Cridland & Hua Lawyers

23/09/2018

Cridland & Hua Lawyers are proud and honoured to have recently received the following accolades:

1. Michael Cridland - Doyle's Guide 'Leading Criminal Defence Lawyer' (Queensland, 2018)
2. Michael Cridland - Doyle's Guide 'Recommended Criminal Defence Lawyer' (Australia, 2018)
3. Daniel Hua - Doyle's Guide 'Recommended Criminal Defence Lawyer' (Queensland, 2018)
4. Daniel Hua - Lawyers Weekly 'Partner of the Year', Criminal Law (Australia, 2018)
5. Bree Callanan - Doyle's Guide 'Rising Star' (Australia, 2018)
6. Cridland & Hua Lawyers - Doyle's Guide 'Leading Criminal Defence Law Firms' (Queensland, 2018)

Thank you to all of our staff, colleagues, families and friends for your wonderful and tireless support. We look forward to continuing to deliver an exceptionally high level of service across Queensland and Australia.

Our 2018 rankings of Queensland's best law firms with expertise in Criminal Law matters as voted by the state's criminal law community.

17/03/2017

Ariana Forotan – Administration Assistant

Ariana is currently studying a Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Laws (with Honours) and is dedicated to becoming experienced in a broad range of criminal law matters. She continues to expand her knowledge and experience in criminal law by assisting the lawyers of Cridland & Hua in every criminal jurisdiction, undertaking tasks such as assisting in preparing briefs of evidence and assisting in conferences with clients and barristers.

17/03/2017

Rachael Goodman – Legal Secretary

Rachael has been working as a legal secretary with Cridland & Hua Lawyers since 2016. She is currently in her third year of a Bachelor of Laws at Griffith University where she is also an active member in the Law Society. Throughout 2015 and 2016 Rachael competed in numerous mooting and negotiation based competitions conducted by Ashurst, Herbert Smith Freehills and Griffith University.

Previously Rachael worked as a Sales Consultant with Optus where she was often required to solve problems in a courteous, expeditious and satisfactory manner; all valuable skills in her role as a legal secretary at Cridland & Hua Lawyers.

17/03/2017

Gracie Bowtell – Legal Secretary

Gracie commenced her tertiary studies in the field of psychology but after taking criminology as an elective she discovered that a role in the legal profession was where her interests lay. To pursue a career in the law Gracie commenced a Bachelor of Laws at the Queensland University of Technology in 2015.

In addition to her studies Gracie volunteers as a First Contact Officer/Administrative Assistant at Basic Rights Queensland Community Legal Centre where she is the first point of contact for people who are often emotional and vulnerable. Being able to solve problems whilst maintaining a calm and pleasing manner is essential in this role and these skills are equally as valuable in her role as legal secretary at Cridland & Hua Lawyers.

17/03/2017

Isaac Douglas – Law Clerk

Graduating as Prefect from Brisbane State High School with an OP 1, while at the same time establishing his own gardening and landscaping business, Isaac was selected out of a pool of 97 applicants for the role of law clerk with Cridland & Hua Lawyers in 2016.

Since this time he has proven himself to be highly competent and highly efficient and he appears in the Magistrates, District and Supreme Courts in aid of the lawyers of Cridland & Hua on a daily basis. After winning an academic scholarship he is currently in his third year of a Bachelor of Laws (with Honours) at the Queensland University of Technology and holds an impressive GPA of 6.0.

Isaac has a keen interest in criminal law and has aspirations to become a barrister specialising in the field of criminal law.

17/03/2017

Peta Bowtell – Law Clerk/Office Manager

Peta holds a Bachelor of Sports and Exercise Science but after commencing work in the legal profession in an administrative role in 2009 she quickly realised that working in the law was her true calling. So strong was her desire to work in the law that in 2016 she returned to studies and is currently completing a Bachelor of Laws with an expected completion date of 2018.

Peta holds a dual role within Cridland & Hua Lawyers, being a law clerk as well as an office manager. Her many years of experience in an administrative role has allowed her to identify how to successfully and effectively manage junior staff members and liaise with stakeholders such as court, police and prosecutorial administrative staff.

Since 2010 she has worked closely with Michael Cridland and during this time has learnt an enormous amount about specialised sub-fields within criminal law, such as the juvenile justice system and Dangerous Prisoner Supervision Orders.

17/03/2017

Jacilynn Young - Lawyer
LL.B, B.CCJ, GradDipLP

Admitted as a lawyer of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2015 and the High Court of Australia in 2016, Jacilynn is a diligent and effective criminal lawyer whose client-focused approach means that her clients are always well represented and well informed.

