Douglass and Ford Criminal Law

Douglass & Ford Criminal Law is a law firm established in Nowra for over 20 years. The firm focuses exclusively on criminal law matters. Its specialists represent clients in courts at Nowra and Milton, and throughout New South Wales. Brett Ford is the Principal, Solicitor and Barrister. He has been appearing in courts in relation to criminal law matters for over 15 years.

He holds a Diploma in Law, Graduate Diploma in Legal Practise and a Master’s Degree in Criminal Prosecutions. Originally a police officer, he qualified as a Prosecutor and practised in that position for about 10 years. Since leaving the NSW Police in 2010, he has been practising exclusively in criminal law defence. The firm has a dedicated team of paralegals and administrative staff. Its main services include criminal law, traffic law, AVOs, higher courts, and licence appeals.

Matters of criminal law handled through the Nowra practice draw sharply differing accounts from clients. On one side, several reviewers describe favourable outcomes, including a case in which a client retained their licence, and Brett Ford is named by a client who credits him with that result. The office team is also singled out as welcoming, and Simone receives praise for her handling of a matter.

A recurring theme among satisfied accounts is the importance clients place on a solicitor who listens and pursues the outcome they seek, with expertise and advice valued. On the other side, reviewers repeatedly raise concerns about communication and how they were treated during proceedings. One account describes feeling poorly served by the advice given and by a decision not to rely on a statement in court, while another refers to the manner in which they were spoken to by the lawyer and by office staff.

Complaints also centre on a sense that instructions were not given sufficient weight, that support and interest were lacking, and that the service did not match what clients felt they had paid for. The contrast between the praise for results and the criticism of dealings before and after court appearances is the point that emerges most clearly across the feedback.