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Brendan Searson
2011 Graduate Certificate of Applied Management
2010 Master of Legal Practice
Brendan has nearly 20 years of advocacy experience, including five years developing advocates. He has experience in appellate, superior and inferior courts, children’s courts, and the New South Wales Civil & Administrative Tribunal. Brendan accepts briefs to appear in all New South Wales courts and tribunals, including in regional and remote locations.
Brendan specialises in criminal defence and prosecution, intentional torts, inquests and commissions of inquiry plus administrative tribunals. Brendan draws on the extensive knowledge and experience he gained as a Senior Legal Consultant within the Office of the General Counsel, Senior Police Prosecutor, Manager of Professional Development and Director of Prosecutors Operations within the NSW Police Force. In addition to appearance work, Brendan represented the NSW Police Force on NSW Government working parties that developed and/or implemented new law related to Bail, Sentencing, Domestic Violence Evidence in Chief, Early Appropriate Guilty Pleas and legislation related to Apprehended Violence Orders. Brendan has a thorough knowledge of counter-terrorism law and its application in a policing context, having examined numerous police counter-terrorism commanders in mock inquests over eight months in 2019.
Brendan has lectured at Western Sydney University in Criminal Procedure and Evidence and is published in relation to criminal and evidentiary issues.
Brendan is currently a volunteer member of the Tribunal of Basketball NSW. He was previously a member of the Law Society’s Legal Technology Committee.
2019, Senior Legal Consultant, Torts and Compensation Law, Chief Inspector, Office of the General Counsel, NSW Police Force (NSWPF)
2009, 2014-2015, 2018-2019, Acting Director, Prosecutors Operations, NSWPF
2018, Manager, Law Enforcement Conduct Commission Coordination Unit, Chief Inspector, Professional Standards Command, NSWPF
2017-2018, Chief of Staff to the Region Commander, South West Metropolitan Region and Corporate Sponsor, Custody and Corrections, Chief Inspector, NSWPF
2015-2017, Chief of Staff to the Deputy Commissioner, Field Operations and Specialist Operations, A/Superintendent, NSWPF
2011-2015, Lecturer, Criminal Procedure and Evidence, University of Western Sydney
2010-2015, Manager, Professional Development and Prosecution Support, Inspector, Police Prosecutions, NSWPF
1999-2015, Police Prosecutor, Legal Services, NSWPF
2019, Called to the NSW Bar
2011, Admitted as a Solicitor of the NSW Supreme Court
R v Clay; R v Denning (NSWDC, 2020, unreported) – Aggravated Detain for advantage – Appeared unled for the defendant
R v Phillips (NSWDC, 2020, unreported) – Aggravated Assault with intent to rob – Claim of right – Appeared unled for the Crown
R v Manoukian (NSWDC, 2020, unreported) – Fraud – Appeared unled for the Crown
Rich v SNSW (NSWDC, 2019, unreported) – Negligence – Appeared unled for the defendant
Zhang v TK Legal (NSWDC, 2019, unreported) – Claim for money had and received – Appeared led for the plaintiff
Purdy v R (NSWDC, 2019, unreported) – Conviction and sentence appeal – Appeared unled for the respondent
Seale v NSWPF (NSWDC, 2019, unreported) – Appeal against the making of an Apprehended Violence Order – Appeared unled for the respondent
Rogers v Commissioner of Police, New South Wales Police Force [2019] NSWCATAD 93 – Review of revocation of security licence – Appeared unled for the respondent
NSWPF v Fox (NSWLC, 2020, unreported) – Application for ADVO – Appeared unled for the defendant
R v Sherwood (NSWLC, 2013, unreported) – Assault occasioning actual bodily harm – Appeared for the prosecution – One of the first successful prosecutions where police witnesses gave evidence remote from the courtroom using Facetime as the Audio Visual Link
R v Singh (NSWLC, 2004, unreported) – Negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm – Appeared for the prosecution – Two crash reconstruction experts with differing opinions
R v CB (NSWChC, unreported, 2009) – Recklessly wound other whilst in company – appeared for the prosecution
R v SE (NSWChC, unreported, 2008) – Forensic procedure and suppression order applications – Appeared for the applicant in relation to a child suspected of attempt murder