Isaac Hoballah | Astor Legal

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      Isaac Hoballah

      Lawyer

      Isaac has been with Astor Legal since 2021. He is a dedicated criminal defence lawyer with a proven track record of success in a wide range of complex matters. He is known for his ability to meticulously identify weaknesses in prosecution evidence and advise his clients on all available case strategies and defences.

      He holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) double degree through the University of Wollongong (UOW). His understanding of both law and finance gives him a unique perspective, particularly in relation to complex fraud and white-collar crime matters.

      Isaac excels in negotiating with the prosecution, often securing the withdrawal or downgrade of charges before matters reach a Hearing. In the courtroom, Isaac has earned a reputation as a formidable advocate, regularly persuading magistrates and judges to deliver favourable results for his clients. Isaac has acted in Local, District and Supreme court matters across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory.

      Isaac has vast experience across a range of criminal, traffic and family law matters, including fraud, drugs, assaults, domestic violence, manslaughter and firearms offences. Isaac has particular expertise in white-collar crime, handling complex cases involving public corruption, healthcare fraud, mortgage fraud, securities fraud and money laundering. He is seen as a leading AVO lawyer and has been involved in some of Australia’s most high-profile cases, working alongside some of the country’s most esteemed barristers.

      With a strategic approach to defence, Isaac is committed to protecting the rights and interests of his clients, no matter how challenging the case.

      He is an integral member of the team at Astor Legal.

      WHAT CLIENTS SAY ABOUT ISAAC

      Astor Legal IconAstor Legal

      Level 3 Suite 5/1 Horwood Place, Parramatta

      4.9 167 reviews

      • Avatar Lucy Z ★★★★★ 2 years ago
        I just want to say thank you to the Principal lawyer Avinash and the two paralegals on his team Isaac and Jacqueline. From the first phone call I was well informed and treated with respect. The initial consult was free, and the fees were … More very reasonable. My wishes and instructions were respected throughout the process and my moments of stress and impatience was met with empathy and understanding. I am so happy I trusted Avinash's legal advice as it ultimately led to an outcome that was so much better than I had hoped for. This is a genuine review from a happy client; if you're going through a stressful ordeal right now, you will thank yourself later for reaching out to this firm.

      RECENT RESULTS BY ISAAC

      • Not Guilty of Knowingly Display Nazi Symbol
      • Astor Legal became the first criminal law firm to successfully defend an offence of knowingly display Nazi symbol under Section 93ZA of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW).

        The case was a test of the new NSW anti-hate laws. Police charged our clients after they attended a soccer match.

        The two teams playing had passionate fanbases who were antagonising each other throughout the game.

        Police alleged that at some stage during the game our clients had displayed Nazi salutes. They arrested both and advised them of the allegations. Both clients participated in interviews with police that went on for some time. They denied making Nazi salutes and suggested the gestures were simply showing pride for their nation and team.

        While it would have been preferable that no interview was conducted, on the face of it, both clients had a version of events that could not be challenged.

        As a result, police engaged a ‘right-wing terrorism expert’ to bolster their case. In response, we engaged our own cultural expert the explain some of the cultural and historical issues behind the rivalry between the teams and their nations.

        At the hearing we were able to exclude large portion of the prosecution expert’s statement on the basis that she did not have the requisite experience or knowledge and to give many of the opinions she was attempting to give.

        In closing submissions we referred to the second reading speech of Section 93ZA of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) which made clear that there had to be some link to Nazism for the offence to be made out. We argued that the display of hand gestures at a football game, with little else to support a link to Nazism did not do enough to prove the offence beyond reasonable doubt.

        In the result, we were found ‘not guilty’ at Parramatta District Court with the charge dismissed.

      • Sexual Assault Charges Dropped Within Weeks
      • Astor Legal successfully had another client’s sexual assault charges withdrawn at an early stage following negotiations with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

        Our client is a 38-year-old engineer who was in the midst of a messy divorce and separation from his wife. There had been ongoing issues for some time.

        Ostensibly to gain the upper hand in family law proceedings, his wife fabricated a number of sexual assault allegations against him. Police arrested him and bail refused him. They also applied for an AVO which prevented him from contacting his wife or his children.

        Our client initially retained another law firm and was refused bail in the Local Court. After he retained us we made a successful Supreme Court bail application. This required offering an onerous ankle monitoring condition, daily reporting, the surrender of a passport and a surety to surrender $50,000 to the court.

