Newcastle boutique criminal defence firm, Hamilton Janke Lawyers has been recognised as Leading Criminal Lawyers in the 2021 Doyle’s Guide rankings.

This will be the third year in a row for the firm firm, headed up by Partners Drew Hamilton and James Janke, who have received recognition for being leaders in the field of criminal defence law.

The field of criminal defence law involves both advice and court representation for people charged with a criminal or traffic offence.

Recognising that there was limited boutique criminal defence services available in Newcastle, Drew and James founded Hamilton Janke Lawyers to give local people specialised representation without needing to travel outside the region.

“It was really important for our firm to be available for people in our community when they needed it the most,” James said.

In what can be described as a huge achievement for both the firm and region, Hamilton Janke Lawyers were the only firm across regional New South Wales to have both partners named as Leading Criminal Lawyers.

In addition, Drew Hamilton was the only Newcastle based Lawyer to be named in the Leading NSW Traffic and DUI Lawyers category, with the rest of the recipients drawing from Sydney.

“This achievement reflects the growth in recognition for Newcastle born law firms and the ability for people to receive strong representation without needing to travel to Sydney,” Drew said.

The Doyle’s Guide list is compiled following extensive independent research, usually in the form of peer-based surveys, telephone, and face to face interviews with clients, peers, and relevant industry bodies.

Leading Criminal Lawyers are recognised as the top of their field for consistently drawing the praise of both clients and other legal practitioners working in their area of expertise.

Solicitors are then ranked according to the volume and quality of positive feedback.

IMAGE | Drew Hamilton and James Janke celebrate Doyle’s List recognition (left-right).