The Daily Telegraph has named Paul McGirr as one of Sydney’s top lawyers.

Stay busy, don’t stress and don’t speak.

These are some of the golden words of advice Paul McGirr gives his NRL star clients in the moments after they hire him.

Few lawyers have had more success than Mr McGirr in the protection of stricken rugby league players. He is fiercely defensive of their right to a presumption of innocence and to maintain a decent life while the game they love is often taken away from them.

“I try and put them at ease and say ‘look, the reason you’re paying me is to do the worrying for you. If I tell you to start worrying, you can start worrying’,” Mr McGirr said.

“I try and tell them to keep themselves busy, get work with friends, bricklaying if you have to.

“They’re training every day then all of a sudden that’s turned off and that’s when mental health arises because idle hands are the devil’s workshop.”

The list of NSW Origin stars alone he’s represented is impressive - Jarrod Mullen, Michael Jennings and Ben Kennedy to name a few.