Ffyona is a member of Crockett Chambers and accepts briefs in all areas of criminal and quasi-criminal law, as well as select areas of public law, including coronial inquests, inquiries and investigations, disciplinary hearings, OH&S, regulatory matters, as well as suppression/non-publication order proceedings and public interest immunity claims.
She has particular expertise in death investigations and prosecutions, professional disciplinary hearings, white collar crime (primarily securities, director's duties, and tax), fraud, child abuse allegations, and complex offending involving juvenile/youthful offenders.
Ffyona is a current member of the Victoria Legal Aid Criminal Trial Preferred Barrister List.
Professional Background
Since coming to the Bar, Ffyona has appeared in a wide range of matters across every level of the State courts from VCAT through to the Court of Appeal. She has appeared in jury trials (led and unled) in Victoria and the ACT, and in contested hearings in the Children's Court, Coroners Court, Magistrates' Court, VCAT and the AAT.
Before coming to the Bar Ffyona worked as a solicitor advocate in private practice, at Victoria Legal Aid, and at the Department of Health and Human Services (now DFFH). She has also worked at the Coroners' Court of Victoria, Robert Stary Lawyers (now Stary Norton Halphen), and Legal Aid Queensland. Prior to her career in law, Ffyona had roles in IT/Finance at IBM UK Ltd, and in education and social work for various organisations (private, not for profit, and government) in Scotland.
Academic Work
In 2019, Ffyona completed a Master of Laws (Criminal Practice) with Distinction at the University of Wollongong. Her minor thesis related to issues with the pre-recorded evidence of child complainants in sex offences; it was marked by the Honourable Terry Buddin SC (NSW Supreme Court/Court of Criminal Appeal).
Ffyona has been a sessional academic at Deakin University since 2020; she was previously a sessional academic at The Australian National University in its GDLP Program.
Ffyona completed her LLB at Bond University in Queensland.
Publications
She is the co-author (with Felicity Gerry KC) of the 'Children' chapter in Bourke’s Criminal Law Victoria, published by LexisNexis.
Committee & Bar Association Memberships
Ffyona is a Member of the 2023/2024 Victorian Bar Council, in Category B (Counsel who are not of King's Counsel or Senior Counsel and are of not more than 15 years nor less than 6 years standing).; she is also a member of the Counsel Committee. Ffyona was similarly a member of the Bar Council in 2022/2023.
Her other Bar Association, and committee memberships are as follows:
- Victorian Bar LGBTI Working Group (since 2019)
- Australian Bar Association Criminal Law Committee (since 2019)
- Australian Bar Association Diversity & Inclusion Committee (2019 - 2021)
- Criminal Bar Association Committee, Ordinary Member (2018 - 2022)
- Criminal Bar Association Member
- Commercial Bar Assocation Member
- Women Barristers Association Member
Additionally, Ffyona currently sits on the Victorian Department of Justice and Community Safety's Child and Youth Witness Service Advisory Committee.
Ffyona is an interstate member of the ACT Bar Assocation, and a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Ffyona read with Elizabeth Ruddle KC, now Senior Crown Prosecutor; her senior mentor is Rachel Doyle S.C..