        Following his release, we began preparing representations to the DPP for the withdrawal of the case.

        Central to this was highlighting that our client’s wife had obtained legal advice from a family lawyer shortly before making the complaint to police. We were also able to subpoena text messages and phone records. These painted a story that was in stark contrast to the wife’s version. Importantly, there was no complaint of sexual assault in the text messages.

        Within weeks we were able to file the representations with the DPP while the case was still in at Campbelltown Local Court, using our proven formula for how to get sexual assault charges dropped.

        Ultimately, on the next court date the DPP chose to withdraw all charges against our client. Shortly afterwards we were also able to get the AVO dropped.

        As a result of our efforts, our client is now free to spend time with his children without any restrictions.

      • AVO Withdrawn After Retraction Statement
      • Astor Legal recently represented a client in an Apprehended Violence Order (AVO) matter where his parents were the Persons in Need of Protection (PINOPs).

        Our client’s mother called police while our client was having a mental health episode. When police arrived they were quick to apply for an AVO against our client for the protection of his mother.

        Our client approached us days before the first appearance at Parramatta Local Court. He explained that his mother did not want the AVO to be in place.

        We commenced working on the case. First, we arranged for our client’s mother to obtain independent legal advice and prepare a statement supporting the AVO being withdrawn. She also set out that the Defendant is not a violent or aggressive person and does not pose a threat to her safety.

        Further, we had our client commence psychological treatment with a detailed treatment plan for the next 12 months. The PINOP confirmed that her primary concern was the Defendant’s mental well-being rather than any fear for her safety.

        We then drafted representations that highlighted a number of issues with the Prosecution’s case. These included that the PINOP did not provide a written statement to the Police, as required by the Local Court Practice Note No. 2 of 2012. We also highlights the relevant factors under Section 16 of the Crimes (Domestic and Personal Violence) Act 2007.

        Ultimately, the police accepted our representations and agreed to withdraw the AVO.

        This outcome allowed our client to avoid an ADVO, resume their normal life, and focus on addressing personal issues.

      • Licence Appeal at Coffs Harbour Successful
      • Astor Legal recently represented a client at Coffs Harbour Local Court for a driver’s Licence Appeal.

        Our client was facing a speeding fine for exceeding the limit by 10 km/h, which pushed him over his demerit point limit as a red P-plater, resulting in a licence suspension.

        Our client was a student who also had a job in the aged care industry, often working night shifts to support his family. Living in a rural area with limited access to public transportation, he found it difficult to manage his commute to work.

        We commenced preparing documents to lodge the appeal as well as his subjective documents. This included evidence of the lack of public transport options in his area, including bus timetables and his work roster to demonstrate the number of shifts he worked and the times they started and ended.

        We also provided his with our specialist licence appeal character reference guide and details of our preferred Traffic Offenders Programs.

        At Coffs Harbour Local Court, our licence appeal lawyers argued that the suspension should be set aside given the significant hardship he would face without his licence. This included evidence from his family about how they relied on his income.

        The Court was persuaded by our submissions and allowed the appeal completely. This meant that our client did not serve any suspension period and was able to continue driving to complete his shifts and support his family.

        This was a fantastic result for our client, who was incredibly relieved and happy to return to work without the burden of a licence suspension.

      • Section 10 for Drive with Illicit Drug Present
      • Astor Legal recently represented a client at Parramatta Local Court who was charged with driving with illicit drug present.

        Our client maintained her innocence regarding the presence of cocaine and explained that the drug could have been transferred while being intimate with her partner who was a regular drug user. With a clean criminal record, a stable corporate job, and significant concerns about the impact of a conviction on her future, our client turned to us for support.

        We acted quickly, preparing a detailed affidavit with her. We then provided this affidavit along with other material to one of our pharmacological experts. They prepared a report that supported the possibility of drug transfer from our client’s partner.

        In addition to this expert opinion, we submitted a comprehensive package of subjective material to the Court, including the client’s affidavit, expert report, employment documents an apology letter and character references from individuals who knew the client personally and professionally.

        At court, our Parramatta DUI lawyers made strong submissions advocating for her to receive no conviction.

        In a successful result, the Court agreed with our submissions, and no conviction was recorded. Our client left court with a clean record and the opportunity to continue her career and life without the burden of a conviction.