Bashir Elkheir

Bashir Elkheir is a Sydney criminal defence lawyer who has practised on both sides of criminal law.  Before joining Elkheir Partners, he spent almost three years as a solicitor at the NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, building cases for the Crown across a range of serious criminal matters.  

In that role, he appeared against experienced barristers in the District and Supreme Courts and developed a forensic understanding of the rules of evidence and criminal procedure. He also learned both how prosecutions are built and, just as importantly, where they’re vulnerable.  

Bashir uses this experience to his clients’ advantage, identifying weaknesses in the Crown case early, negotiating effectively with prosecutors who respect his background, and building defence strategies that understand and anticipate how prosecution lawyers think. When a matter goes to hearing, he is a persuasive advocate and formidable cross-examiner.  

Bashir appears regularly in the Local, District and Supreme Courts of NSW across the full spectrum of criminal matters: from bail applications and committal hearings through to defended hearings, sentences, voir dire arguments and appeals. He also represents clients in the NSW Crimes Commission and handles traffic law and section 14 mental health applications.

Outside the firm, Bashir is an avid reader who keeps fit through strength training and running. He also follows Formula 1 with considerably more enthusiasm than is probably reasonable.

 

Career highlights

• Secured a non-conviction outcome for a client found guilty of a serious sexual touching charge, preserving his client’s livelihood and reputation
• Secured a non-custodial sentence for a client convicted of serious drug supply offences – a rare outcome under NSW criminal law
• Negotiated the withdrawal of all charges against a client facing serious criminal charges and obtained a costs award in the client’s favour
• Secured verdicts of not guilty following a self-defence case in contested domestic violence proceedings involving assault occasioning bodily harm

 

Qualifications & admissions

• Bachelor of Laws, University of Technology Sydney
• Bachelor of Business (Finance), University of Technology Sydney
• Admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW 2021
• Member, Law Society of NSW

 

Key cases

• R v Al Mansoori (District of NSW)
• May v R (District Court of NSW)
• R v Guider (District Court of NSW)