O’Brien Criminal & Civil Solicitors has been recognised as ‘Criminal Defence Law Firm of the Year’ by Corporate LIVEWIRE, an accolade that honours not just our present success, but the foundation upon which our entire practice was built.
In an era where our firm has become synonymous with high-profile civil litigation, suing police for misconduct, defending protestors’ democratic rights, and winning landmark defamation cases against media giants, this award serves as a powerful reminder: we are, first and foremost, criminal defence lawyers. And that’s precisely what makes us so effective at everything else we do.
Where It All Began: Defending Freedom in the Criminal Courts
Before O’Brien Solicitors became known for taking on the state, challenging institutional power, or representing clients in complex civil matters, we were in the trenches of criminal defence. Day in and day out, we stood beside people facing the full might of the prosecution, individuals whose liberty, livelihoods, and futures hung in the balance.
We defended clients charged with assault, drug offences, driving matters, and serious indictable offences. We cross-examined police officers, challenged evidence, scrutinised investigations, and fought tooth and nail to protect our clients from wrongful convictions. In those courtrooms, we learned what it truly means to fight for someone’s freedom.
But we also learned something else, something that would fundamentally reshape the trajectory of our practice.
The Moment That Changed Everything
While defending our clients against criminal charges, we began to notice a disturbing pattern. Time and time again, we encountered cases where the charges themselves weren’t the real injustice, it was what happened before the charges were laid.
Unlawful arrests. Excessive force. False imprisonment. Fabricated evidence. Police misconduct that violated our clients’ fundamental rights.
We would successfully defend someone against an assault charge, only to realise they had been unlawfully arrested in the first place. We would secure an acquittal for a client, knowing full well they had been subjected to police brutality during their detention. We would win a case, yet our client would walk away having suffered serious harm at the hands of those meant to uphold the law.
That’s when we understood: defending someone in a criminal trial wasn’t enough. True justice required holding those who abused their power accountable.
From Defence to Accountability: The Evolution of Our Practice
The transition from criminal defence to civil litigation wasn’t a pivot, it was a natural evolution born from the injustices we witnessed firsthand in criminal proceedings.
Our criminal defence work had given us an intimate understanding of police procedures, investigative practices, and the tactics used by law enforcement. We knew how to identify unlawful conduct. We knew how to challenge police evidence. We knew the law inside out.
So we took those skills and turned them around.
Instead of just defending against charges stemming from unlawful arrests, we started suing police for those unlawful arrests. Instead of simply securing acquittals for clients who had been subjected to excessive force, we began pursuing compensation for their pain and suffering. Instead of accepting police misconduct as an unfortunate reality of the system, we made it our mission to hold officers and institutions accountable.
The courtroom skills we had sharpened defending criminal cases became the very weapons we used to challenge systemic abuses of power.
Why Criminal Defence Experience Matters in Civil Litigation
Many people assume that civil litigation and criminal defence are entirely separate areas of law. In reality, the skills are deeply interconnected, and criminal defence experience provides an unparalleled advantage in civil cases against police and government institutions.
We know how police investigations work. Years of defending criminal cases means we understand investigative procedures, evidence collection, and the requirements police must follow. When we’re suing police for misconduct, we know exactly where to look for breaches of protocol.
We know how to cross-examine police officers. Countless hours spent cross-examining police witnesses in criminal trials taught us how to challenge their version of events, expose inconsistencies, and hold them accountable under oath. That expertise translates directly to civil proceedings.
We understand the criminal justice system from the inside. Our criminal defence work means we’ve seen firsthand how the system can fail people, and how institutions protect their own. That insight makes us more effective advocates when challenging government misconduct in civil courts.
We know what it means to fight for someone’s freedom. Criminal defence isn’t just about legal arguments and evidence — it’s about protecting people from losing their liberty. That sense of urgency, that understanding of what’s truly at stake, drives everything we do in our civil practice.
Beyond Police Accountability: Defamation, Protest Rights, and Institutional Justice
Our criminal defence roots have also shaped our work in other areas of civil law.
Defamation cases often arise from criminal allegations or media coverage of arrests. Our understanding of criminal law helps us navigate these complex cases where a person’s reputation has been destroyed by false accusations.
Defending protestors frequently involves challenging criminal charges for exercising democratic rights — and pursuing civil action when those rights are violated. Our dual expertise in criminal and civil law makes us uniquely equipped to protect peaceful protestors from state overreach.
Suing institutions for abuse, misconduct, or negligence requires the same tenacity and strategic thinking we developed defending clients in criminal matters. Whether it’s a church, school, or government body, we approach institutional accountability with the same rigour we bring to criminal defence.
What This Award Means to Us
Being named Criminal Defence Law Firm of the Year by Corporate LIVEWIRE is more than just recognition of our legal expertise. It’s validation of the path we’ve taken and the principles that guide our work.
This award reminds us, and our clients, that despite our evolution into civil litigation, we remain criminal defence lawyers at our core. That foundation is what makes us effective in every arena. It’s what drives our commitment to justice. It’s what gives us the skills to take on powerful institutions and win.
We’re incredibly proud of this recognition, but we’re even prouder of the work it represents: decades of defending people’s freedom, holding power to account, and fighting for those who need us most.
Looking Forward: The Fight Continues
As we celebrate this award, we’re also looking ahead to the battles still to be fought.
There are still people being unlawfully arrested. Still individuals suffering police brutality. Still protestors being silenced for exercising their democratic rights. Still victims of institutional abuse waiting for justice. Still reputations being destroyed by defamatory publications.
The fight for justice doesn’t end with an award, it continues every day in courtrooms across Australia.
Whether you’re facing criminal charges, seeking compensation for police misconduct, defending your reputation against false accusations, or challenging institutional wrongdoing, our team brings decades of experience and a proven track record of success.
Our criminal defence expertise is the foundation of everything we do. It’s what makes us the litigators we are today. And it’s what allows us to deliver award-winning legal representation to every client who walks through our doors.
If you need expert legal representation in criminal defence, civil litigation, or defamation matters, contact O’Brien Criminal & Civil Solicitors today.
📞 (02) 9261 4281
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📍 Level 4, 219-223 Castlereagh St, Sydney NSW 2000
Your rights deserve our expertise.
Peter O'Brien is the Principal Solicitor of O'Brien Criminal & Civil Solicitors and Australia's leading expert in intentional torts litigation, with over 25 years of experience securing landmark victories in malicious prosecution and unlawful imprisonment cases. Author of Intentional Tort Litigation in Australia and recipient of the Law Council of Australia President's Medal, Peter has achieved record-breaking compensation for clients and is widely recognised for his unwavering commitment to access to justice.
