Dr Gideon Boas

Gideon Boas has a broad civil and criminal law practice. He has an extensive personal injury practice, with particular expertise in historical sex abuse cases against various religious institutions and State bodies (appearing in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and High Court). He also appears in criminal law trials and appeals (including appeals in the Court of Appeal and High Court). He appears in inquiries and coronial matters, as well as professional negligence and discplinary matters. He is an expert in evidence law, in which he teaches and is widely published (see, e.g., Bellew, Arthur, Boas and Chifflet, Australian Uniform Evidence Law: Principles and Context, LexisNexis 3rd edition 2026). Gideon has considerable experience in complex litigation, both in Australia and internationally.  

Gideon has worked as a Senior Legal Officer at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), where he led the Trial Chamber’s legal team in the Milosevic case. He has also acted for Radovan Karadzic, accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes before the ICTY.

Gideon has delivered legal training on criminal and administrative law matters, including to the Victorian Bar, Judicial College of Victoria, Police Prosecutors, Victoria Legal Aid, the Office of Public Prosecutions and the Department of Justice, on the criminal process implications of the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities. He has given expert legal opinion on a range of matters, including in the extradition and human rights areas. He has consulted for a range of government bodies, including the Australian federal government and Victorian government departments, the United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the United Nations. Gideon has published many books, book chapters and journal articles on criminal law and justice, evidence and procedure, and international law.

Gideon is a Victoria Legal Aid Criminal Trial preferred barrister. He is also an accredited specialist criminal law advocate under the Victorian Bar's Indictable Crime Certificate program.

Gideon is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at La Trobe University.

Some of his select recent select cases include:

           High Court

• DZY (a pseudonym) v Trustees of the Christian Brothers (2025) 99 ALJR 806 (leading Dr Kelly and Mr O'Connor).
• Bird v DP (a Pseudonym) (2024) 419 ALR 552.
• Jin Feng (a pseudonym) v The King [2025] HCADisp 197 (leading Dr Kelly).
• Elijah Falco - a pseudonym v Elijah Falco - a pseudonym v. The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions [2025] HCADisp 43 (leading Mr O'Connor).
• Zayneh v The King [2024] HCASL 103 (leading Dr Kelly).

           Court of Appeal

• CDPP v Charles Daley (a pseudonym); Charles Daley (a pseudonym) v CDPP [2025] VSCA 70 (leading Dr Kelly).
• Stevens (a pseudonym) v Trustees of the Christian Brothers [2025] VSC 512 (leading Mr Carolan). Matter now before Court of Appeal.
• HM (a pseudonym) v Sister Mary Monoghan [2025] VSC 51, permanent stay application (leading Mr Carolan). Matter now before Court of Appeal.
• CDPP v Elijah Falco (a pseudonym) [2024] VSCA 247.
• Trustees of the Christian Bros v DZY (a Pseudonym) [2024] VSCA 73 (leading Dr Kelly).
• Ovadia v the King [2023] VSCA 211.
• Ibrahim Abbas v The Queen [2020] VSCA 80 (leading Mr Smallwood and Ms Green).
• Le v The Queen [2019] VSCA 80 (leading Mr Imrie).

           Supreme Court

• Paul Callaway v State of Victoria & Ors [2026] VSC 41 (leading Ms Vallins).
• Stevens (a pseudonym) v Trustees of the Christian Brothers [2025] VSC 512 (leading Mr Carolan).
• IN THE MATTER of an Application for Bail by Danny Zayneh [2023] VSC 470 (leading Dr Kelly).
• Pending Supreme Court trials, Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania for plaintiff victims of child sexual abuse 

           County Court

• CDPP v Desic [2026] VCC (leading Dr Kelly).
• DPP v Razos [2023] 1077
• Pleas and criminal trials, concluded and pending 

           Coronial Inquests

• Inquest into the Death of George Diamond, Counsel Assisting the Coroner, Judge Cain, Findings 19 Setember 2024.
• Inquest into the Death of XY, Counsel Assisting Coroner McGregor, Findings 19 June 2024.
• Inquest into the Death of Shane Tuck, Counsel Assisting the Coroner, Judge Cain, Findings 11 December 2023.