Free, private and confidential first consultation, according to the firm. It says most people get a call back within 30 minutes and it has an emergency after hours number.
Office
2/400 Hunter Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Conditsis Lawyers is based in Gosford, where Manny Conditsis started it in the early 1980s, and has a staffed Newcastle office at 2/400 Hunter Street. It covers most areas of law, but criminal defence is its core. The firm names three lawyers accredited by the Law Society of NSW as specialists in criminal law, and says Manny Conditsis and Michal Mantaj run jury trials themselves as solicitor advocates. Kayla Nielsen leads the Newcastle criminal team. It suits people facing serious charges who want trial advocates in the same firm. The firm says the first consultation is free.
Founded in Gosford in the early 1980s
Also worth knowing
Kayla Nielsen leads the Newcastle criminal team and, according to her profile, was a Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 finalist in 2024 and 2025.
Lawyers
The site doesn't say which office each criminal lawyer works from, apart from Kayla Nielsen, who leads the Newcastle team.
Manny Conditsis, Director and Senior Trial Advocate Accredited criminal law specialist
Michal Mantaj, Director and Trial Advocate Accredited criminal law specialist
Natasha Konic, Criminal lawyer Accredited criminal law specialist
Kayla Nielsen, Associate Director, Senior Associate and Newcastle Criminal Law Team Leader
Samuel Oakley, Associate, Criminal Law
Bryce Lewis, Associate, Criminal Law
Maddison Battese, Solicitor, Criminal Law
Cidney Jenkins, Solicitor, Criminal Law
Areas of criminal law handled
Assault charges
Domestic violence offences
AVOs
Drug offences
Sexual assault charges
Stalking and intimidation
Firearms and weapons offences
Break and enter
Bail applications
Criminal appeals
Jury trials
Drink and drug driving
Office
2/400 Hunter Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
Other details
Other offices
Gosford (main office), with satellite offices in Sydney CBD and Wollongong
Free 30 minute phone consultation with a partner (the firm calls it Ask Arthur), then a written costs agreement before work starts. The firm says most matters, including Local Court sentences and licence appeals, are on fixed fees, and it is available 24/7 for urgent matters such as bail.
Office
Suite 4, 755 Hunter Street, Newcastle West NSW 2302
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Arthur Law is a small Newcastle West practice that only does criminal and traffic work. Zoe Whetham started it in 2020 after working as a senior associate at a Sydney criminal firm, and Martin Vazquez, formerly a senior solicitor at Legal Aid NSW, is the other partner. Whetham is accredited by the Law Society of NSW as a specialist in criminal law. The firm says every client deals directly with a partner from start to finish. It suits people facing serious or complex charges who want a senior lawyer on the file. The firm offers a free 30 minute phone consultation.
Founded in 2020
Also worth knowing
The firm says it offers a free 30 minute phone consultation and fixed fees for most Local Court matters.
Lawyers
Zoe Whetham, Partner and founder Accredited criminal law specialist
Martin Vazquez, Partner
Areas of criminal law handled
Assault and violence charges
Domestic violence and AVOs
Sexual assault charges
Drug possession and supply
Fraud and stealing offences
Break and enter
Murder and manslaughter
Bail applications
Jury trials and defended hearings
Appeals
White collar crime
Traffic and licence matters
Office
Suite 4, 755 Hunter Street, Newcastle West NSW 2302
The site doesn't publish consultation terms. It describes its rates as reasonable. Legally aided representation is available through the firm's Legal Aid NSW panel memberships.
Office
City Business Centre, 17 Bolton Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Mandy Hull & Associates is a Newcastle criminal defence practice run by principal solicitor Mandy Hull. Her site lists her as an Accredited Specialist in Criminal Law (Law Society of NSW), and she has led her own practice since 2005 after time as a Royal Australian Navy officer and at Ramsland Graham Solicitors. The firm says she sits on all Legal Aid NSW crime panels, including the Serious Crime Panel, so it takes legally aided work as well as private clients. Matters run from traffic charges to murder, plus Commonwealth offences. It suits people facing serious charges. The site doesn't publish consultation terms.
