Craig Caldicott OAM

Craig Caldicott OAM is the Managing Partner at Craig Caldicott Lawyers and is widely recognised for his extensive expertise in criminal law across Australia. Since being admitted to practice in February 1979, Craig has established a formidable reputation, appearing as both counsel and instructing solicitor in numerous high-profile cases. His practice extends to the High Court of Australia, the Supreme Court of South Australia, District Courts, and Magistrates' Courts not only in South Australia but also in Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania. Craig's remarkable career includes significant involvement with international and federal bodies such as Scotland Yard, the FBI, and the Ukrainian government. He has appeared before the Australian Crime Commission and participated in high-profile coronial inquests, notably acting for Dominic Perre. Among the landmark High Court cases, he has been involved in are South Australia v Totani, Kamleh v DPP, and Ridgeway v The Queen, demonstrating his exceptional ability in defending complex cases. A particularly proud achievement in Craig's career was serving as instructing solicitor in one of Australia's first war crimes cases, DPP v Polyukhovich, where he was instrumental in the successful defence which required gathering evidence from Ukraine in 1993. He has also played crucial roles in several significant murder trials including R v Wilson, R v Ford, and R v Brittney Dwyer, among others. Craig's practice covers a broad array of criminal matters such as drink driving, theft, blackmail, drug trafficking, and domestic violence, where he consistently achieves outstanding outcomes for his clients. Craig is a daily presence in South Australian courts and is celebrated for his excellent rapport with police prosecutors, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and court staff. As a founding member of the Australian Defence Lawyers Alliance and co-chair of the Criminal Law Committee of the Law Society of South Australia, he frequently represents the legal community in media commentary. Beyond his legal career, Craig has been an influential figure in surf lifesaving in South Australia. He serves as Deputy President and Director of Surf Lifesaving and is a life member of both the state association and the Brighton Surf Lifesaving Club. In 2021, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame for surf lifesaving in South Australia. His dedication to community service and law was honoured with a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2023, reflecting his significant contributions to the legal profession and beyond.