Established Criminal Defence Since 1990
About Us
For more than 35 years, Slades & Parsons has provided strategic, specialist criminal defence to individuals and organisations facing the full weight of the criminal justice system. As one of Melbourne’s most established criminal defence law firms, our practice has always been singular in focus: the defence of those accused of criminal offences under both State and Commonwealth law.
When the consequences are serious – whether that means your liberty, your livelihood, or your reputation – you need more than a generalist. You need criminal law specialists who understand the nuance of your circumstances, who approach every matter with meticulous preparation, and who are capable of providing the kind of discreet, authoritative guidance that complex criminal matters demand.
From the Magistrates’ Court to the High Court of Australia, we have represented accused persons across every jurisdiction and at every level of seriousness. That breadth of experience, sustained across more than three decades of focused practice, is the foundation of everything we offer.
Slades & Parsons was established in 1990 by Phillip Slade and Tony Parsons – two practitioners who recognised, at a time when criminal law was still routinely handled as a secondary concern of general firms, that effective criminal defence required genuine specialisation. It demanded dedicated focus, deep familiarity with criminal procedure, and the kind of courtroom advocacy that could only be developed through immersive, sustained practice in the field.
From the outset, the firm operated on that conviction. Criminal law was not a department within a broader practice – it was the practice. That deliberate narrowing of focus allowed the firm to develop an institutional knowledge of criminal procedure, prosecutorial strategy, and judicial temperament that generalist practices simply cannot replicate.
The calibre of that early practice is best reflected in the career trajectories of those who built it. Tony Parsons, one of the firm’s founding partners, was appointed to the Magistracy – a transition that speaks directly to the standard of legal reasoning and professional conduct that Slades & Parsons has always demanded of itself.
A Legacy of Specialist Advocacy in Victoria
In 2007, the firm expanded through a merger with Wallington Brand Gattuso, deepening its capabilities and broadening the pool of experience available to its clients. That evolution – deliberate, measured, and grounded in shared professional standards – reinforced the firm’s commitment to maintaining a cohesive, specialist practice rather than growing for growth’s sake. Tony Parsons has since been joined on the bench by past Directors Belinda Wallington and Tim Gattuso. The appointment of so many former partners to the Bench is not incidental; it is a credibility signal that few firms can offer.
During the earlier years, Slades & Parsons operated from Lonsdale Street Offices until 2019, when the firm relocated to our current Queen Street premises in the CBD. Positioned at the centre of Victoria’s legal and commercial precinct, and within close proximity to the courts in which our practitioners appear daily, the CBD office reflects both the firm’s modern capabilities and its enduring commitment to accessible, senior-led representation.
It was that same year that Jasmine Pisasale was appointed as a Director, with Nicholas Tehan appointed as Director the following year. This new wave of leadership stemming from two solicitors who commenced their careers at the very firm they now own operate. A testament to the loyalty held by staff and the reputational success of the firm.
Throughout those 35 years, the scope of matters handled by Slades & Parsons has been as broad as the criminal law itself. Our practitioners have appeared in the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria, the County Court, the Supreme Court of Victoria, the Court of Appeal, and the High Court of Australia. We have defended serious State offences – including matters involving homicide, large-scale drug trafficking, serious assault, and organised crime – as well as the full range of Commonwealth criminal matters arising under federal legislation. That jurisdiction-wide practice and record of 35 years of sustained criminal law work, has been built case by case, court by court.
Recognised Leadership and Accredited Expertise
Not all criminal lawyers are the same. The Law Institute of Victoria’s Accredited Specialist programme exists precisely to distinguish those practitioners who have demonstrated the highest standard of knowledge and skill in their nominated area of law.
Slades & Parsons is led by LIV Accredited Criminal Law Specialists Anthony Brand, Jasmine Pisasale, and Nick Tehan – a depth of formally recognised expertise that is rare among Melbourne criminal law firms and that speaks directly to the quality of advice and representation available to every client who instructs us.
That recognition extends beyond accreditation. The firm has been consistently ranked by Doyle’s Guide as a Leading Criminal Defence Law Firm in Victoria, an external validation based on independent research and peer assessment. Our practitioners are also actively involved in the Law Institute of Victoria’s Criminal Law Executive Committee, contributing to the ongoing development of criminal law practice in this state.
When you engage Slades & Parsons, you engage a firm that is not merely experienced – but formally recognised as operating at the leading edge of criminal defence in Victoria.
A Strategic Approach to Reputation Protection
Thirty-five years of continuous criminal law practice creates something that cannot be taught and cannot be accelerated: institutional memory. At Slades & Parsons, that accumulated knowledge informs every strategic decision we make on behalf of our clients – from the assessment of a brief in the earliest days of an investigation through to the final submissions in a contested hearing.
Our approach to defence is deliberate and disciplined. We do not rely on formulaic responses to charges. We analyse the specific facts, the applicable law, and the particular vulnerabilities of the prosecution case to develop a strategy that is calibrated to the circumstances of each individual matter. Early intervention – before charges are formally laid or before a plea is entered – frequently offers the greatest strategic advantage, and we counsel clients accordingly.
We understand that for many of those who instruct us, the prospect of criminal proceedings carries consequences that extend well beyond the courtroom. Reputational harm, professional consequences, and the strain on personal and family life are real and significant concerns. Discretion and confidentiality are not simply procedural obligations at this firm – they are professional commitments that shape the way we communicate, advise, and act on your behalf at every stage of a matter.
Where a matter requires input from specialists beyond the law – forensic psychologists, medical practitioners, financial experts, or other technical professionals – we draw on an established network of multidisciplinary experts to ensure that every dimension of your circumstances is properly understood and effectively presented. A robust defence is rarely a single-dimension exercise, and we approach each matter with that understanding.
If you are facing criminal charges – or if you have reason to believe that you may become the subject of a criminal investigation – the most important step you can take is to obtain proper legal advice without delay.
At Slades & Parsons, every matter is received with the discretion, care, and respect it deserves. There is no obligation and no judgement. What there is, from the moment of your first contact, is the full attention of a firm with more than 35 years of specialist experience in criminal defence.
Call us, use the secure form on this page, or come into our Melbourne CBD office. We’ll make sure your matter is in the right hands from the outset.
Discuss Your Matter in Absolute Confidence
Melbourne Office
Level 1,
224 Queen St,
Melbourne,
Victoria, 3000