Julia Kretzenbacher

Julia Kretzenbacher practises in commercial, criminal and public law.  She also accepts briefs in quasi-criminal matters.

Since coming to the bar, Julia has been briefed in a range of commercial matters, including:

• Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Mitchell (No 2) [2020] FCA 1098 (led by Michael Pearce SC with Aaron Weinstock).
• ACCC v Volkswagen AG NSD 1462 of 2017; ACCC v Audi AG NSD 322 of 2017.

Julia also appears in criminal, quasi-criminal and public law matters. Since coming to the bar, she has appeared in both summary and indictable jurisdictions, including appeals and trials. She appears in contested hearings, bail applications, pleas, committals and trials. Significant matters include:

• Finn v The Queen [2018] VSCA 228 (led by Felicity Gerry KC).
• Re DG; An application under the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act 1997 (No 2) [2018] VSC 469 (unled).
• Milosev v The Queen [2019] VSCA 121 (unled - pro bono).
• Rowson v Department of Justice and Community Safety [2020] VSC 236 (led by Emrys Nekvapil).
• Veness v The Queen [2020] NTCCA 13 (led by Felicity Gerry KC).
• Kovacevic v The Queen [2021] VSCA 49 (led by Felicity Gerry KC).
• Karam v The King [2022] VSC 808 (led by Dr Theo Alexander and Erik Dober - pro bono).
• Do v Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages [2023] VSC 200 (led by Liam Brown, Crown Counsel for the State of Victoria).
• Karam v The King [2023] VSCA 318 (led by Julie Condon KC, with Dr Theo Alexander and Erik Dober - pro bono). 

Julia was part of the team who prepared and submitted a Petition for Mercy to the Administrator of the NT in the case of Zak Grieve. Mr Grieve is a young Aboriginal man, who had no prior convictions when he was tried and found guilty of murder, for a murder which he did not physically commit and where the sentencing judge found he was not present during the commission of the murder. In 2013, he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a 20 year non-parole period. Mr Grieve's sentence was a result of strict mandatory sentencing laws in the NT. The Petition for Mercy was successful and in December 2018, the Administrator of the NT exercised the Preogrative of Mercy to reduce Mr Grieve's non-parole period to 12 years. 

Prior to coming to the bar, Julia was a lawyer at Arnold Bloch Leibler.  Julia gained experience in a broad range of commercial matters, including contractual disputes, shareholders’ rights and class actions. Her practice had a strong focus on insolvency matters.  Julia was particularly involved with the Willmott Forests Ltd and Gunns Ltd liquidations and worked on  Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and High Court proceedings in respect of those liquidations. 

In 2016, Julia worked as the Senior Associate to Santamaria JA at the Court of Appeal of Victoria.  She was responsible for the case management of all applications and appeals, both civil and criminal, before Santamaria JA. 

Julia worked as a criminal solicitor advocate from 2013 to 2016 at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (‘NAAJA’) in Darwin.  She appeared in the Magistrates’ Court and the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory.  Her practice included indictable and summary matters and she regularly appeared in bail applications, pleas, committals and contested summary hearings.  

Julia was accepted and participated in the 2019 VLA Trial Counsel Development Program. Julia is on the VLA Criminal Trial Preferred Barrister List and holds an Indictable Crime Certificate.

Julia read with Dr Theo Alexander.  Her senior mentor was George Georgiou SC (now His Honour Judge Georgiou of the County Court).

Julia has a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Melbourne. In 2023, Julia completed a Master of Laws at the University of Melbourne. She is also a teaching associate at Monash University and Deakin University, where she has taught in criminal law and procedure and evidence.

Julia was the 2020/21 President of Liberty Victoria and is currently a member of its Criminal Justice Policy Committee. She is also member of the Victorian Bar's Human Rights Committee and has been a member of the Indigenous Justice Committee. Julia is also a member of the Foley's List Committee.

Julia speaks German fluently.