Criminal Law
Barristers in this area
Bio
Katie Borich specialises in criminal defence and represents clients across Auckland in a variety of criminal cases.
Katie started her career as a junior barrister for Tiffany Cooper KC where she assisted with serious matters such as sexual assaults, violence and commercial drug dealing. Katie also appeared as junior counsel on numerous complex jury trials. Katie then worked at the Public Defence Service for several years before joining the independent bar in 2024. Across her career Katie has appeared in the District Court, High Court and the Court of Appeal.
As a barrister sole, Katie regularly appears for her own clients before the District Court, High Court and before the Parole Board along with assisting senior barristers in trial. Katie thrives in building strong and trusting relationships with her clients, her approach combines her professional expertise with empathy.
Katie is an approved legal aid provider (PAL 1 - 2) and accepts private instruction.
Bio
Luke Ameye is a barrister, specialising in criminal defence.
He joined the bar in 2019, and has since worked throughout New Zealand on criminal cases of all levels.
Bio
Appointed Kings Counsel in 2022.
Tiffany Cooper leads high-profile criminal cases. She has a particular expertise in sexual offending, drug offending and homicide.
She conducts long and complex criminal trials throughout the country in both the High Court and District Court, and on appeals against conviction or sentence in the Court of Appeal. She has appeared as lead counsel in hundreds of jury trials and dozens of times before the Court of Appeal.
Tiffany has taught advocacy at the Australian Bar Association Advanced Trial Advocacy Intensive in Brisbane as well as here in New Zealand.
Bio
Katie has worked on a variety of cases from traffic offences to serious drug charges, violence, sexual violence, and a range of conviction and sentence appeals. She is a strong and dedicated advocate, treating all clients with respect and empathy.
Katie was admitted to the bar in 2024, having graduated from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts. Katie’s dissertation focused on a “trauma informed approach to criminal justice in New Zealand”. She strives to use this knowledge in her everyday practice.
Bio
Sacha is an accomplished criminal barrister with extensive trial and appellate experience across New Zealand's criminal courts. She has conducted dozens of jury trials in both the District and High Court, covering a wide range of serious charges including murder, serious violence, sexual violation (including offending against children), complex spree offending and major drug-related and organised crime.
Sacha also has substantial appellate experience, regularly appearing in the High Court and Court of Appeal. In addition to general criminal work, she has acted in regulatory prosecutions for a range of government agencies.
She has particular expertise in youth justice. Sacha has appeared in a significant number of Youth Court matters, often involving complex jurisdictional issues, care and protection proceedings, issues regarding fitness to stand trial, and the unlawful arrest or detention of young people.
Sacha began her legal career clerking for the Principal Youth Court Judge, before joining the Manukau Crown Solicitor’s office. After six years as a Crown prosecutor, she moved to the Independent Bar in 2022. She continues to regularly appear in the District and High Courts.
Sacha accepts both private instructions and Legal Aid criminal assignments (PAL 4), as well as criminal appeals in the Court of Appeal or Supreme Court. She is a Court-appointed Youth Advocate.
Bio
Olivia works as a junior barrister for Claire Robertson.
Olivia completed her double degree in Law and Criminal Justice at Canterbury University. Before joining Cornerstone Chambers in 2024, Olivia started her career as a graduate and then as a lawyer at the Public Defence Service.
Olivia has experience appearing in the District and High Courts. This includes appearances in both Judge-alone and jury trials, pre-trials, and other bail and sentencing matters. Olivia assists Claire with case preparation and for substantial matters both will appear in Court. Olivia is often the point of contact for clients and appears as sole counsel for preliminary and administrative appearances.
Outside of work, Olivia has been a committee member for the Auckland Women’s Lawyers Association since 2023.
Bio
Claire Robertson is an experienced criminal barrister with extensive jury trial experience, gained in over 15 years of practise.
Formerly a Senior Crown Prosecutor, Claire joined the independent bar in 2022 and now specialises in criminal defence work. Her dual experience in both prosecution and defence provides a distinct advantage, ideally positioning her to advise clients facing serious criminal charges.
Claire defends clients facing charges for murder, serious violence, sexual offending, Class A drugs and organised crime, and all manner of less serious charges. Claire appears in trials in both the District and High Court. Relatedly, she conducts appeals, name suppression applications, bail applications, sentencings and applications for discharges without conviction, and represents clients before the Parole Board. Claire also has particular expertise in youth justice and is regularly appointed to represent young people facing serious criminal charges.
Claire is driven to attain the best possible results for her clients. Combining a strategic mindset and strong attention to detail, she ensures every aspect of a client’s case is meticulously prepared and powerfully presented.
Claire is able to take instructions privately and on legal aid. Claire is assisted in her practice by her junior barrister, Olivia Manaton.
Claire remains a member of the Crown Solicitor’s panel and is a faculty member for the NZLS Litigation Skills Programme. She is also a member of the Criminal Bar Association and NZ Bar Association.
Bio
David Stevens is assisted by Ryan Jones, an experienced PAL 2 criminal defence lawyer. Before working with David, Ryan worked at the Public Defence Service for three years.
Ryan regularly appears in the District and High Courts throughout New Zealand on a range of matters, including bail applications, applications for name suppression, sentencing hearings, applications for a discharge without conviction, pre-trial hearings, and jury trials. He also regularly appears in respect of criminal proceeds matters.
Ryan also deals with appellate work. He has successfully appealed cases to the High Court and regularly assists David in the Court of Appeal.
Bio
David is an experienced criminal lawyer specialising in serious crime. He acts for both the Crown and defence as lead counsel.
David enjoys working with people and achieving the best possible results for his clients, irrespective of the charges they are facing. He has appeared as lead or sole counsel in trials for murder, serious violence, sexual violation, commercial drug offending and traffic offences.
David's appellate experience includes numerous appeals to the Court of Appeal and High Court.
Prior to joining the independent bar, David was classified as senior Crown counsel in 2017. He is available for private instruction and is an approved legal aid provider for all criminal matters (PAL4), appeals and proceeds of crime cases. He is regularly instructed by the Crown to prosecute jury trials.
David has significant experience with departmental prosecutions, Parole Board work and Coronial inquiries. He has experience in proceedings involving the Department of Corrections, the Inland Revenue Department, the Department of Conservation, the Ministry for Primary Industries, Statistics New Zealand, Immigration New Zealand, the Northland Fish and Game Council, and the SPCA.
David is a member of one of the New Zealand Law Society’s National Standards Committees.
Bio
Sacha is ably assisted by junior barrister, Libby Brown.
Libby is an experienced PAL 2 criminal defence lawyer, having previously worked at the Public Defence Service. Libby also has experience in coronial work, having clerked for the Office of the Chief Coroner.