By Hannah Moore For Daily Mail Australia and Australian Associated Press
Published: 21:41 GMT, 28 February 2019 | Updated: 23:22 GMT, 28 February 2019
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The identity of Lawyer X, the barrister whose information helped convict hundreds of Victorian gangland criminals and drug traffickers, is set to be revealed.
A court order suppressing the identity of the female police informant, who is also often referred to as Informer 3838, has been enforced since 2014, but is expected to be lifted at 4.15pm on Friday.
The scandal is now the subject of a royal commission and has opened a window of appeal for some of Victoria's worst criminals, including drug lord Tony Mokbel.
The lawyer, who represented dozens of clients linked to Melbourne's gangland era, helped rein in crime kingpins by feeding police confidential information.
It's believed that Informer 3838 fed information to authorities which led to the capture of drug kingpin Tony Mokbel (left). Among the convicted felons who could appeal their sentences following the revelation of Lawyer X's identity is Pasquale Barbaro (right)
There were 36 gangland murders in Melbourne from 1998 to 2010 as warring criminal groups fought for control and power.
The royal commission's scope was widened after police revealed Lawyer X - also known as informer 3838 or 'EF' - was first recruited in 1995, not 2005 as previously thought, and other people who held obligations of confidentiality were also used as informants.
The revelations gangland lawyers were passing privileged information to police is expected to result in many major jailed crime figures appealing their convictions.
Expected to be among them are Pasquale Barbaro, who is serving a life sentence for failed ecstasy importation, as well as infamous drug boss Tony Mokbel, who received a 30-year sentence for drug trafficking.
The reveal comes after years of court battles, and in spite of fears
