Paul Kounnas

Paul is a seasoned advocate and appears in jury trials in the Supreme and County Courts in Victoria.   He holds an Indictable Crime Certificate (ICC) and is on the VLA Preferred Barrister List (PBL) and has developed an expertise in particularly complex jury trials, including those involving special hearings.

Paul welcomes briefs in all indictable criminal matters, both for appearance and advice involving offences such as: 

• Murder and other homicides (Manslaughter, dangerous drive causing death)
• Complex sex trials 
• Terrorism and other Commonwealth matters (including exploitation offences)
• Fraud,  
• Electronic crime, including complex cyber crime matters.
• Major drug and organized crime matters (including conspiracies and other complex applications)
   

Paul is available to be briefed independently or as lead counsel, with a junior barrister through the Legal Aid trial development program or where the complexity of the matter demands it.  He is invested in incorporating technology in his practice and encourages electronic briefs.  He has a strong understanding of technology in the court room and its application to criminal trials.

In addition to a busy trial practice, Paul is available for advice briefs and for appearances in the Court of Appeal both following trial/plea, or interlocutory appeals in complex evidence issues.

Some recent high profile matters Paul has been involved in include: 

• Monaghan v The King [2022] VSCA 247
• DPP v Sullivan [2023] VCC 1506 
• Hollingsworth v The Queen [2021] VSCA 354
• DPP v McDonough [2023] VSC 352 (at trial)
• Sharman (a pseudonyum) v The King [2023] VSCA 56
• R v Munze [2020] VSC 272] and (R v Munze (no 2) [2020] VSC 481, (no 3) [2020 VSC 846]. 
• DPP v Churchill (a pseudonym) [2023] VCC 300
• Minogue v Falkingham [2022] VSCA 111
• Elliot (a pseudonym) v The King [2023] VSCA 48
• DPP (Cth) v ABC (a pseudonym) [2023] VCC 446

Adjacent to this, Paul has special interest in compensation matters (both under the s85 Sentencing Act provisions and the Common Law) as well as disciplinary hearings in all jurisdictions.  He also has a wealth of experience with reviews under the Serious Offenders Act and Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act. 

Paul teaches advocacy at the Victorian Bar (as an Accredited Advocacy Coach) and has previously taught in Papua New Guinea and to various Australian Government instrumentalities.  Previously he was also appointed a special prosecutor in Nauru with the conduct of the Nauru Riots cases.

Paul accepts readers and invites prospective Bar reader candidates to contact him about future opportunities. 

Paul was previously a member of the Bar’s ethics committee.