Also worth knowing
The firm lists Commonwealth matters such as Centrelink fraud and border offences alongside state charges.
Lawyers
Mandy Hull, Principal Solicitor Accredited criminal law specialist
Claire Coelho, Associate Solicitor
Areas of criminal law handled
Murder and manslaughter defence
Sexual assault charges
Drug possession, supply and importation
Firearms and weapons offences
Fraud and dishonesty
Robbery, break and enter and theft
AVO breaches, stalking and intimidation
Commonwealth offences
Children's serious indictable offences
Bail applications
Appeals
Drink driving and licence appeals
Office
City Business Centre, 17 Bolton Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
The firm says it offers fixed fees and its team takes calls 24/7. The site doesn't advertise a free first consultation.
Office
Level 1, 380 Hunter Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Hamilton Janke Lawyers is a Newcastle criminal and traffic firm at Level 1, 380 Hunter Street, founded and run by partners Drew Hamilton and James Janke. Hamilton is listed in Doyle's Guide 2026 as Preeminent among regional NSW criminal lawyers, with Janke listed as Leading and senior solicitor Georgina Price as Recommended. The five lawyer team covers everything from licence appeals to murder, plus inquests and inquiries. It suits anyone facing a charge in the Hunter who wants a dedicated local defence firm. The firm says it offers fixed fees and takes calls 24/7.
Also worth knowing
James Janke has appeared in coronial inquests and a Royal Commission, according to the firm.
Lawyers
The site doesn't say any of its lawyers is an accredited specialist.
After an enquiry the firm says it calls for an initial consult, then arranges a conference in person or by video. Its Newcastle office is by appointment. It says it charges fixed fees for all matters finalised in the Local Court and gives estimates for others, and considers Legal Aid grants and Aboriginal Legal Service assignments case by case.
Office
Suite 8, 21 Merewether Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Liberato Defence Lawyers is a new boutique criminal firm set up by Damien Mahon and Lindsay Stankovic after years in criminal defence at a Sydney firm. Its Newcastle office on Merewether Street is by appointment, and it also has a Sydney office. Mahon is accredited by the Law Society of NSW as a specialist in criminal law, and both partners are listed in Doyle's Guide 2026 as Leading regional NSW criminal lawyers. The firm says it keeps a small caseload of serious matters such as murder, sexual assault, drug supply and fraud, with a partner on every file. It suits people facing serious indictable charges.
Also worth knowing
The firm says it charges fixed fees for all matters finalised in the Local Court.
Lawyers
Damien Mahon, Partner and co-founder Accredited criminal law specialist
Enquiries go straight to a lawyer, according to the firm. It says likely costs are explained at the start, before work begins.
Office
Level 1, 17 Bolton Street, Newcastle NSW 2300
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Duncan & Co Lawyers is a small Newcastle firm led by director and principal solicitor Cameron Duncan, who set it up after working at two private firms and as an advocate for Legal Aid NSW. Criminal and traffic law lead the practice, with contested wills as a second line. The firm says it runs serious indictable trials in front of juries and appears in courts from Tweed Heads to Wollongong. The firm says callers speak to a lawyer rather than a receptionist and that costs are explained before any work starts. It suits people heading to a District Court trial.
Also worth knowing
The firm says it appears in courts from Tweed Heads to Wollongong.
Initial conferences are typically half an hour and payable on the day, according to the firm, with further fees set at that conference. It is on the Legal Aid NSW panel and has an after hours emergency line.
