Gabriel is an experienced courtroom advocate and accepts briefs to appear in criminal matters, regulatory and administrative law matters, coronial inquests as well as intentional tort claims against public authorities.
Gabriel has appeared unled as defence counsel in jury trials in Victoria and the Northern Territory (NT) for white collar fraud, blackmail, kidnapping, drug trafficking, dangerous driving causing death, sexual offences and serious violence offences. He has also appeared in the Victorian Court of Appeal and NT Court of Criminal Appeal in respect of conviction and sentence appeals.
Gabriel also appears in quasi-criminal matters, such as crimes mental impairment and unfitness proceedings, as well as migration matters (primarily pertaining to visa cancellations) in the AAT and Federal Court.
Prior to coming to the Bar, Gabriel was a Public Defender at Victoria Legal Aid Chambers and a Senior Lawyer (Trial Advocate) at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA), where he was based in Darwin for over 3 years. Before NAAJA, Gabriel worked at the Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW) as a solicitor-advocate. He began his career in 2011 as a commercial lawyer at global firm Herbert Smith Freehills.
Gabriel is particularly interested in the intersection between police powers and civil liberties, especially matters that raise allegations relating to improper conduct by police including false imprisonment, battery, assault and malicious prosecution. He has experience litigating intentional tort claims against police. Gabriel is also a keen supporter of legal education and has presented papers at an international legal conference in relation to DNA evidence in circumstantial cases and defence tendency applications.
Gabriel holds a Master of Laws from New York University and a Bachelor of Laws (with First Class Honours) from the University of New South Wales. He read with Sarah Keating and his senior mentor is His Honour Judge John Kelly SC.
Gabriel is an approved member of the VLA Criminal Trial Preferred Barrister List and currently sits on the Victorian Bar’s Indigenous Justice Committee.
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.
