About Australian Lawyers and Advocates

Founded by Jack Leitner and Daniel Shestowsky, Australian Lawyers and Advocates is dedicated to providing high quality legal representation to all of our clients. We believe that all of our clients should be part of their legal team and not simply treated as a number. We understand that legal proceedings, no matter which form they might take, can be confusing and stressful.


We are your strength throughout the course of your matter and pride ourselves in being with you every step of the way. As experienced advocates, we are your voice inside and outside of the courtroom and pride ourselves on our ability to present your case in order to advance your interests in the pursuit of the best possible outcome.


Many law firms claim to be the ‘best’ or ‘leading’ law firms. We don’t talk ourselves up, but instead let our results, reputation and high level of client service and satisfaction speak for themselves.


Jack Leitner

B.SocSc (Criminology), LL.B (Hons), GDLP, Acc. Spec (Crim)

Legal Practice Director

Jack is a passionate and highly skilled lawyer and advocate with high-level attention to detail, and is committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for his clients. Jack’s expertise and experience in the field of Criminal Law has resulted in him being one of a small number of criminal lawyers accredited by the NSW Law Society as a lawyer who has demonstrated specialised competence in the field of criminal law and who has been conferred Specialist Accreditation by the Law Society under its Specialist Accreditation scheme.

Daniel Shestowsky

BA (Pol), LLB, GDLP

Legal Practice Director

Daniel is a passionate and driven advocate for his clients. He has a focused and committed attitude to representing his clients and he recognises that every client’s matter is a significant priority in their lives. Daniel is an experienced advocate in the Courtroom, having appeared in all variety of Courts in Sydney and Greater NSW.

What Our Clients Are Saying

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2 weeks ago
Australian Lawyers and Advocates
Our client had her charge dismissed pursuant to a diversion under the Mental Health and Cognitive Impairment Forensic Provisions Act 2020 (NSW) at Bankstown Local Court. In some cases, rather than proceeding to trial or sentence, it may be appropriate instead to have your case dealt with by diverting you away from the criminal justice system. To find out more about mental health diversion applications please check out our blog:

https://australianlawyersandadvocates.com.au/mental-health-and-cognitive-impairment-diversions-in-nsw/

Our client had her charge dismissed pursuant to a diversion under the Mental Health and Cognitive Impairment Forensic Provisions Act 2020 (NSW) at Bankstown Local Court. In some cases, rather than proceeding to trial or sentence, it may be appropriate instead to have your case dealt with by diverting you away from the criminal justice system. To find out more about mental health diversion applications please check out our blog:

australianlawyersandadvocates.com.au/mental-health-and-cognitive-impairment-diversions-in-nsw/
... See MoreSee Less

Available when you need us most! Bail granted for client arrested and charged this morning with Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm and Common Assault at Parramatta Local Court.

Available when you need us most! Bail granted for client arrested and charged this morning with Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm and Common Assault at Parramatta Local Court. ... See MoreSee Less

4 weeks ago
Australian Lawyers and Advocates
Preparation + advocacy = results. No conviction recorded against our client charged with an offence of Stalk/Intimidate at Katoomba Local Court.

Preparation + advocacy = results. No conviction recorded against our client charged with an offence of Stalk/Intimidate at Katoomba Local Court. ... See MoreSee Less

2 months ago
Australian Lawyers and Advocates
We never give up! After a hearing at Port Kembla Local Court on 13 June 2024, our client was acquitted of 3 counts of Common Assault and 3 counts of Intimidation. The Magistrate found our client guilty of one charge of Intimidation however we persuaded the Magistrate to not record a conviction against our client. Not satisfied with the outcome, we advised our client to appeal the Magistrate’s verdict and today, on appeal, our clients guilty verdict was quashed at Wollongong District Court.

We never give up! After a hearing at Port Kembla Local Court on 13 June 2024, our client was acquitted of 3 counts of Common Assault and 3 counts of Intimidation. The Magistrate found our client guilty of one charge of Intimidation however we persuaded the Magistrate to not record a conviction against our client. Not satisfied with the outcome, we advised our client to appeal the Magistrate’s verdict and today, on appeal, our client's guilty verdict was quashed at Wollongong District Court. ... See MoreSee Less

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Frequently Asked Questions

Criminal lawyers defend their clients in a range of criminal law matters, including:

  • Driving offences
  • Drug offences
  • Theft and property offences
  • Assault and sexual offences
  • Domestic violence
  • Murder and manslaughter
  • Weapons offences
  • Fraud, forgery, identity and money laundering offences
  • Any other criminal law offence

Criminal lawyers in Australia represent people who have been charged with crimes. The criminal lawyer’s job is to use their legal knowledge and experience to assess their client’s case, provide legal advice, and ultimately present the best possible case for the client. Criminal lawyers can also represent people who are suspects in a criminal matter and give crucial advice and representation to clients before they are arrested, interviewed and charged by the Police.

Yes, criminal lawyers represent their clients in a variety of courts such as the Children’s Court, Local Court, District Court and Supreme Court. If you need to go to court, it’s advisable to engage a knowledgeable, reputable and experienced criminal defence lawyer to present your case.

When deciding on a criminal lawyer in Sydney, it’s essential that you choose a legal firm with extensive knowledge and experience in the area of criminal law. At Australian Lawyers and Advocates, we’re your criminal law experts, with proven results behind us.

If you’re looking for the best criminal lawyers in Sydney, get in touch with our friendly team today.

When working with your criminal defence lawyer, it is vitally important that you are sincere and do not withhold any facts — regardless of how good, bad or ugly the truth may be. This will help your criminal defence lawyer achieve the best possible outcome for you.

Criminal lawyers usually base their fees on the type of criminal charge, how complex or simple the case is, and their experience level. As well as being among the best criminal lawyers in Sydney, we pride ourselves on being affordable and offer fixed and time-cost fee arrangements to suit your particular case.

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How can we help?

Get in touch with our team by calling us in order to arrange an appointment to discuss your matter or alternatively, you can contact us with your query below and one of our team will contact you.

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