O'Brien Winter Partners is a local Newcastle firm on Hunter Street, run by directors Christopher O'Brien, Kristy Winter and Damien O'Brien since 2012. The firm says it grew out of Morelaw, a practice whose founders went on to the Newcastle bar. Chris O'Brien appears in all NSW criminal courts up to the Court of Criminal Appeal, and Kristy Winter in the Local and District Courts. The firm says it convenes the Broadmeadow Traffic Offenders Program and is on the Legal Aid NSW panel. It suits locals who want a long standing Newcastle firm, including Legal Aid clients. The firm says first conferences are usually half an hour and paid.
Trading as O'Brien Winter Partners since 2012
Also worth knowing
It says it is on the Legal Aid NSW panel.
Lawyers
Christopher O’Brien, Director and Solicitor
Kristy Winter, Director and Senior Solicitor
Jemma O’Brien, Solicitor (criminal, traffic and AVOs)
The site doesn't state first consultation terms. It acts on Legal Aid for eligible clients and invites others to call to discuss options.
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Bennett Law is based in Maitland, where it has its only office, at 12/420 High Street. The firm says its lawyers appear at Newcastle and other Hunter courts. Principal Chris Bennett was admitted in 1982 and, according to the firm, has been accredited by the Law Society of NSW as a specialist in criminal law since 2001. Senior solicitor Bronwyn Chamberlain spent decades in senior Legal Aid roles and focuses on mental health matters and section 14 applications. It suits Hunter clients who want an experienced specialist, including on Legal Aid. The site doesn't publish first consultation terms.
Also worth knowing
The firm says it acts on Legal Aid for eligible clients.
Lawyers
Chris Bennett, Principal Solicitor Accredited criminal law specialist
Kenneth Wilks runs a one lawyer criminal and traffic practice from the T&G Building on Hunter Street, with a second office in Kurri Kurri. He grew up in the Hunter Valley, studied in Newcastle and worked at firms in Raymond Terrace and Newcastle before opening his own practice. He says clients deal with him directly, and he offers after hours appointments. According to his site, most of his work is in Newcastle and Hunter Local and District Courts, and he also runs appeals. It suits people with a local court charge, a drink driving matter or a licence appeal. Fee terms aren't published.
Also worth knowing
After hours consultations are available by appointment.
Lawyers
This is a one lawyer practice.
Kenneth Wilks, Principal, Criminal and Traffic Lawyer
Firm details come from each firm's own website. Google ratings are shown as published on Google and don't set the order. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Not sure which firm suits you?
Tell us a little about your matter and we'll put you in touch with a Newcastle criminal lawyer. It's free and there's no obligation.
How we compiled this list
We include firms that do criminal defence as a main part of their work and take clients in Newcastle and the Hunter. Not every firm is based in Newcastle itself, so we say where each one's offices are. For each one we read its own website in October 2026 and wrote the description ourselves. Where a firm says a lawyer is a Law Society of NSW accredited specialist we say so, and where we mention Doyle's Guide we name it. Free consultations and fee terms are as the firm describes them, so confirm them when you call. We show Google ratings with the date we checked them, and we leave out self-reported success rates.
Some firms pay for a featured listing, which affects where they appear on this page. Payment doesn't buy the write-up. We write those ourselves, and firms don't get to edit them. If something here is out of date, let us know. There's more detail on how we rank law firms.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws and programs are as published by the NSW Government, the NSW courts and Legal Aid NSW in October 2026.
Where Newcastle and Hunter criminal charges are heard
Most charges start in the Local Court. In Newcastle that's the courthouse at 343 Hunter Street, which the Local Court and the District Court share. If you're charged elsewhere in the Hunter, your court attendance notice may list one of the other Local Courts below. All of them use the same phone number, 1300 679 272.
