Criminal lawyers in Sydney
This is a starting point, not a shortlist. It sets out what to have ready before you speak to anyone about a criminal matter, how to check the person you are about to instruct, and where the official help sits.
What to have ready
- Any document you have been given, exactly as it arrived — a court attendance notice, a charge sheet, a bail form, a letter from police.
- Any date printed on it, and the date you received it.
- The charge as the document words it, not a summary of it.
- Whether you have been to court about it already, and what happened if you have.
- Anything you have signed or said to police, and whether you were interviewed.
- Any condition you are already under — bail, an order, a reporting requirement.
Keep the complete document and any envelope or accompanying message. Mention any court date or other stated date when you seek legal advice. If you are unsure what a date or requirement means, ask your lawyer or the court for clarification.
Before you contact anyone
- Write down what happened, in order, with dates. A short timeline can help explain your enquiry.
- Gather the documents you already have — letters, notices, contracts, messages — rather than describing them from memory.
- If a letter or notice you have received states a date you must do something by, keep it where you can see it and mention it when you make contact.
- Use the Law Society of NSW register to check a solicitor’s practising details. Contact the Law Society if you need help confirming them.
- Ask for costs in writing before any work starts, and ask what the estimate does and does not include.
Official sources
Lawyers of Sydney is operated by Jameson Law. Listings describe individual practitioners and firms; a listing is not a recommendation. This page is general information about a kind of legal work, not legal advice about your situation.
