HANNAH DONALDSON

Criminal Law
Inquests & Commissions of Inquiry
Appellate
Disciplinary and regulatory proceedings
Administrative law
Parole hearings
Family law
High Risk Offender applications
Intentional torts claims
Admitted as a solicitor in 2017 (NSW)
Admitted as a barrister in 2023 (NSW)
Hannah accepts briefs in a wide range of matters with a particular focus on public law including crime, inquests and commissions of inquiry, regulatory and administrative law matters. Hannah also advises on and appears in intentional torts claims against public authorities and family law matters, including parenting proceedings.
Hannah regularly appears unled in jury trials, criminal appeals and local court hearings. She also frequently appears in inquests and inquiries, both as Counsel Assisting and on behalf of interested parties and witnesses.
Before being called to the Bar, Hannah had extensive experience as a criminal solicitor at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency in Darwin and at the Aboriginal Legal Service in NSW. Hannah also oversaw the setup and management of the inaugural coronial inquest unit at the Aboriginal Legal Service.
Hannah has lectured in Advanced Criminal Law at UNSW and has delivered CPDs on a range of evidence topics. She also served on the Law Society of NSW’s Indigenous Issues Committee.
Hannah is a visiting member at Mindil Chambers in the Northern Territory.
Prior to practicing as a solicitor, Hannah was a Mergers and Acquisitions and Tax Advisor at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Professional background
Coronial and Trial Advocate, Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT): January 2022 – July 2023
Managing Solicitor and Senior Solicitor (Northern Region – Lismore), Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT): July 2019 – January 2022
Solicitor and Practice Manager at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (Darwin and remote regions): May 2017 – July 2019
SELECT CASES
Coronial inquests
Inquest into the death of Stanley Russell (police shooting)
Inquest into the death of Tyrone Adams (police pursuit)
Inquest into the death of Brandon Clark (police stop and search, drowning)
Inquest into the death of TG (death in Corrective Services custody)
Inquest into the death of RRC (death in Corrective Services custody)
Inquest into the death of Pukumani Alimankinni (psychiatric inpatient death at Royal Darwin Hospital)
Inquest into the death of C. Guyula (intubation and PACU care at Royal Darwin Hospital)
Inquest into the death of Jai Wright – ongoing – (death in a police operation, led by Josh Brock)
Court of Criminal Appeal
Elwdah v R [2024] NSWCCA 150 (led by A. Chhabra)
High risk offender applications
Attorney-General of the Northern Territory v GJM (No 1) [2020] NTSC 76
Royal Commissions
Royal Commission into the Detention and Protection of Children in the Northern Territory (working for the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency who utilized a grant of leave to appear across all Terms of Reference)