Forbes Chambers

What Forbes Chambers does

Forbes Chambers is a specialist criminal barristers' chambers headquartered at 11th Floor, 185 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, established in 1989 by 28 barristers as a non-hierarchical set with no 'head of chambers'. It now fields 49 barristers, including 19 senior counsel (SC and KC), and is described on its own materials as Australia's leading criminal barristers' chambers, named after Sir Francis Forbes, the first Chief Justice of New South Wales. The chambers provides advocacy and advisory services across criminal trials, appeals (including the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and High Court of Australia), commissions of inquiry, coronial inquests, professional disciplinary matters, administrative law, judicial review, and federal/corporate crime (Commonwealth DPP, ASIC, AFP, ACCC matters including cartel conduct, foreign bribery, and insider trading). The firm's clients include the NSW DPP, Commonwealth DPP, NSW Crime Commission, ICAC, Legal Aid Commission of NSW, and the Aboriginal Legal Service, alongside private solicitors and direct-access clients.

The business model is professional services: barristers are briefed through the Head Clerk and Practice Manager (Ryan Coleiro, 23 years at the firm), who acts as the principal point of contact for solicitors and clients and advises on availability, suitability of counsel, and professional fees. Fees are quote-based rather than published, vary by seniority and matter complexity, and are not publicly disclosed. The chambers has no proprietary technology, no software products, no AI tooling, and no app presence; revenue mechanics are entirely people-based, dependent on the collective billings of its independent barrister members and the chambers' service/clerking share of those fees. Distribution is via the NSW Bar Association's 'Find a Barrister' service, direct referrals from solicitors, Legal Aid Commission panel appointments, and word-of-mouth across the NSW criminal defence bar.

Recent strategic posture emphasises sustained recruitment of junior counsel (with ongoing Bar Practice Course prize recognition), continued dominance in Doyle's Guide and Legal 500 rankings for senior members, and deepening of the federal crime and inquiry practice. There are no announced funding events, acquisitions, geographic launches, or technology investments in the input data; the chambers appears to operate as a mature, stable professional services set competing on talent and reputation rather than scale or capital.

Name

Forbes Chambers

Legal name

Forbes Chambers

Website

https://forbeschambers.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Forbes Chambers is a Sydney-based specialist criminal barristers' chambers founded in 1989, providing 49 barristers (including 19 senior counsel) for defence, prosecution, appeals, commissions of inquiry, and federal/corporate crime matters across Australia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411), Legal Counsel and Prosecution (92213)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAHAAAN

Criminal Defense

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Legal Services

Keywords

• Criminal law chambers
• Barristers' chambers
• Appellate advocacy
• White collar defence
• Coronial inquiries

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Legal services fees: Barristers at Forbes Chambers provide legal representation and counsel in criminal matters, appearing in court for both defence and prosecution. Fees are generated through professional legal services billed to solicitors, government agencies, and direct clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Forbes Chambers is a specialist criminal barristers' chambers in Sydney providing 49 barristers (including 19 senior counsel) for briefing across all forms of criminal matters — trials, appeals, commissions of inquiry, coronial inquests, disciplinary proceedings, white-collar and federal crime, and judicial review/administrative law — for both defence and prosecution.

Product overview

Forbes Chambers is a specialist criminal barristers' chambers in Sydney, Australia, established in 1989. The chambers provides a unified offering of criminal law services through its pool of 49 barristers, including 19 senior counsel. The core service is criminal law representation covering trials, appeals, commissions of inquiry, inquests, and disciplinary proceedings. The chambers has diversified into related areas including corporate crime, administrative law, and coronial matters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Criminal Law Barrister Services
• Appellate Services
• Commissions of Inquiry and Inquests
• Disciplinary Proceedings
• White Collar and Corporate Crime
• Judicial Review and Administrative Law

Quantifiable outcome

• Barristers have appeared in many important cases with outcomes including conviction quashes, acquittals entered, and successful appeals

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NSW Bar AssociationcoreOthersRyan Coleiro is a member of the NSW Bar Association. The chambers operates under the governance and standards of the NSW Bar Association.
• NSW Barristers' Clerks AssociationcoreOthersRyan Coleiro is a Committee Member of the NSW Barristers' Clerks Association. The association represents the professional interests of barristers' clerks in NSW.
• The Institute of Barristers' Clerks in LondonminorOthersRyan Coleiro is a member of The Institute of Barristers' Clerks in London, indicating international professional connections in the barristers' clerks profession.
• NSW Criminal Defence Lawyers AssociationcoreOthersRyan Coleiro is the administrator of the NSW Criminal Defence Lawyers Association. The association supports criminal defence practitioners in NSW.
• Legal Aid Commission of NSWcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMany barristers at Forbes Chambers are appointed to Legal Aid Commission panels for various criminal law matters, providing representation for legally aided clients. The chambers provides a pool of specialist criminal barristers available for legally aided matters.
• Aboriginal Legal ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMany barristers at Forbes Chambers previously worked at or currently work with Aboriginal Legal Services in NSW/ACT and the Northern Territory. Prior experience at ALS is a common background for chambers barristers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Allens: Major Australian law firm with a white-collar crime and investigations practice. Larger established player whose clients may brief barristers like those at Forbes Chambers on criminal regulatory matters.

Direct peers

• Castan Chambers: Melbourne-based barristers' chambers with criminal and commercial law expertise. Comparable as a chambers model competing for federal criminal briefs across state borders.
• Banco Chambers: Sydney barristers' chambers with significant criminal and commercial crime work. Directly competes with Forbes for senior criminal counsel briefs, particularly in white-collar and federal matters.
• Selborne Chambers: Sydney-based barristers' chambers with a strong criminal law practice. Directly comparable as another large Sydney criminal chambers competing for the same DPP, Legal Aid, and private briefs in NSW courts.
• 12 Wentworth Chambers: Sydney barristers' chambers offering criminal and regulatory law services. Competes for briefs in NSW criminal courts and shares government institutional clients with Forbes.
• Latham Chambers: Sydney chambers with a criminal and appellate practice. Directly comparable in serving NSW criminal defence and prosecution markets.
• Denman Chambers: Sydney barristers' chambers covering criminal and commercial litigation. Comparable as a mid-to-large Sydney chambers serving similar solicitor and government clients.
• Francis Forbes Chambers: Sydney chambers named after a related historical figure, with a focus on criminal and appellate work. Operates in the same Sydney criminal bar market with overlapping institutional clients.
• Nigel Payne Chambers: Sydney chambers focused on criminal defence work. Competes with Forbes for Legal Aid panel briefs and private criminal defence matters.
• Wardell Chambers: Sydney-based chambers with criminal law expertise. Competes for both defence and prosecution briefs in NSW and federal courts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forbes-chambers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Forbes Chambers