Court
Address
Newcastle Local and District Court
343 Hunter Street, Newcastle. Registry 9am to 4:30pm weekdays
Maitland Local Court
High Street, Maitland
Raymond Terrace Local Court
Corner of William and Adelaide Streets, Raymond Terrace
Belmont Local Court
530 Pacific Highway, Belmont
Toronto Local Court
140 to 142 Cary Street, Toronto
Cessnock Local Court
223 Maitland Road, Cessnock
Broadmeadow Children's Court
19 to 23 Lambton Road, Broadmeadow, (02) 4915 5200. Registry 9am to 4pm weekdays, closed 1pm to 2pm
Summary offences stay in the Local Court, and charges generally have to be laid within 6 months. Table 1 and Table 2 offences are also dealt with there unless the prosecution, or for Table 1 either side, elects a higher court, and the Local Court can generally give up to 2 years' jail per offence. Strictly indictable offences go to the District Court, or the Supreme Court for the most serious. Young people's cases go to the Children's Court, which for Newcastle sits at Broadmeadow. Check the court and date on your court attendance notice and tell your lawyer straight away.
Bail in NSW
Under the Bail Act 2013, bail must be refused if there's an unacceptable risk, after considering whether bail conditions could manage it, that you would fail to appear, commit a serious offence, endanger someone's safety or interfere with witnesses or evidence.
Show cause offences: for serious charges, including offences carrying life imprisonment, serious domestic violence offences against an intimate partner carrying 14 years or more, coercive control, some firearm and commercial drug offences, and serious offences committed while on bail or parole, you must first show why you shouldn't be held. This doesn't apply to people under 18
Domestic violence: bail for a serious domestic violence offence must include electronic monitoring unless there are good reasons not to
Young people: for 14 to 17 year olds charged with certain motor vehicle theft or serious break and enter offences while already on bail for one, bail can only be granted if the court has a high degree of confidence they won't commit a serious indictable offence while on bail. Parliament extended this rule again in September 2026
If the Local Court refuses bail, you can apply to the Supreme Court. The first bail hearing matters a lot, so it's worth having a lawyer prepare your application.
Police powers and your rights
After an arrest, police can generally hold you for up to 6 hours of investigation time, which doesn't count breaks such as waiting for a lawyer, interpreter or medical care, so you may be held longer. A magistrate or authorised officer can extend it once
The custody manager must caution you that you don't have to say or do anything, and give you a summary of your rights
Before any questioning, you must be told you can contact a friend or relative and a lawyer of your choice. Questioning should be delayed for a reasonable time so you can, and for up to 2 hours for a lawyer to arrive
In most cases you have the right to stay silent, though there are exceptions, such as some vehicle and car crash matters
Legal Aid NSW lawyers don't attend police stations. If you want advice before an interview, call a private lawyer or, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the Aboriginal Legal Service. If you're under 18, call the Legal Aid NSW Youth Hotline on 1800 10 18 10.
Outcomes, MERIT and the Hunter Drug Court
Section 10: the court can find you guilty without recording a conviction, and either dismiss the charge, make a conditional release order or require an intervention program. A dismissal can avoid a licence disqualification for some offences
Conditional release order: can be made with or without a conviction, with conditions such as supervision or treatment
Community correction order: up to 3 years, and can include a curfew or community service
Intensive correction order: a jail sentence served in the community, not available for under 18s
MERIT is a voluntary Local Court program for adults with a drug or alcohol problem, with about 12 weeks of treatment before your case is finalised. You need to be on bail or not need bail, and it isn't available for sexual assault charges or matters going to the District Court. It only runs at some courts. In the Hunter these include Newcastle, Maitland, Raymond Terrace, Toronto and Cessnock.
The Hunter Drug Court has its registry at Toronto Court House, (02) 4935 8338. The Drug Court is for adults with a drug dependency who are likely to go to jail, plead guilty and live in a listed area. It isn't available where the charges involve violent conduct or sexual assault, or for strictly indictable supply charges. Listed areas include the City of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Cessnock and Port Stephens.
Local Court decisions, including sentences, can be appealed to the District Court.
Spent convictions and young people
Under the Criminal Records Act 1991, most convictions become spent after a crime free period, and then generally don't have to be disclosed.
