Christopher is a practical, client focused and results driven barrister with a diverse practice.
Criminal Law
He is regularly instructed in criminal appeals and other complex criminal prosecutions including fraud, terrorism, and importation offences. His clients have included former South Sydney NRL player Sam Burgess, former NSW Minister Ian Macdonald, and Sydney identity Danny Lim. Christopher approaches every matter strategically with a view to maximising his client’s chance of achieving the best possible outcome, including (where appropriate) awards of costs.
Christopher is a member of the Bar Association’s Criminal Law Committee and is on Legal Aid’s Indictable and Complex Crime Panels.
Media Law
Christopher advises and appears in defamation and media law matters in all courts and jurisdictions. He acted for YouTube comedian FriendlyJordies defending a defamation claim by former NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro and whistleblower Troy Stolz in a defamation claim against Clubs NSW. He also successfully represented prominent Sydney solicitor Chris Murphy in a defamation claim against a Sydney newspaper. Previously he was a duty lawyer for UK tabloid, The Sun.
He lectures at both the University of New South Wales and the University of Sydney on defamation and privacy.
Industrial and employment matters
Christopher advises and represents employees and employers (including large multinational corporations) on industrial and employment matters. He was junior counsel in the landmark Workpac casual workers test case in the High Court. He also appeared in the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom in a leading case on the national minimum wage. He is the author (with Ian Neil SC and David Chin SC) of the forthcoming third edition of The Modern Contract of Employment and regularly contributes to the UK publication Tolley’s Employment Handbook.
Public interest litigation
Christopher has a particular interest in public law matters with a public interest focus. He has experience in high profile freedom of information and GIPA matters, having acted for (and advised) numerous Members of Parliament on such ma, including the Hon. Mark Dreyfus KC, the Commonwealth Attorney-General.
Previous career
Prior to his call to the Bar, Christopher worked as an Associate to the Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia. He holds qualifications in law from the University of Sydney and King’s College London (where he was the highest ranked student in the Master of Laws (Intellectual Property and Information Law) program).
