SEVENTH FLOOR GARFIELD BARWICK CHAMBERS

HUGO ATKINSON

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AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Appellate Law
Criminal Law
Children’s Criminal Law
Commissions, Inquests & Inquiries
Environmental Criminal Law
Family Law
Mental Health Law
Regulatory Prosecutions
Parole Hearings
Public Law
Professional Disciplinary Proceedings
Intentional Torts
Judicial Review
Sports Law

ADMISSIONS & APPOINTMENTS

Admitted as a solicitor in 2017 (NSW)
Admitted as a barrister in 2024 (NSW)

BACKGROUND & EXPERIENCE

Hugo regularly appears in the Supreme Court, District Court, Local Court, and Children’s Courts. His primary area of practice is criminal law, covering summary, indictable, and appellate criminal matters. He also accepts briefs in regulatory prosecutions, disciplinary proceedings, intentional torts, high risk offender applications, and inquiries. Before being called to the Bar, Hugo worked as a Trial Advocate for the Aboriginal Legal Service and as a Senior Solicitor at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency. In these roles, he appeared in both jury and judge-alone trials. Hugo has represented mentally unfit defendants in special hearings and in sentence proceedings in the District Court. Additionally, he has appeared complex cases in the Local and Children’s Courts. He has acted in appeal proceedings in the Court of Criminal Appeal, Supreme Court, and District Court. Prior to his career as a solicitor, Hugo was a Tipstaff in the Supreme Court of NSW and worked as a paralegal at the Crown Solicitor’s Office.

SELECT CASES
R v Williamson [2024] NSWDC – Appeared as trial advocate – Judge alone trial – issue of whether injuries amounted to grievous bodily harm – not guilty for grievous bodily harm – directed verdict of not guilty for wounding – plea of guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm – Sentenced to ICO

R v Hickling [2024] NSWDC – Appeared as trial advocate – Special hearing for mentally unfit client – DNA evidence excluded on voir dire – identification in issue – not guilty

R v Weatherall [2023] NSWSC 710 – Appeared as trial advocate – first decision considering applicability of s15AAA of the Crimes Act 1914 (Cth)

R v Ezekial Narndu [2023] NTSC – Appear as counsel in manslaughter trial

R v Kassidy Shaw [2023] NTSC – Appeared as counsel in dangerous driving causing death trial

Stratton v State of New South Wales; Pandolfi v Minister for Health and Medical Research [2023] NSWSC 396 – constitutional issue regarding implied freedom of political communication during public health orders.

Kitson v Director of Public Prosecutions (NSW) [2019] NSWSC 1856 – Appeared as solicitor – Supreme Court bail – cause shown – unacceptable risks mitigated – bail granted

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