Sam Abbott KC

P:+61 8 8205 2966

F:+61 8 8212 6590

M:+61 438 223 354

E:cslabbott@barchambers.com.au

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  • 1996 Supreme Court of South Australia
  • High Court of Australia

2004

9 September 2014 

26 April 2019

  • BA, University of Adelaide
  • LLB (Hons), University of Adelaide
  • GCLP, University of South Australia
2021 – present
Botanic Gardens Foundation Committee
2020-2023
Chair, Civil and Commercial Committee, SA Bar Association
2020-2023
Bar Council (ex officio)
2020 – present
Legal Practitioners’ Education and Admission Council (Attorney-General’s delegate)
2016
Law Society of South Australia Justice Award – nominee
2015
Australian Bar Association Annual Conference 2015 (Washington and Boston, USA)
2014
Appointed Senior Counsel
2009
Bar Association of England and Wales – International Advanced Advocacy Course – Keble College (Oxford, UK)
1996
Associate to Justice Cox, Supreme Court of SA
1995
Pupilage at Paper Buildings, Inter Temple, London
  • John Bray Law Chapter of the University of SA Alumni Committee
  • Criminal Law Committee, Law Society of SA
  • SASR Reporter
  • Saadat v The Commonwealth 2021–2024 – first in a series of cases concerning Baxter Detention Centre claims – trial – senior counsel – 144 sitting days – decision reserved – torts – contractual indemnity
  • DML Constructions v Dolan [2023] SASC 125 – senior counsel – sentence (environmental contraventions) – appeal
  • White v SA Amateur Football League Inc [2022] SASC 85 – senior counsel – judicial review
  • Ebony Marinoff v AFL Tribunal 2021 – AFL Appeals Tribunal – appeal against penalty
  • Hegarty v Keogh – senior counsel – appeal – solicitor’s contract for services – quantum meruit – summary judgment
    • [2020] SASC 237 – summary dismissal of claim
    • [2021] SASCA 46; [2023] SASCA 30 – Court of Appeal
    • [2023] HCASL 122 – High Court
  • Dolan v Ashton Valley Fresh Pty Ltd [2020] SAERDC 15; [2021] SASC 44; [2020] SAERDC 24 – senior counsel – environmental pollution – statutory defence – trial and appeal against conviction
  • Bell v R; ICAC v Bell [2020] SASCFC 116 – senior counsel – stay of proceedings – abuse of process – interaction between DPP and ICAC
  • R v Mott and Ors – SASC – criminal trials – alleged police corruption
  • Hemmerling v Playford City Council – senior counsel – breach of employment contract and defamation
  • Hongyu Zhao v AST Investments 2018 SASC – senior counsel – stay of civil proceedings
  • R v Tristan Waters 2018–2019 – senior counsel – alleged multi-national 2-tonne cocaine importation – conspiracy – particulars – arrest in Serbia – international extradition
  • R v Romeo 2018 SASC – bail review – extradition – habeas corpus
  • Poniatowska v Channel Seven – Supreme Court – junior then co-senior counsel – defamation – social security law
    • Trial: [2016] SASC 137
    • Costs: [2017] SASC 32
    • Appeal: [2019] SASCFC 111; [2020] SASCFC 5; [2020] SASCFC 37
    • High Court: [2020] HCASL 211 and 212
  • R v Williams [2017] SASCFC 65 – senior counsel – appeal – fresh evidence
  • R v Samra 2017 – Ponzi scheme
  • R v Richards [2016] SASCFC 79 – senior counsel – no-case-to-answer history and procedure – statutory construction
  • R v Duncan [2015] SASCFC 19 – senior counsel – voluntariness and automatism – fresh evidence – jury directions
  • R v Keogh
    • (No. 1) [2015] SASC 179 – co-senior counsel – particulars
    • (No. 2) [2015] SASC 180 – co-senior counsel – prosecutorial disclosure – witness proofing
    • [2014] SASCFC 20 – junior counsel – application for second appeal – forensic scientific evidence – miscarriage of justice
    • (No. 2) [2014] SASCFC 136; (2014) 121 SASR 307 – co-senior counsel – second appeal – miscarriage of justice – role of forensic experts – forensic scientific evidence