Jacilynn has appeared regularly in the Brisbane, Southport, Richlands and Beenleigh Magistrates Courts, which are regarded as being some of the busiest and most robust courts in Queensland. The unpredictable dynamics of these courts means that she must be able to be spontaneous, decisive and efficient and possess an up-to-date knowledge of case law as well as changes in practices and procedures in criminal law. It is through her regular appearances in these jurisdictions that Jacilynn is able to hone and continue to hone her advocacy and client management skills.

Where necessary, Jacilynn works closely with some of Queensland’s most experienced and well respected criminal barristers to ensure the best possible results for her clients.

17/03/2017

Bridget (Bree) Callanan - Lawyer
BJus. (Crim&Policing), LL.B. (Hons), GradDipLP

Bree graduated from the Queensland University of Technology with a Bachelor of Justice (with Distinction) and a Bachelor of Laws (with Honours) and a post-graduate Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice. She is admitted as a lawyer in the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia and although based in Brisbane is able to appear in any jurisdiction in Australia.

Before joining Cridland & Hua Lawyers Bree was shortlisted from an extremely competitive field of applicants Australia-wide, including some who had over a decade’s experience as state police officers, to join the Australian Federal Police. However, her strong belief in due process, social justice and the presumption of innocence led her to instead follow her passion into a career advocating for those who are not able to advocate for themselves.

Bree is a strong believer in doing her part for the community and regularly volunteers her time at the Nundah Community Legal Centre, dedicating her evenings to providing pro-bono advice to members of the public and guiding them through the legal process.

Bree is one of the very rare practitioners who ‘lives and breathes’ criminal law, spending a great deal of her spare time studying not only the law itself but also the inner-workings and mechanisms of the law, as well as keeping herself updated with ever changing legislation and case law. She appears daily and also regularly instructs experienced barristers in complex criminal sentences and trials in the Magistrates, District and Supreme Courts across Queensland. She handles all matters, from the most trivial right through to the most serious, compassionately, efficiently and professionally.

17/03/2017

Daniel Hua - Partner
LL.B., GradDipLP, LL.M.

Admitted as a lawyer of the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia, Daniel is the first and only Vietnamese lawyer in the State of Queensland specialising in criminal defence. After nearly a decade of university studies he is also one of the most academically qualified criminal lawyers in Queensland, being one of only a few holding a Master of Laws degree.

In 2015 his exceptionally strong advocacy, leadership and client management skills resulted in his appointment as a Partner of Cridland & Hua Lawyers (formerly Howden, Saggers, Cridland & Hua Lawyers) at the tender age of 31 after just six years in practice.

Whilst his expertise lies in high-level drug trafficking and importation his list of experience also includes the following:
- Representation of clients charged with the most trivial of offences, such as traffic infringements, right through to the most serious, such as double murder.
- Appearance before the Australian Crime Commission in 'Star Chamber' style coercive hearings.
- Instructed Junior and Queen's Counsel in complex matters before the District Court, Supreme Court and Queensland Court of Appeal, as well as the District Court of New South Wales.

Daniel prides himself on being highly available to his clients and he often makes significant personal sacrifices, such as regular Sunday prison visits, to ensure that his clients are well-informed and well-serviced. His outstanding professional achievements have been recognised Australia-wide by his becoming one of two finalists in the 2017 ‘Lawyers Weekly' Partner of the Year Awards in the field of criminal law, with the winner to be announced in Sydney on 28 April 2017.

17/03/2017

Michael Cridland - Partner
B.Bus.Accy. LL.B., Acc.Spec Crime – QLD

Michael has been a successful advocate in all areas of criminal law for twenty years. He is one of the few Queensland Law Society Accredited Criminal Law Specialists in the State of Queensland and recognised by clients and peers alike as a recipient of a Doyle’s Guide ‘Best Lawyers’ award.

His integrity, determination, broad life experience, invaluable criminal practice knowledge and skills, together with his thorough and methodical approach makes him a highly sought after practitioner. What can distinguish Michael from others is his approachability, sincerity and ability to relate. Most of his clients are referrals from past clients – a testament not only to his ability but also the time and attention that he devotes to his clients.

Michael has a genuine and extensive range of experience across complex and difficult criminal cases in all jurisdictions that include murder, historical s*x matters, importation of drugs, large fraud, coercive hearings, appeals and dangerous prisoner matters. The breadth and depth of Michael’s experience in such an emotive and increasingly multifaceted field ensures that the level of service his own firm now provides to its clients and the outcomes achieved are second to none.