The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is one of the most demanding forums a person can be asked to front in New South Wales. This week, the University of Wollongong inquiry reached the witness at the centre of it, and O’Brien Criminal & Civil Solicitors is on the record acting for her. Former UOW chief
The University of Wollongong ICAC Inquiry: On the Record for Alyssa White Read More »
NSW police misconduct: A video went viral this week in NSW showing a police officer pushing a homeless man. Since then, it has spread rapidly across social media, drawing widespread condemnation from the public and advocacy groups. The footage shows an NSW officer physically pushing a man who is experiencing homelessness. The clip has been
NSW Police Misconduct: O’Brien Solicitors’ Joint Statement Read More »
New South Wales overhauled its sexual consent laws in 2021 and brought those changes into effect on 1 June 2022. Four years on, these reforms are reshaping how sexual assault prosecutions run in NSW courts and how accused persons must approach their defence. If you or someone you know is charged with a sexual offence in
Australia has made history as the first country in the world to implement a nationwide social media ban for anyone under 16. The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 took effect on 10 December 2025, requiring platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, X, Reddit, Threads, Twitch, and Kick to take “reasonable
Australia’s Under-16 Social Media Ban: Civil Rights? Read More »
In the five years to July 2023, NSW Police killed 52 people who were experiencing mental health crises. That figure, reported by AAP following the broadcast of ABC Four Corners’ Brutal Force, has reignited a debate that practitioners in police accountability law have been having for years: when a person is in acute mental health
52 Deaths in Five Years: NSW Police, Mental Health Crises, and a System Under Scrutiny Read More »
On Monday 1 June 2026, ABC Four Corners aired Brutal Force, a landmark investigative journalism program examining NSW Police Misconduct. Our Principal Solicitor, Peter O’Brien, appeared as a key expert voice in the program, speaking to the failures of the current police complaint system and the human cost of misconduct that goes unchecked. Four Corners
O’Brien Criminal & Civil Solicitors Featured on ABC Four Corners: Brutal Force Read More »
Suing NSW Police: A Four Corners investigation broadcast this week has put NSW police misconduct back under a national spotlight, and the details are deeply troubling. The case of Brad Kellson, a man who spent four days in intensive care after being kneed five times in the ribs by a police officer at Blacktown Police
In August 2024, Monash IVF agreed to a $56 million settlement, $40 million in compensation plus $16 million in legal costs, to resolve a class action brought by more than 700 patients who alleged the company misled them about the accuracy of an embryo screening test. The case, approved by the Supreme Court of Victoria
Monash IVF $56M Settlement: Informed Consent Explained Read More »
A Protest Sentencing bill has been introduced in the NSW Parliament that, if passed, would prohibit courts from imposing a custodial sentence for any non-violent act committed in the course of a demonstration, protest, procession, or assembly. Introduced in the Legislative Assembly in 2025 and progressing through parliament, its passage is not yet certain. However,
Can NSW Ban Prison for Non-Violent Protesters? Protest Sentencing Read More »
We have been made aware that the domain obriensolicitors-au[.]com was recently registered using our business name. This domain has no affiliation with O’Brien Solicitors whatsoever, and we are pleased to confirm it has now been taken down. This type of activity is an increasingly common scam targeting law firms across Australia. We were advised by
Important Security Notice For Our Clients Read More »
