Sam Abbott KC

Admitted

1996 Supreme Court of South Australia
High Court of Australia

Signed Bar Roll

2004

Appointed QC

26 April 2019

Appointed SC

9 September 2014

Academic Qualifications

BA, University of Adelaide
LLB (Hons) University of Adelaide

Other

2021	Botanic Gardens Foundation Committee
2020	Chair, Civil and Commercial Committee, SA Bar Association
	Bar Council (ex officio)
2020	Legal Practitioners' Education and Admission Council (Attorney-General's deputy)
2016	Law Society of South Australia Justice Award - nominee
2015	Australian Bar Association Annual Conference 2015 (Washington and Boston, USA)
2014	Appointed Senior Counsel
2009	Bar Association of England and Wales - South Eastern Circuit's 2009 International Advanced Advocacy Course - Keble College (Oxford, UK)
1996	Associate to Justice Cox, Supreme Court of SA
1995	Pupilage at Paper Buildings, Inter Temple, London

Royal Australian Air Force - Wing Commander, Deputy Panel Leader, RAAF Specialist Reserve, National Senior Mentor for RAAF Legal Service

Previous appointments

John Bray Law Chapter of the University of SA Alumni Committee
Criminal Law Committee, Law Society of SA
SASR Reporter

Principal Litigation

• R v Richards [2016] SASCFC 79 senior counsel - no case to answer history and procedure; statutory construction 
• R v Duncan [2015] SASCFC 19  senior counsel – voluntariness and automatism; fresh evidence; jury directions
• R v Keogh (Supreme Court re-trial; pre-trial applications): (No.1) [2015] SASC 179 particulars; (No. 2) [2015] SASC 180 - co-senior counsel: prosecutorial disclosure, witness proofing
• R v Keogh (Supreme Court) [2014] SASCFC 20 Junior counsel - application to take a second appeal - forensic scientific evidence, miscarriage of justice
• R v Keogh (Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeal): (No. 2) [2014] SASCFC 136, (2014) 121 SASR 307  co-senior counsel - miscarriage of justice; role of forensic experts; forensic scientific evidence; (No. 3) [2014] SASCFC 137, (2014) 121 SASR 410 application to tender expert report of witness too infirm to give evidence – business records
• R v Humbles (Supreme Court) 2014 lead counsel - successful application by media to allow publication of juvenile accused's name and video footage
• R v Keogh (Supreme Court) 2014 Junior counsel - application to take a second appeal - forensic scientific evidence, miscarriage of justice
• Lower Eyre Peninsula Bushfires litigation:
  • Proude v Visic (Supreme Court) Junior counsel - class action litigation, limitation of actions, duty of care of Fire authorities, strike out applications [2012] SASC 184, [2012] SASC 233, [2012] SASC 234, [2013] SASC 154. Full Court: [2013] SASCFC 62
  • Police v Visic (Magistrates Court) Lead counsel - successful defence of charges relating to the cause of the bushfires
  • Lower Eyre Peninsula Bushfires Inquest (Coroner's Court) 2005-7 Lead counsel - representation in the Coronial Inquest
• Highfield v Urban Construct [2012] SASC 165; [2012] SASC 191 Junior counsel - property, contract, orders against both principal and agent. Subsequent insolvency proceedings in Federal Court.
• R v McGee (No2) (District ([2007] SADC 10 and [2008] SADC 8), CCA ((2008) 102 SASR 318 and (2008) 102 SASR 398) and High Court [2009] HCATrans 81) 2006-present - successful defence of conspiracy charges - abuse of process, stay, pre-trial publicity
• HML v The Queen (High Court - (2008) 235 CLR 334) Junior Counsel - evidence - similar facts, uncharged acts
• Harris Scarfe Ltd (Receivers and Managers Appointed) v PriceWaterhouse Coop ers (Supreme Court of SA) 2006-7 Junior counsel - auditors negligence - damages
• Landmark v Tiver (Supreme Court and Full Court ([2008] SASC 133, 322, [2009] SASC 14, 118, 185)) 2006 - present. Junior Counsel - repayment of loan - complex counter claim - negligent agronomic advice and breach of equitable duties alleged - numerous injunctions and order in respect of stock & crops - contempt proceedings
• R v McGee (Magistrates and District Court) 2004-5 Junior counsel in initial trial
• R v Haydon (Supreme Court of SA) 1999 - 2006 Junior counsel - the 'Snowtown' case - murder - assist offender - joinder - similar fact - separate trials - legal professional privilege in criminal law - forensic science - DNA - appeal against sentence to the Full Court
• Chief of Army's Board of Inquiry - Exercise Big Wall 2002-3 Junior counsel assisting the Board - administrative law - commissions and boards of inquiry - presentation of evidence by video link from USA to Canberra.
• R v Ngo & Le (Supreme Court of SA, Full Court (2002) 135 A Crim R 550) 2002 Counsel - joinder, severance - similar facts - latent duplicity - Crown appeal against sentence
• Haydon v Magistrates Court (Supreme Court of SA - Full Court (2001) 87 SASR 448) Junior counsel but argued the appeal - administrative law - judicial review - prerogative writs - informer privilege - legal professional privilege.
• Haydon v Chivell (Supreme Court of SA , Full Court [1999] SASC 382, High Court of Australia (1999) 73 ALJR 1311) 1999 Junior counsel - judicial review - powers of the Coroner - prerogative writs.
• Sumner v United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ors (Supreme Court of SA [2000] SASC 91, Full Court, High Court) 2000 Lead counsel - international law - crimes against humanity - genocide - conflict of laws.
• ASX investigation - The RetireInvest case 1999 - 2000 securities law - stock exchange rules - disciplinary inquiry.
• Proceedings concerning the extradition of Malcolm Johnson (Federal Court - Full Court (20005) 8 ALD 1, High Court (UK), Court of Appeal (UK), House of Lords, European Court of Human Rights) 1998 - 2000 Junior counsel in Australian hearings - extradition - administrative law - specialty - corporate criminal law.
• Kite v Malycha (Supreme Court of SA) 1998 Junior counsel - medical negligence
• Veltri v QBE (Supreme Court of SA) 1995 Junior counsel - arson - insurance.