    • (No. 3) [2014] SASCFC 137, (2014) 121 SASR 410 application to tender expert report of witness too infirm to give evidence – business records
  • R v Humbles (Supreme Court, 2014) — Lead counsel. Successful application by media to permit publication of juvenile accused’s name and video footage.
  • Lower Eyre Peninsula Bushfires litigation
    • Proude v Visic (Supreme Court) — Junior counsel. Class action litigation; limitation of actions; duty of care of fire authorities; strike-out applications. Decisions: [2012] SASC 184; [2012] SASC 233; [2012] SASC 234; [2013] SASC 154; Full Court: [2013] SASCFC 62.
    • Police v Visic (Magistrates Court) — Lead counsel. Successful defence of charges relating to the cause of the bushfires.
    • Lower Eyre Peninsula Bushfires Inquest (Coroner’s Court, 2005–2007) — Lead counsel. Representation in the Coronial Inquest.
  • Highfield v Urban Construct [2012] SASC 165; [2012] SASC 191 — Junior counsel. Property; contract; orders against both principal and agent; subsequent Federal Court insolvency proceedings.
  • R v McGee (No 2) — District Court: [2007] SADC 10; [2008] SADC 8; CCA: (2008) 102 SASR 318; (2008) 102 SASR 398; High Court: [2009] HCATrans 81. 2006–present — Junior to lead counsel. Successful defence of conspiracy charges; abuse of process; stay; pre-trial publicity.
  • HML v The Queen (2008) 235 CLR 334 — High Court. Junior counsel. Evidence; similar fact; uncharged acts.
  • Harris Scarfe Ltd (Receivers and Managers Appointed) v PricewaterhouseCoopers (Supreme Court of SA, 2006–2007) — Junior counsel. Auditor’s negligence; damages.
  • Landmark v Tiver — Supreme Court & Full Court: [2008] SASC 133, 322; [2009] SASC 14, 118, 185. 2006–present — Junior counsel. Repayment of loan; complex counterclaim; negligent agronomic advice; breach of equitable duties; injunctions; stock and crop orders; contempt proceedings.
  • R v McGee (Magistrates & District Court, 2004–2005) — Junior counsel in initial trial.
  • R v Haydon (Supreme Court of SA, 1999–2006) — Junior counsel. “Snowtown murders” case; assist offender; joinder; similar fact; separate trials; legal professional privilege; forensic science/DNA; appeal against sentence.
  • Chief of Army’s Board of Inquiry — Exercise Big Wall (2002–2003) — Junior counsel assisting. Administrative law; commissions and boards of inquiry; evidence by video link (USA to Canberra).
  • R v Ngo & Le (Supreme Court of SA; Full Court (2002) 135 A Crim R 550) — Counsel. Joinder; severance; similar fact; latent duplicity; Crown appeal against sentence.
  • Haydon v Magistrates Court (Supreme Court of SA — Full Court (2001) 87 SASR 448) — Junior counsel but argued the appeal. Administrative law; judicial review; prerogative writs; informer privilege; legal professional privilege.
  • Haydon v Chivell — Supreme Court of SA: [1999] SASC 382; High Court: (1999) 73 ALJR 1311. Junior counsel. Judicial review; powers of the Coroner; prerogative writs.
  • Sumner v United Kingdom of Great Britain & Ors — Supreme Court of SA: [2000] SASC 91; Full Court; High Court. Lead counsel. International law; crimes against humanity; genocide; conflict of laws.
  • ASX Investigation — “The RetireInvest Case” (1999–2000) — Securities law; stock exchange rules; disciplinary inquiry.
  • Proceedings concerning the extradition of Malcolm Johnson — Federal Court (Full Court): (2005) 8 ALD 1; High Court (UK); UK Court of Appeal; House of Lords; European Court of Human Rights; 1998–2000 — Junior counsel (Australian hearings). Extradition; administrative law; specialty; corporate criminal law.
  • Kite v Malycha (Supreme Court of SA, 1998) — Junior counsel. Medical negligence.
  • Veltri v QBE (Supreme Court of SA, 1995) — Junior counsel. Arson; insurance.

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