Where Legal Expertise Meets Collaborative Care

At Justicia Advocacy, we understand that true justice extends far beyond the courtroom. 

 

Our collaborative approach recognises that legal problems rarely exist in isolation. We connect the dots between legal strategy and real life, to achieve the best possible, and most practical, outcomes.  We work with allied professionals to deliver comprehensive solutions.

Our lawyers are recognised specialists, together holding decades of experience. What truly sets us apart is our commitment to holistic representation: advocacy beyond courts & tribunals.

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What we do

 

Criminal Law

Crime is our specialty. If you’ve been charged with an offence in NSW, we can help. Our lawyers know what to do and will make sure you are fully prepared.

  • Our Director is a Law Society of NSW Accredited Specialist in Criminal Law.

  • Our lead children’s lawyer is an Accredited Specialist in Children’s Law.

We will work with your supports and allied professionals to get your message across. There is always more to it than what the Police ‘Facts Sheet’ says. We want to know your side of the story, and will help you tell it, persuasively, at the right time.

We help with:

  • Virtual Bail Court & Supreme Court Bail (weekends by special request)

  • Defended and special hearings

  • Committal cases, fitness inquiries & trials

  • Sentence proceedings

  • Appeals, annulments and post-conviction issues (including parole)

  • Related applications and cases.

Children’s Criminal Law

All of our lawyers have vast experience helping children & young people and all hold WWCC and adopt Child Safe work practices. Our Practice Lead, Jasmine, is a Children’s law specialist. She advises on, and enforces, the special rights of children and young people under the law every day.

We provide direct representation to under 18’s in NSW:

  • having problems with police

  • under arrest

  • getting a ‘caution’

  • going to court for any reason.

We also support the Children’s Legal Service at Legal Aid NSW with high quality back-up Duty Solicitor services (on request) and as assigned Children’s Panel lawyers.

Since children’s law issues often impact other family members, we also assist parents & guardians of children (who are separately represented). We also advise witnesses and youth organisations.

Apprehended Violence Orders (AVO’s)

AVO’s can have lifelong and far-reaching implications, including in family law, employment and recreational life. Whether you are experiencing domestic violence and need the protection of an AVO violence order, or you are defending an application, we can help. 

We work with:

  • Applicants (people asking for an order, or to vary or revoke an order)

  • Defendants (responding to an application by police or another person)

  • Children

  • Adults

We will advise you on the best way forward for your unique circumstances.

As well as Court representation, we can link you with other professional services including individual and family counselling.

Mental Health & Cognitive impairment

We help people living with mental illness and disability in:

  • Local & Children’s Court cases where capacity is in doubt

  • Applications for diversion into treatment or support (‘Section 14’s’)

  • Serious criminal cases in the District & Supreme Court involving:

    • fitness to stand trial

    • criminal responsibility & voluntariness questions

    • impairment of capacity

    • reduced moral culpability and mitigation of sentence.

  • Mental Health Review Tribunal (MHRT) cases (both civil and forensic)

  • Guardianship Division cases in the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT)

 

Traffic and Driving

Driver’s License issues can have serious knock-on effects for work, family and life. For most of us, the stakes are high: loss of license is a disaster.

If a traffic law problem means you have to go to court, there is no need to go it alone, or guess. We advise and appear in all driving and traffic cases.

We know unusual circumstances and complex problems can lead to loss of points, suspension and traffic charge(s). Where appropriate, we can link you with professional services (e.g. drug and alcohol counselling) to assist you in a holistic way and help you achieve the best possible outcome.

If you would like to talk about an appeal, plea for leniency, ‘section 10’ (non-conviction), interlock or disqualification, our lawyers offer clear advice that you can count on.

Inquests and Inquiries

We help people involved in:

  • coronial, police and special investigations

  • inquests and other inquiries

  • Royal Commissions. 

Our senior lawyers have assisted countless families in coronial inquest proceedings and complainants in Royal Commission proceedings.

This brings a unique perspective to our work.

We assist people who are compelled to appear or provide information (e.g. under summons, warrant or notice to give information). We also assist people who participate voluntarily. 

Ask for our advice on your obligations, rights, options and applicable risks, if you like?

Victim Survivors

We assist victim survivors of sexual offending to navigate various aspects of the legal system.  This includes helping to keep counselling information private during criminal proceedings (through sexual assault communications privilege).

