LLB 1984 LLM, 1999

Professional Profile
Stephen Russell LLB LLM joined the Victorian Bar in November 1989. Since that time he has developed a substantial practice in criminal law, notably in jury trials in the County and Supreme Courts. He is considered as one of the leading barristers in the area of Occupational Health and Safety and has been involved in a significant number of major cases in that area. In the area of criminal law he successfully defended the Chief Engineer in the long running drug importation trial of the North Korean ship Pong Su.
He has been involved in major prosecutions involving social legislation including proceedings under the Environment Protection Act 1970 and the Food Act 1984. He represented the Melbourne City Council in the highly publicised case of the Rajah Sahib Restaurant and acted for Defendants successfully appealing against fines imposed for breaches of the Food Act 1984.

Previously he co-presented the high rating radio programs Talking Law and Legal Forum. He co-authored the VCE text Exploring the Law. He has been teaching at the Victorian Bar Readers course for the last 10 years and was previously a member of the Bar Readers Committee and Criminal Bar Association Committee.

He recently successfully represented the Beaconsfield Gold Mine and the senior mine managers in the Special Investigation conducted by the Tasmanian Government and the Inquest resulting from the accident at the mine on Anzac Day 2006.