Ensuring clear and appropriate advice is provided to her clients is a main focus for Sharon. She provides advice and can appear on your behalf in all aspects of criminal cases, commencing with Bail/Release Applications in the Local Court or Supreme Court, right through to defended Hearings, Trials, Sentence proceedings and Court of Criminal Appeal matters.
She is experienced in assisting people with personal difficulties such as mental health conditions and is well versed in the principles that apply to criminal cases where a person suffers a mental health condition. This can apply in numerous ways including, applications under Section 32 of the Mental Health (Forensic Provisions) Act, Sentencing and mental health, not guilty mental illness and substantive impairment.
Her Criminal Law Practice is diverse and ranges from Local Court matters such as Traffic and Driving offences, to Local Court defended matters and Sentence matters including, Domestic Violence, Affray, Drug Supply, Cultivate Prohibited Plant, Fraud and Property offences. Sharon has defended and appeared for hundreds of clients in this jurisdiction with successful outcomes.
A significant portion of Sharon’s work involves indictable matters, that being serious criminal offences that can only be dealt with by a Judge of the District Court or before a Jury. Part of this includes instructing Counsel in Jury Trials both in the District and Supreme Court. Further, Sharon appears regularly in the District Court including; Severity Appeals, Conviction Appeals and Sentence hearings matters for indictable offences under both State and Commonwealth Law.
The current indictable practices include charges such as Sexual Assault, Manslaughter, Drug Offences, Drug Importation, Break and Enter Offences and Personal Violence Offences and others.
Sharon graduated from Newcastle University with a Bachelors degree in Business and law. Sharon is an experienced advocate obtaining Criminal Law Specialist Accreditation in 2015. She has over 10 years’ experience practicing exclusively in Criminal Law. Sharon was promoted to Partner in 2019 in demonstrating outstanding advocacy on behalf of our clients. In 2022, she was listed as a recommended Criminal Defence Lawyer in NSW in the Doyles Guide which is a well known independent organisation that rates and recommends lawyers based on interviews with clients, peers, and relevant industry bodies. In addition, Sharon has demonstrated a strong determination to do the best for her client whilst in Court on a daily basis.
As an Accredited Specialist, Sharon is a member of the Legal Aid Criminal Panel and the Serious Crime Panel, allowing her to appear in complex District Court Trials such as Drug Manufacture and Supply charges, Sexual Assault and Manslaughter offences. Further, Supreme Court Trials such as Murder and Appeals to the Court of Criminal Appeal.
In relation to matters of a particularly serious nature, where Counsel is briefed, Sharon has connections with Barristers of significant experience and skill working within Criminal Law and regularly briefs experienced Junior Counsel and Senior Counsel.
Sharon has significant experiences appearing in the Coronial Jurisdiction; including the Inquest of Matthew Leveson and more recently, the Inquest of William Tyrell.
Testimonial:
“I want to express my sincere appreciation to Sharon Ramsden in representing me at my recent matter and providing a case that helped in getting the ultimate outcome. (would still be sending this even if my appeal was unsuccessful). I would like to thank your admin team who kept me informed efficiently as well. You and your team did a great job in preparing my case for the court and the appeal. You were highly recommended to me by a family member who is also a legal practitioner and I would have no hesitation to recommend you to anyone I know who find themselves in an unfortunate position of needing legal representation.”
Testimonial:
On behalf of Luke, Jodie & I, we would like to thank you for the extremely professional & polished manner of your representation in court in the above matter. From our experience of other counsel particular those representing others in the court that day, your presentation & articulation of Luke's situation was very impressive. We are confident that this played a significant part in the fantastic result that you were able to achieve for him.
We hope that we will not require your services again but certainly if any friends or family required representation we would not hesitate in recommending you."
