Criminal Lawyer (2+years PAE)

Job Description

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Hugo Law Group is seeking a Criminal Lawyer with 2+ years PAE with strong foundational experience and a genuine passion for criminal law to join our Sydney office.

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Recognised by Doyle's Guide as a First Tier leading criminal defence law firm in Sydney, Hugo Law Group offers the opportunity to build your career within one of Australia’s leading criminal defence practices. You will work across serious and complex criminal matters alongside experienced solicitors and some of Sydney’s most highly regarded barristers, while taking meaningful responsibility for your matters and continuing to strengthen your technical, strategic and client management skills

About us \n

Hugo Law Group is a dynamic national criminal law firm with offices in Sydney, Canberra and Perth. We are recognised for providing exceptional representation to people facing serious criminal charges and for the quality, preparation and strategic approach we bring to every matter.

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Our culture is collaborative, ambitious and people focussed. We prioritise mentoring, professional development and arming our lawyers with the skills they need to succeed. At Hugo Law Group you will work alongside talented practitioners and have access to meaningful training and competitive employee benefits

About the Role \n

We are looking for a Criminal Lawyer with 2+ years post-admission experience who is passionate about criminal law, client service and delivering high-quality legal work.

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Based in our Sydney office, you will work closely with our Partners and senior lawyers across a broad range of criminal matters. The role will involve managing and progressing your own files, analysing evidence, preparing matters for hearing and trial and briefing and working closely with counsel in serious and complex proceedings.

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You will have the opportunity to be involved in matters from the initial client conference through to finalisation, while continuing to develop your technical skills, strategic judgement and confidence in managing increasingly complex work.

Day to day you will: \n

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• Manage a broad range of criminal and traffic matters with appropriate supervision and support.
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• Take responsibility for progressing files from initial instructions through to resolution.
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• Review and analyse briefs of evidence and identify key factual, evidentiary and legal issues.
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• Prepare comprehensive briefs to counsel for defended hearings, trials, appeals and other complex proceedings.
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• Work with barristers and senior solicitors to develop case strategy and prepare matters for court.
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• Draft high-quality legal correspondence, written advice, submissions and court material.
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• Conference with clients, witnesses, experts and counsel.
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• Provide clear, practical and strategic advice to clients throughout their matter.
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• Manage client relationships with empathy, clarity and professionalism.
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• Collaborate with lawyers across our Sydney, Canberra and Perth offices.
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About you \n

Skills, judgment and a genuine passion for criminal law are what we are looking for.

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You will bring a strong work ethic, a proactive approach and the ability to contribute to a supportive, close-knit team environment.

The ideal candidate will have: \n

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• 2+ years PAE, with experience in criminal law.
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• A genuine interest in building a long-term career in criminal defence.
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• Experience managing your own files or significant aspects of criminal matters with appropriate supervision.
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• Strong legal analysis, research and problem-solving skills.
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• Excellent written communication and drafting skills.
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• The ability to carefully analyse evidence and identify the key issues in complex matters.
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• Strong client management and communication skills.
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• A proactive and organised approach to file management and matter preparation.
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• Sound judgment, attention to detail and a commitment to producing high-quality work.
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• Team spirit, integrity and a willingness to learn from and support colleagues.
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What we Offer \n

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• A competitive salary package that grows with your experience, plus mobile phone, CPD training, membership fees and practice certificate costs.
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• The opportunity to work on serious and complex matters with meaningful responsibility and client exposure.
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• Direct experiences briefing and working with highly regarded barristers.
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• Opportunities to work with leading criminal defence practitioners across Sydney, Canberra and Perth.
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• Structured mentoring and genuine support for your long term career progression.
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• Exposure to a diverse range of criminal matters and complex proceedings.
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• A dynamic, close knit and energised workplace where you contribution is recognised and valued.
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• A genuine commitment to professional development and helping our lawyers build successful and rewarding careers in criminal law.
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Applications close at 5pm on Monday, 21 September 2026, however we reserve the right to close applications earlier if the right candidate is found.

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All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

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