About

Sam Karnib is the Director and Principal Solicitor of Karnib & Co Lawyers. He completed Bachelors Degrees in Law and Business at Western Sydney University as well as a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice. He was admitted as a New South Wales solicitor in 2016 and has since his admission practised exclusively in criminal and traffic law.

Sam provides legal advice and representation in all aspects of criminal and traffic matters including bail applications, defended hearings, sentence proceedings, committals, trials, appeals and all other applications relating to these areas of law. He appears in all Local, District and Supreme Courts across New South Wales and also in the Court of Criminal Appeal.

Approximately 95% of criminal cases commence and are finalised in the Local Court. Sam appears in the Local Court on a daily basis representing defendants charged with offences that are prosecuted summarily by the New South Wales police or the Director of Public Prosecutions. These offences are heard before a Magistrate and include assaults, domestic violence offences, drink driving and other traffic offences, drug possession and supply offences and others. Sam has successfully represented thousands of clients in this jurisdiction with excellent outcomes.

Sam’s practice also includes representing defendants charged with strictly indictable offences, that being serious criminal offences that are dealt with by a judge of the District or Supreme Court or by a jury. These offences commence in the Local Court and are committed to the District or Supreme Court for trial or sentence. They include murder, manslaughter, sexual assault offences, kidnapping, serious weapons offences, fraud and large scale drug supply. Sam has represented thousands of clients in these courts for committal proceedings, severity and conviction appeals, sentence proceedings and trials under both state and commonwealth law.

Sam also regularly appears before the highest court in the state, the Supreme Court of New South Wales. This court hears bail applications that are not successful in the Local Court and both sentence proceedings and trials for offences such as murder, manslaughter and treason. Sam regularly appears before this court for serious bail applications and has made hundreds of successful applications for clients charged with very serious offences.

Karnib & Co Lawyers is listed as a member of the Legal Aid Summary and Indictable Matter Panels and Sam also regularly represents clients whose matters are pursuant to Legal Aid grants.

Sam’s dedication and persistence in achieving the best possible outcome for each client is unwavering. For Sam, negotiating with prosecuting authorities and vigorously advocating the dynamic voices of each client he represents is what drives his passion for the law. Appearing in court is second nature for him and he dedicates his time and wealth of experience to each life he represents.

Vanja is a Solicitor at Karnib & Co Lawyers. She operates and manages our Wollongong office in the heart of the CBD.

Vanja graduated from the University of Wollongong with a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts (High Distinction) in 2019. She holds a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice and was admitted as a New South Wales solicitor in 2020.

Vanja is a highly driven, honest and resilient solicitor and trial advocate. She is dedicated to delivering high quality legal advice and representation to every client she represents. She is experienced in criminal and traffic law defence and delivers services to defendants in criminal proceedings and civil proceedings involving Apprehended Violence Orders.

You will find Vanja appearing in various courts across the state of New South Wales including in the Sydney CBD, Western Sydney, Sydney South and South-West and various rural courts. Vanja’s primary locale however is operating and managing our Wollongong office and catering to courts across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven region.

Vanja regularly appears in the Local Court jurisdiction where charges are prosecuted either by police prosecutors or by the Director of Public Prosecutions by way of summary proceedings. Vanja appears in defended hearings, sentence proceedings, bail applications, committal proceedings, section 14 applications under Mental Health legislation, Apprehended Violence Order applications, variation applications and all other applications relating to the practice of criminal and traffic law in the Local Court jurisdiction. The offences that are usually prosecuted in this jurisdiction include less serious drug offences, weapons offences, assault offences, domestic violence offences, larceny, traffic offences and summary offences.

Vanja also prepares and appears in various District Court trials, sentences, conviction appeals and severity appeals for clients charged with strictly indictable matters that are prosecuted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. These offences usually include sexual assault, kidnapping, serious weapons offences and large-scale drug supply.

Vanja also appears in the Supreme Court of New South Wales for those charged with very serious offences including murder and manslaughter.

Vanja meticulously prepares her cases and is a dynamic and passionate advocate who does not shy away from a fight. She stands by her clients and advocates for their voices and stories to be heard. Vanja pays significant attention to the details of each case and analyses evidence meticulously. Vanja believes in giving honest and reliable advice to each client so they can fairly understand their prospects in defending a criminal charge. Whilst Vanja does not back down from defending a matter and putting the prosecution to proof, she is dedicated to delivering honest advice about prospects of success.