About

Amy Soong is the Legal Practice Director of Ashworth Lawyers and an experienced criminal defence lawyer with over 18 years' experience representing clients in serious and complex criminal matters throughout Queensland and Australia. She is recognised by Doyle's Guide as a Recommended Leading Criminal Defence Lawyer (Queensland) 2026.

She practises exclusively in criminal law, acting in both State and Commonwealth matters. Amy established Ashworth Lawyers in 2014 after practising for six years with one of Queensland's leading criminal defence law firms.

Qualifications & Background

Amy graduated with Honours in a dual degree of Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Business (Accounting) from the Queensland University of Technology. She also completed a Master of Laws, the Bar Practice Course and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice.

She has been admitted as a legal practitioner to the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia since 2008.

Amy is also a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Notaries. She also serves as a Council member of The Society of Notaries of Queensland. She is also a member of the Queensland Law Society Wellbeing Working Group, contributing to initiatives aimed at supporting the health and wellbeing of lawyers in Queensland.

Experience

Amy has represented clients in courts throughout Queensland and has extensive advocacy experience across a broad range of criminal matters. She has also travelled interstate to represent clients in New South Wales and South Australia, and internationally to Hong Kong and Indonesia in connection with complex cross-border criminal investigations and proceedings.

Amy has represented clients charged with some of the most serious and complex criminal offences prosecuted in Queensland. Her experience includes large-scale drug trafficking operations, transnational organised crime, rape and other sexual offences, sophisticated and high-value fraud, cybercrimes, human trafficking, people smuggling, kidnapping, murder, manslaughter, arson, money laundering, extortion, torture, choking offences, aviation offences and many other serious criminal charges.

Amy also has extensive experience defending white-collar and regulatory prosecutions, including ASIC investigations, taxation offences and prosecutions under the Food Act. In addition, she regularly represents clients in Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) coercive hearings and coronial inquests.

Strategic Criminal Defence Framework

Through her extensive experience in criminal defence, Amy developed the Ashworth Lawyers Strategic Criminal Defence Framework, the firm's internal methodology for defending serious and complex criminal cases in Queensland.

Every case is worked through a minimum of 22 steps to ensure every legal, evidentiary, procedural and strategic issue is systematically identified and considered. The Framework provides an overarching strategic approach to every matter, ensuring all potential angles, arguments, defences, negotiation opportunities and tactical options are examined throughout the case.

By applying the Framework to every matter, Amy ensures a consistent and methodical approach to criminal defence, with the objective of achieving the best possible outcome for every client.

Approach

Amy believes thorough preparation, attention to detail and strategic thinking are fundamental to effective criminal defence.

Drawing on her extensive court experience, Amy anticipates the issues likely to be raised by the prosecution and identifies the arguments most likely to persuade the court. She explores every available strategic option, including opportunities to resolve matters at an early stage where appropriate. This has included successfully negotiating matters that were discontinued before proceeding through the court process.

Amy understands that becoming involved in the criminal justice system is unfamiliar and stressful for most people. Whilst the immediate concern for many clients is whether they will go to prison, often equallly as important is the effect upon a person’s reputation, career, family and future. Amy works closely with clients to understand what is most important to them and then provide strategies to reduce those risks.

Amy also speaks fluent Cantonese and has extensive experience assisting clients from diverse international backgrounds facing serious criminal charges in Queensland.

Professional Contributions

Amy regularly contributes to the legal profession through legal publications and professional education. She has authored criminal law articles published in Proctor, the official journal of the Queensland Law Society, and regularly presents criminal law seminars for Legalwise and the Queensland Law Society.

Most recently, Amy chaired a panel discussion at the Queensland Law Society Symposium, Cybercrime in 2026 and Beyond: Deepfakes, AI and the Expanding Digital Frontier, alongside Michael Bonasia, Barrister, and Professor Ryan Ko, Director of the UQ Cyber Research Centre. The session explored how artificial intelligence and emerging technologies are reshaping criminal law, including the challenges posed by deepfakes, cybercrime and other technology-related offences.

Amy also contributes to the broader community through leadership presentations at local schools and community organisations. In addition, she regularly participates as a judge for Queensland University of Technology (QUT) student advocacy and mooting competitions, supporting the development of the next generation of legal practitioners.

Professional Development

Amy believes professional development extends beyond the law. As technology continues to change the way criminal investigations are conducted and evidence is gathered, she considers it important to understand the legal and practical implications of emerging technologies.

She is currently undertaking a Graduate Diploma in Information Technology (Artificial Intelligence) at the Queensland University of Technology, which is expected to be completed in 2027.

Professional Recognition

Amy has been recognised by Doyle's Guide as a Recommended Leading Criminal Defence Lawyer (Queensland) 2026.

Under Amy's leadership, Ashworth Lawyers has also been recognised by Doyle's Guide as a Recommended Leading Criminal Defence Law Firm (Queensland) 2026.

Doyle's Guide is widely regarded as Australia's leading independent guide to the legal profession and one of the country's most respected lawyer and law firm ranking publications.

Amy has also been recognised as:

• Trailblazer of the Year, Scalable Law Awards (2025)

• Finalist, Executive of the Year, Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards (2024)

• Finalist, Entrepreneur of the Year, Lord Mayor's Multicultural Business Awards (2023)

Through her extensive work in criminal defence, legal education and professional development, Amy continues to contribute to the legal profession while representing individuals facing serious and complex criminal charges throughout Queensland.