We can also help with specialist advice about making a complaint and the investigation and trial process, and with independent representation in respect of particular issues and concerns. For example:

  • representations and complaints to NSW Police and/or the Director of Public Prosecutions

  • suppression & access orders

  • discreet evidentiary & procedure issues.

We do not have capacity to assist with compensation claims at the moment.

Public interest & Pro bono

Everyone benefits when lawyers give all they can to ensure equitable access to quality legal services.

Our aim is to provide expert and integrated legal services in our areas of practice, delivering as much pro bono (‘for the public good’) assistance as possible.

We take legal aid cases and welcome referrals from caseworkers and NGOs.

We also understand that many who miss out on aid still struggle to afford representation.

Please let us know if you would like to know more about our practice model, and our current pro bono capacity.

Justicia Advocacy work with an extended network of experts and specialist counsel, drawing on the skills, knowledge, and court-craft each case requires.

Our team appear regularly in all Sydney metropolitan courts. 

We also travel throughout NSW & the ACT wherever our specialist expertise is required.

Our Team

 

Catriona Cotton
Founder & Director | Solicitor Advocate

 

BA/LLB Hons I (Macq) , Grad Dip Leg Prac (Coll Law), LLM (Crim Justice & Criminology), Acc Spec (Criminal Law)

With more than 20 years experience across NSW courts and tribunals, and impeccible academic credentials, Catriona is highly qualified. She is a Law Society of NSW Accredited Specialist in Criminal Law and past recipient of:

  • NSW Public Defenders Prize (awarded to the highest performing student in the UNSW Law Masters program)

  • Law Society of NSW John Hennessy Research Scholarship

  • an embarrassing array of prizes at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Catriona is known for her frank and fearless advice, setting a cracking pace, and distilling complex concepts clearly. Her extensive knowledge, fierce commitment and care for her clients make her a formidable opponent. Her tenacity and intellect ensure great results.

Catriona enjoys working with clients from all walks of life, appearing for white collar and C-suite professionals, as well as high risk offenders, seniors and children, to date as young as 6, and over 90 yo. She has extensive experience in:

  • Bail advocacy

  • District and Supreme Court trials (including homicides and cases involving witness intermediaries)

  • Sexual assault and domestic and family violence cases

  • Mental health matters including fitness inquiries, special hearings and substantial impairment. Higher court sentencing and appeals (District Court, CCA and HCA)

  • Complex summary hearings & related cases (including CPOR & CPOPO Act matters)

  • High risk offender proceedings and higher court appeals

 
 

Jasmine Stanton
Practice Leader | Solicitor Advocate

 

BA/LLB (Syd), LLM (Leg Prac) (ANU) , Acc Spec (Children’s Law), Accredited Mediator

Jasmine has over 20 years of experience in criminal law and is a Law Society of NSW Accredited Specialist in Children’s law. and a current member of the NSW Law Society Children’s Law Committee.

Throughout her career she has championed the rights of the most disempowered. She has accrued deep subject matter knowledge across the criminal law spectrum, in children’s law and assisting victims of crime.

Jasmine’s experience means that she can quickly identify legal and factual issues, and work with you to navigate a way forward in a clear and calm manner.  Most importantly, Jasmine is committed to ensuring that you are heard.

She is known for her compassion, care and kindness, as much as her diligence. A trained mediator, she is also a gifted negotiator. Make no mistake though, while she is gentle, she is determined, and fights to win.

Jasmine is a member of the following Legal Aid NSW panels:

  • Children’s Crime

  • Indictable Crime

  • Summary Crime

  • Domestic Violence

  • Mental Health

  • Sexual Assault Communications Privilege

 
 

Our Network

Meet

Anna-Louise McCall
Disability & OOHC guru | System de-tangler

I am a proud First Nations woman and a specialist NDIS Support Coordinator, working within a culturally safe, trauma-informed practice framework.

My expertise is in supporting individuals where psychosocial disability is compounded by systemic disadvantage. From my background in child protection I also have extensive knowledge of that system.

The focus of my work is helping people where the disability and legal systems intersect. That can be tremendously complex, demanding, and inspiring. Disadvantage is often concentrated. It also repeats unless people with power intervene and do something about it. My client-participants face criminal justice challenges, and are involved in NCAT guardianship and financial management cases, the Mental Health Review Tribunal & the Administrative Review Tribunal.

I work closely with non-Indigenous professionals to promote culturally safe practice across legal and community service settings.

