Tony Cullinan

Tony Cullinan has practised criminal and traffic law on the NSW South Coast since his admission as a lawyer in New South Wales. He holds a Master’s degree in criminal practice. Criminal and traffic law is not a sideline for Tony. It is all he does.

His office is in Bega, and he appears at Local and District Courts across South East NSW, from Nowra to Eden on the coast, inland to Cooma and the Monaro, and across to Canberra. Tony regularly assists clients throughout the entire South East region, including Canberra, and has built a practice around appearing in these courts in person, not managing matters remotely.

What he does

Tony’s practice covers criminal defence, ADVO matters, malicious prosecutions, drink driving, licence appeals, dangerous driving, and traffic offences. He appears for clients charged with offences ranging from summary matters in the Local Court to serious indictable charges in the District Court.

In criminal defence, the work begins with the brief of evidence. Tony reviews what the prosecution has, identifies where it is weak, and advises on the realistic options: a contested hearing, a negotiated resolution, or a plea with the strongest possible submissions on sentencing. He has had experience on both sides of that process, which shapes how he assesses what prosecution cases are likely to do when tested.

In traffic law, he advises clients facing PCA charges across the full range of blood alcohol readings, clients whose licences have been suspended by demerit points, and clients charged with serious offences including dangerous driving.

How he works

Tony is a sole practitioner. When you call South Coast Criminal Lawyers, you speak with Tony. When you need advice on a court date or a development in your matter, you call Tony. There is no administrative layer between you and the lawyer handling your case.

The first consultation is a direct conversation about your matter: what the charge is, what the process looks like, and what your options are. You do not leave the first meeting with a brochure. You leave with a clear sense of where things stand.

Tony works in his office, usually in a black t-shirt and jeans. He suits up for court. It is a deliberate choice. The work of a criminal defence matter happens in the office, in the brief, and in the preparation, not in the appearance. By the time you are standing in front of a judge, the real preparation is done.

Why the South Coast matters

Tony has spent his career on the South Coast. He knows the courts, the prosecutors, and the practical realities of defending clients in a regional area where people often have fewer resources, more to lose in terms of their licence and livelihood, and less access to advice than clients in Sydney.

For a lot of South Coast clients, a drink driving charge is not just an embarrassing mistake. It is a question of whether they can get to work. A criminal charge is not just a legal problem. It affects their family, their employment, and their community. Tony understands what is at stake.

A different path to the law

Tony did not arrive at the law from a conventional start. As a young person he spent time in youth refuges and periods living on the streets. Service in the Royal Australian Navy, including aboard HMAS Perth and HMAS Canberra, gave him the stability and discipline to go on, study, and ultimately practise law. He has also lectured in the Faculty of Law at the University of Wollongong.

That background shapes how he works with the people he acts for. Tony understands what it is to face genuinely difficult circumstances, and he does not treat a client’s situation as the whole story of who they are. A charge is one chapter, not the conclusion. A large part of how Tony sees his role is helping clients understand that being in trouble is temporary, and that they can come through it and get ahead.

Experience in serious matters

Alongside the day-to-day work of the Local and District Courts, Tony has run substantial and complex matters, including cases in which he has obtained costs orders against the State of New South Wales. No lawyer can promise a particular outcome, but that experience informs how he reads a brief of evidence and how firmly a case can realistically be pushed.

Away from the law

Outside the practice, Tony plays guitar and is a knifemaker. He owns and runs Blackstar Forge, handcrafting high-end chef’s knives from raw steel.

The forge is more than a pastime. The idea behind it sits close to how Tony sees his work as a lawyer: that unpromising raw material, worked patiently and with real effort, can become something of genuine worth. Where the steel starts does not decide what it becomes. The work does.

Tony believes the same is true of people. However difficult someone’s background or circumstances have been, with time, effort and honest work they can build something better for themselves. He has lived that himself, and he believes it is true of many of the clients he represents. A charge is a hard moment in a person’s life, not the final word on it.

That belief is a large part of why he does this work. Tony has a practical, real-world understanding of the people he represents and the circumstances that bring them to his office, and he brings that perspective to every criminal defence. Helping his clients move forward and build a better future is the part of the work he cares about most.

Contact

Office: 80 Auckland Street, Bega NSW 2550

Phone: +61 2 6492 4035

Email: tony@tonycullinan.com.au

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Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.