Sam has been practising for 15 years as a barrister, specialising primarily in criminal law. His experience includes over 100 jury trials involving a range of offences including homicides, offences of violence, corruption and dishonesty offences, drug offences and sexual offences. He has also been regularly involved with appellate work including many appearances in the Court of Appeal and has juniored in the High Court. Since his admission in 2008, Sam worked at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions reaching the position of Principal Crown Prosecutor before moving to the private bar in 2022.

Outside of criminal law, he was Legal Counsel on the New Generation Rollingstock Train Commission of Inquiry in 2018.