 Frequently Asked Questions

 

This content is for general information purposes only.  It may not be exhaustive or up to date.  It definitely is not a substitute for professional legal advice.  Advice is tailored to your individual situation and usually involves questions and considerations no-one expects a non-lawyer to know. If you would like professional legal advice, please get in contact with us.

  • If police are investigating you, you should tell them nothing more than your name and address UNLESS you have first spoken to a lawyer.

    In some situations, police can require you to give your name and address.  If you are required to give police your identifying details and you do not, you could be committing an offence. 

    Generally speaking, you do not need to tell the police anything more than your identifying information.    

  • If you’re in a public place, the police have powers to give you a “move on” direction in certain circumstances. 

  • Police can only search you in certain situations.  The main 4 are if:

    • you’re under arrest,

    • police have a warrant,

    • police have a suspicion that you’re carrying something illegal or

    • you agree to be searched.

    If police want to search you, you should TELL police that you DO NOT consent/agree to being searched.  If police still want to search you, you should comply with the search (but do NOT agree to the search).  You can talk to a lawyer at a later point about whether the police acted improperly and what you can do about it.  

  • Police can only enter your house in certain situations.  The main 4 are if:

    • there is an emergency

    • police have a warrant,

    • police want to arrest someone and they reasonably believe that the person is in your house

    • you give permission (agree) to police entering your house.

  • You should not talk to the police without first getting legal advice.  You have the right to silence.  This means that the police cannot assume that you’ve got something to hide if you choose not to speak with them.  It is your right to choose not to speak with the police.  There are a limited number of exceptions to this general rule and you should get urgent legal advice if the police consider that one of these exceptions applies.

    Nothing is “off the record” when you are speaking with police.

    If the police want to speak with you, you should first get legal advice.

    If the police want to offer you something in return for speaking with them (eg “we will give you bail if you tell us what happened”) then you should first get legal advice.

  • If the police charge you with an offence, then you will usually need to go to court.  At court, the first thing that the Judicial Officer will want to know is if you are pleading guilty or not guilty.  You can choose to be represented by a lawyer or you can choose to represent yourself.  If you are charged with a serious offence, it is a good idea to get a lawyer.

    Between being charged and your court date, the police need to make a decision about bail.  They can do one of three things:

    • Give you a Court Attendance Notice with no bail - They might give it to you on the spot without taking you back to the police station (sometimes called a Field CAN) or mail it to you.  You are free to go.

    • Release you bail – they will usually take you back to a police station and the Custody Manager will make a decision about whether to grant you bail and if so, what your bail conditions should be.  You will need to sign a bail acknowledgment before you leave the police station.  If you break any of your bail conditions then you can be arrested.

    • Refuse bail - If the police refuse bail, then you will stay in custody and the police must ensure that you are brought before a court as soon as practicable.  This is usually the same day or next day.  

  • If the police refuse bail, then they must ensure that you are brought before a court or authorised justice as soon as practicable.  This will usually be the same day or the next day.

    If this happens, you should get legal advice about asking the court for bail.  

  • There are special protections that apply to people under 18 who are in trouble with the law.  This is to ensure that the legal system accommodates the unique circumstances of children and young people, including that they are generally more vulnerable than adults.  They are also designed to ensure that children and young people understand the legal processes that they are subjected to.  Generally, the Children’s Court prioritises rehabilitation over punishment.

    If you are a child under 18 or are the parent/carer of a person under 18, it is important that you get advice from a lawyer who understands the special protections that apply.

  • Law Society of NSW Accreditation is a measure of excellence. It is achieved through a structured peer-to-peer assessment process, which recognises the expertise of the legal practitioners who achieve specialist status. It is rigorous. Accreditation is held by less than 6% of the profession in NSW.

We believe in…

Big ideas and Real Life Impacts

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Excellence

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Empowerment

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Efficiency

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Effectiveness

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Big ideas and Real Life Impacts • Excellence • Empowerment • Efficiency • Effectiveness •

Contact Us

 

Street address:

Lvl 13/ 111 Elizabeth St, Sydney NSW 2000 

Postal address:

PO Box 1145, Darlinghurst NSW 1300

Phone:

(02) 8089 3118

Email:

help@justiciaadvocacy.com.au

 

Help us to help you! Let us know how you’d like us to reach out, and how we can help? If you already have a court date, please tell us when and where.