or inquiries regarding Georgia Lewer’s areas of expertise, curriculum vitae, fees and terms of engagement, please contact her Clerk.

CONTACT HERE