Paul F. Hogan

His early legal career included ten years with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP), where he developed strong advocacy skills and a deep familiarity with complex criminal litigation. That prosecutorial background has given him a balanced and practical understanding of criminal law, informing his work at the Bar and equipping him to advise with clarity on both forensic strategy and risk.

Paul practices predominantly in criminal defence and has considerable experience in long-running and complex jury trials, including large-scale Commonwealth matters. His practice includes successful defences in major Commonwealth border control drug prosecutions, some of which have involved lengthy ‘megatrials’. He is widely regarded for his expertise in Commonwealth criminal law and has a detailed understanding of the complex Commonwealth sentencing regime.

While his practice is primarily defence-focused, Paul has also accepted prosecutorial briefs over his career as a barrister, including work for the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions, the NSW ODPP and the CDPP. He remains willing to appear across jurisdictions, from Local Court hearings through to superior court jury trials and judgealone proceedings.

Paul is known for being empathetic and consultative in his work with instructing solicitors, and for being focused, forensic and businesslike in court. He places a high value on preparation, providing clear advice to instructing solicitors and clients.

Outside his practice, Paul has served as a Legal Officer with the Royal Australian Navy for over three decades. He also has a passionate interest in Near Eastern and Classical archaeology, derived from his days as a student archaeologist staff member on archaeological digs in Jordan and Greece. He has a keen interest in military history, collecting campaign medals and militaria from the Napoleonic period, and Roman Imperial portrait coins and antiquities from the ancient world.