Profile

Penny has an extensive practice which spans over 24 years at both trial and appellate level. Her areas of practice are as follows.

Crime

• Penny is a Criminal defence barrister based  in Victoria practicising in all Australian jurisdictions..
• Penny holds the the Indictable Crime Certificate (ICC) – the Victorian Bar launched Australia’s first accreditation scheme for criminal barristers, the Indictable Crimes Certificate (ICC). The accreditation provides a pool of barristers with measurable skills and knowledge fully equipped and capable of running a trial in an indictable matter.
• Penny is a member of the Victoria Legal Aid’s Criminal Trial Preferred Barrister List.
• Penny appears in the Magistrates, County and Supreme Court in criminal jury trials regularly involving a high degree of legal and factual complexity, often with the use of expert witnesses. She is dedicated to working for individuals when charged with State or Commonwealth offences.
• She has appeared in major complex fraud trials, historical and recent sexual assault offences, murder (and multiple murder charges), attempted murder and other violent offences including arson, culpable driving and dangerous driving causing death charges. She has appeared in the Supreme Court in criminal test cases and cases involving complex expert evidence. 
• She has also acted in regulatory prosecutions including white collar crime, Occupational Health and Safety, statutory building offences, Victorian workcover authority.
• Penny has appeared in 1000’s of bail applications for serious charges and in complex applications in Victoria and New South Wales in Magistrate’s and Supreme Court.

Proceeds of Crime/Confiscation

Penny accepts briefs in Proceeds of Crime/Confiscation matters and provides advice, draws in the Confiscation and Proceeds of Crime List in both the Supreme and County Courts.

Compensation applications under the Sentencing Act

Penny also provides advice and appears in relation to applications for compensation and/or restitution made under the Sentencing Act.

Intervention Orders

• Penny appears for parties in applications for intervention orders in stalking matters and family violence in Melbourne and all regional courts. 
• Regular briefs involve Contested hearings requiring expert cross examination of witnesses and legal submissions. 
• Penny has successfully appeared in the Supreme Court judicial review in an appeal on an error of law- Critchley v Magistrates Court of Victoria & Esbensen [2019] VSC 435

Liquor Licensing

• She represents Company’s and Directors seeking to maintain or obtain Liquor Licenses and in defending alleged breaches of the Liquor Control Reform Act in VCAT and the Magistrates Court and appellate Courts.

Inquests and Enquiries

• Penny is experienced in representing interested parties and in acting as counsel assisting in inquests and inquiries.  
• She often acts for model litigants and is familiar with the model litigant principles.

Animal Law

• Penny’s passion is for all law called into play regarding the treatment of animals. This mantra has led her to the the Supreme Court regarding the terms and reference of the contractual sale of a horse,  Boogs v Missen [2017] VSC 50; Port Augusta Local Court on behalf of the South Australian Rspca regarding the maltreatment of of sheep; acting for witnesses in the Greyhound racing prosecutions in Victorian Magistrates Court, acting for rescuers resulting from charges emanating from duckshooting season and the rescue of puppy farms and caged chickens. Penny crosses all legal jurisdictions in Australia for representation regarding the treatment of and movement of animals.

Prior to being called to the Bar, Penny completed Articled Clerkship with Maurice Blackburn Solicitors, commenced practice in criminal law with the late Patrick W Dwyer and worked as a duty lawyer in the old Melbourne Magistrate’s Court in Russell Street, primarily based in Court 1- Remand Court.

At the Bar Penny was mentored in1996 by Judge J Gullaci (Past County Court Judge). Penny is a member of the Criminal Bar, a member of Holmes List Committee and has experience in tutoring in the Bar readers course and a mentor for Bar Readers.