Sabine Keenan – Criminal Lawyer

Sabine Keenan is a criminal lawyer based in our Brisbane office.

Sabine was raised in the South Island of New Zealand before moving to the North Island to study a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) / Arts (English) at the University of Auckland. In respect of her English degree, she specialised in poetry – a hobby that she has cultivated since an early age. In respect of her law degree, Sabine specialised in criminal and indigenous law topics, using her Honours dissertation to address the role of kaitiaki in protecting Maori intellectual property. She graduated with First Class Honours in 2022 and was awarded the Minter Ellison Legal Writing Award for the best piece of legal writing that year.

During her studies, Sabine clerked under two senior barristers at Blackstone Criminal Chambers. This experience alerted her to the opportunities in criminal law, specifically in court advocacy and client service. She also volunteered at YouthLaw Aotearoa providing free legal advice to youths.

Sabine was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand before moving to Australia in search of a larger legal ecosystem where she became admitted in 2023. She originally worked as a Mergers and Acquisitions lawyer in a top-tier corporate law firm before being drawn back to crime in search of the human element in an all-to clinical system.

Sabine believes that every individual has a story – a story that our justice system affords the right to be heard. She believes that in properly listening to her clients and assessing their story, scope can be found to either defend a charge or mitigate the penalty imposed in court. Sabine’s interests correspond with the unique interests of her clients. Above all, she believes that fierce, calculated representation is necessary in achieving the best results for her clients and ensuring the precepts of our justice system are upheld.

In her spare time, Sabine enjoys getting out in nature to hike, swim or camp with friends. She has a particular passion for skiing having worked in the Canadian ski fields during her university holidays.