Outcome
When it's spent
Section 10 dismissal without conviction
Straight away
Finding of guilt with a CRO and no conviction
Once the conditions are completed
Adult conviction
After 10 years in a row with no further jailable conviction and no time in prison
Children's Court conviction
After 3 years
Full time jail of more than 6 months, or a sexual offence
Never. An intensive correction order doesn't count as jail for this rule
Spent convictions still have to be disclosed for some roles, including police, teaching and Working with Children Checks.
Young people. From 1 July 2026, young people can be dealt with by a warning, caution or youth justice conference without admitting the offence, as long as they don't deny it. More offences are now eligible, and a child who has already been cautioned three or more times in the past three years isn't entitled to another caution. The Legal Aid NSW Youth Hotline is 1800 10 18 10.
Costs and free legal help in Newcastle
NSW lawyers must give you a written costs disclosure if your costs are likely to be more than $750, and you can ask for an itemised bill. No win, no fee agreements aren't allowed in criminal matters, and lawyers can't charge a percentage of any amount recovered.
LawAccess NSW: 1300 888 529, 9am to 5pm weekdays, for legal information and referrals
Legal Aid NSW, Newcastle criminal law office: Level 3, 400 Hunter Street, Newcastle, (02) 4929 5482
Duty lawyers: Legal Aid NSW has duty lawyers at Local Courts across NSW who can give limited help on the day. They can't represent you if you've pleaded not guilty and your hearing is that day. Arrive an hour before your matter. For ongoing representation you usually need a grant of legal aid
Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT): 1800 765 767, 9am to 5pm weekdays. Police contact its custody notification service whenever an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person is detained
Accredited specialists: search the Law Society of NSW Find a Lawyer tool with the accredited specialist filter
Newcastle criminal law: common questions
Where is the criminal court in Newcastle?
Newcastle Local Court and the District Court share the courthouse at 343 Hunter Street, Newcastle. The phone number is 1300 679 272. Charges against young people go to Broadmeadow Children's Court, 19 to 23 Lambton Road.
Will I get a criminal record?
Not necessarily. A court can find you guilty without recording a conviction under section 10, and a section 10 dismissal is spent straight away. If a conviction is recorded, most become spent after 10 years in a row with no further jailable conviction and no time in prison, or 3 years for a Children's Court conviction. Full time jail of more than 6 months and sexual offences never become spent, but an intensive correction order doesn't count as jail for this rule.
Do I have to answer police questions?
In most cases you have the right to stay silent, though there are some exceptions, such as certain car crash matters. Before questioning, police must tell you that you can contact a lawyer and a friend or relative, and give you a reasonable chance to do it.
Can I get a free lawyer in Newcastle?
Legal Aid NSW duty lawyers can give limited help on the day of your court date. For ongoing representation you usually need a grant of legal aid. The Legal Aid NSW Newcastle criminal law office is at Level 3, 400 Hunter Street, (02) 4929 5482, and LawAccess NSW on 1300 888 529 can tell you where to start.
Can I get into the Drug Court from Newcastle?
Possibly. The Hunter Drug Court's registry is at Toronto Court House. It's for adults with a drug dependency who are likely to go to jail, plead guilty and live in a listed area, which includes the City of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Cessnock and Port Stephens. Violent, sexual and strictly indictable supply charges are excluded.
What is an accredited criminal law specialist?
A solicitor accredited by the Law Society of NSW after at least 5 years in practice, 3 of them in criminal law, and a set of assessments. It isn't needed to practise, but it shows depth in the area. On this list, Conditsis Lawyers names three, and Arthur Law, Mandy Hull & Associates, Liberato Defence Lawyers and Bennett Law each name one.
Can a criminal lawyer work on a no win, no fee basis?
No. NSW law doesn't allow no win, no fee agreements in criminal matters. Many firms offer fixed fees for each stage instead, and any lawyer must give you written costs disclosure if costs are likely to be more than $750.
General information only, not legal advice.
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