Jennifer McGarvie

Jennifer McGarvie

  • Admitted: 2013
  • Bar: 2017

Location

William Crockett Chambers
Room 1702, Level 17
460 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne, VIC 3000

Biography

Jennifer accepts briefs to appear and advise in all areas of criminal and quasi-criminal law, including inquests and inquiries, disciplinary tribunals, and council prosecutions.

Jennifer’s criminal practice includes a broad range of serious and complex criminal matters including matters involving homicide, drug trafficking/importation, serious driving offences, sexual offences and serious assaults. She is particularly interested in complex fraud, corporate crime and occupational health and safety matters. 

Jennifer is an experienced advocate, she regularly appears in the summary and indictable jurisdictions in committals, contested hearings, pleas, appeals, bail applications and contraventions. She has appeared as junior counsel in complex trials and in the Court of Appeal.

Jennifer also specialises in written advocacy and drafting advice on criminal, evidentiary and sentencing issues. She advises on and prepares written cases for appellate matters.

She has experience appearing in both State and Commonwealth criminal proceedings, including trials for serious Commonwealth offences. She also appears in matters arising under the Serious Offenders Act and the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act.

Prior to coming to the Bar, Jennifer was an Associate to her Honour Judge Davis at the County Court. In this role, she gained extensive experience in indictable criminal matters including criminal trials, fitness investigations & special hearings, supervision order applications and mental impairment matters. Jennifer commenced her legal career as a solicitor practising in commercial law at Piper Alderman.

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.

Memberships

  • Criminal Bar Association
  • Women Barrister’s Association
  • Victorian Women Lawyers
  • Women in Crime

Recent Cases

  • DPP v Ilija Stojanovic [2021] VCC 551
  • DPP v Mazzeo [2020] VCC 684
  • R v Zhang [2020] VCC 1336 (tobacco importation)
  • Stapleton v The Queen [2020] VSCA 147
  • DPP v Smiljanic [2020] VCC 495
  • DPP v Steinmann [2019] VCC
    Acquittal on Commonwealth drug importation charges (led by Daniel Gurvich QC)
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