Vanja Pjevalica

Vanja is a Solicitor at Karnib & Co. Lawyers. She operates and manages our Wollongong office in the heart of the CBD.

Vanja graduated from the University of Wollongong with a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts (High Distinction) in 2019. She holds a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice and was admitted as a New South Wales solicitor in 2020.

Vanja is a highly driven, honest and resilient solicitor and trial advocate. She is dedicated to delivering high quality legal advice and representation to every client she represents. She is experienced in criminal and traffic law defence and delivers services to defendants in criminal proceedings and civil proceedings involving Apprehended Violence Orders.

You will find Vanja appearing in various courts across the state of New South Wales including in the Sydney CBD, Western Sydney, Sydney South and South-West and various rural courts. Vanja’s primary locale however is operating and managing our Wollongong office and catering to courts across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven region.

Vanja regularly appears in the Local Court jurisdiction where charges are prosecuted either by police prosecutors or by the Director of Public Prosecutions by way of summary proceedings. Vanja appears in defended hearings, sentence proceedings, bail applications, committal proceedings, section 14 applications under Mental Health legislation, Apprehended Violence Order applications, variation applications and all other applications relating to the practice of criminal and traffic law in the Local Court jurisdiction. The offences that are usually prosecuted in this jurisdiction include less serious drug offences, weapons offences, assault offences, domestic violence offences, larceny, traffic offences and summary offences.

Vanja also prepares and appears in various District Court trials, sentences, conviction appeals and severity appeals for clients charged with strictly indictable matters that are prosecuted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. These offences usually include sexual assault, kidnapping, serious weapons offences and large-scale drug supply.

Vanja also appears in the Supreme Court of New South Wales for those charged with very serious offences including murder and manslaughter.

Vanja meticulously prepares her cases and is a dynamic and passionate advocate who does not shy away from a fight. She stands by her clients and advocates for their voices and stories to be heard. Vanja pays significant attention to the details of each case and analyses evidence meticulously. Vanja believes in giving honest and reliable advice to each client so they can fairly understand their prospects in defending a criminal charge. Whilst Vanja does not back down from defending a matter and putting the prosecution to proof, she is dedicated to delivering honest advice about prospects of success.