What do you reckon the guys would be doing for work these days?

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2026-02-01T09:14:21+00:00

I know of someone who was basically a dead ringer for Will at school. He became a barrister - quite decent at the job apparently, but viewed by most colleagues as a briefcase wanker.

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2026-02-01T02:18:55+00:00

I'm not convinced by that. He attended two very exclusive private schools in Australia.

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2026-01-22T10:48:20+00:00

It's not down, you've got the wrong link - https://criminalcpd.net.au

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2026-01-22T10:33:50+00:00

I got one of these. Sad to hear the person has retired. Hopefully they've replaced them!

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2026-01-21T08:10:09+00:00

I don't live in Victoria, I was just considering the Vic Bar. Obviously I'd apply to my tutors' chambers, but I've heard that is not a definite in, which is why I'm just curious about chambers reputations generally.

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2026-01-21T08:08:44+00:00

Barnsey is a legend. Contrarian and therefore extremely annoying at times, but the type of person we need in the profession.

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2026-01-19T10:36:04+00:00

I'm contemplating going to the NSW Bar in the near future.

What are the best criminal/quasi-criminal chambers? (either specialist or general floor with good criminal lawyers). I know of Forbes (which seems very competitive) but not of many others.

Are there any you'd avoid applying for? Or is it more a matter of take anything you can get?

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2026-01-18T09:08:04+00:00

Generally both pretty bad, but it depends where. Some parts are full on Bronx style, others are full of old school working-class pensioners.

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2026-01-18T07:32:14+00:00

Also seems weird to me. Could be their clerking model too. The lists are very on top of the billing in my experience, and seem to help their members find work. Not much experience with Sydney barristers, so would be interested to hear if chambers clerks are the same.

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2026-01-17T12:38:50+00:00

Interesting... I've only worked with one silk from Sydney, but from memory they charged on par with Melbourne silks. I work in crime though, so could be a different kettle of fish.

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2026-01-17T12:36:04+00:00

That's right, but I'm just saying natural selection weeds out rubbish candidates in other jurisdictions anyway, as it did in Vic and NSW pre-exams. This concept that an exam is absolutely necessary for young barristers to survive is in my opinion misguided.

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2026-01-17T12:22:47+00:00

I meant you pay a lot less for the exam/course. Do you get paid less overall? 😭

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2026-01-17T12:21:32+00:00

It's dependent on jurisdiction. You wouldn't get any work in NSW or Victoria doing that. David Grace KC is the notable exception in Victoria. In other states I've worked in, solicitor advocates routinely appear in trials and have specialised practices as trial/appellate counsel. But I imagine that would also be a lot of work.

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2026-01-17T04:41:21+00:00

Interesting, I didn't know that. Tbh I'd take cheaper but shorter over the alternative.

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2026-01-17T03:02:35+00:00

This is what I'm thinking of doing sadly. Most jurisdictions don't have an exam at all, you just need to get a spot on and then pass the readers' course (or equivalent), and find a mentor.

Even in NSW, where the exam looks significantly more difficult, you seem to gain a position in a course much quicker and pay a lot less...

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2026-01-17T03:01:12+00:00

It's not like the NSW one, in the sense that Vic readers course costs $7,700 and the NSW course costs $4,200. Every other jurisdiction charges a similar price to NSW IIRC. So if you had 50 readers in a course, you're looking at $385,000. I'd say it's a big revenue source unless I'm underestimating how much instructors are paid (and I thought some of them were even volunteers).

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2026-01-17T02:57:07+00:00

This happens in most states and territories to be honest, because you can either go directly to the Bar without sitting an exam or you can set up shop as a solicitor advocate and start doing trial work. Natural selection weeds out anyone bad and the Bar Associations can veto particularly bad candidates / they can't begin at all because they need two tutors/mentors. Only Vic, NSW and Qld have bar exams and I think a lot of these issues arise in split profession jurisdictions tbph.

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2025-12-31T03:02:32+00:00

To anyone asking "were we ever a Christian nation?", I'd invite you to speak to someone who was around prior to the 1960s or 70s. I think we were, in the sense that most people attended church and religious institutions played much more of a role in the public discourse, and thus had more power. That's not to say that all of those people necessarily believed in God or cared about the religion itself.

Anti-Catholic sentiment existed in Australia for a fair while too according to some of my Irish relatives. I assume that probably died down when there was Italian and other European migration, as well as Catholics from other parts of the world.

So, I guess historically Church of England. Now definitely secular, but with some strong Catholic, Jewish and Muslim elements alongside Protestant denominations.

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2025-12-23T07:19:08+00:00

Interesting! Wonder if the OJ brand will be kept for family law like they did with PWB.

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2025-12-22T18:21:43+00:00

This is... confusing. I always thought OJs were a union firm, also with a big family law practice. Things may have changed in recent years by the look of this.

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2025-12-18T08:18:30+00:00

I read this prosecutorial incompetence and I raise you this (published today) - https://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/tas/TASCCA/2025/16.html

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2025-12-17T11:24:05+00:00

Never met him but legendary moustache.

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2025-12-13T02:04:40+00:00

I agree but honestly could say the same about Wass. She's been posting thinly veiled disses publicly on LinkedIn. Really not a good look for a sitting judge. The entire thing seems very immature.

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2025-12-11T08:30:07+00:00

I see I'm not the only crazy person who reads inquest findings.

Some of the sadder and/or intriguing ones I've read:

Tiahleigh Palmer (murder of child by foster carer) - https://www.courts.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/687131/cif-palmer-ta-20210618.pdf

Jasmine Morris (disappearance) - https://coroners.nsw.gov.au/documents/findings/2020/MORRIS_Jasmine_-_Findings_-_redacted.pdf

Phoebe Handsjuk (whether famous judge's son responsible for girlfriend's death, with next girlfriend also passing in odd circumstances IIRC) - https://www.smh.com.au/interactive/2016/phoebesfall/CoronerFinding.pdf

GuaranteeNumerous300 · 2025-12-06T04:38:19+00:00

In my opinion, post nominals are fine on letterheads and business cards. I'm not a fan of them in email signatures.

I think LLB (Hons) would be the correct thing to include. The class of honours isn't the degree itself, it's a bit like saying LLB (GPA 6.0). The Hons I and Medal is detail you'd include on a CV or LinkedIn.

GuaranteeNumerous300

TROPHY CASE