Our Criminal Defence Lawyers in Queensland
Our Brisbane criminal lawyers have been defending serious offences in Queensland for over a decade.
We have successfully represented more than 1,000 clients through our methods of strategic criminal defence. Our criminal lawyers are available now to discuss your case.
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Amy Soong
FANZCN | Legal Practice Director | Notary Public - L.L.B (Hons), L.L.M, BBus (Accy), GradDipLP (QUT)
Amy graduated with honours in a dual degree of Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Business from QUT. She also completed a Master of Laws and has undertaken the Bar Practice Course. She has been admitted as a legal practitioner to the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia for over 18 years.
During this time, Amy has practised exclusively as a criminal defence lawyer, representing clients in a broad range of State and Commonwealth criminal matters. She has extensive experience defending serious and complex criminal charges, having spent six years with one of Queensland's leading criminal law firms before establishing Ashworth Lawyers in 2014.
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, human trafficking, people smuggling, kidnapping, murder, manslaughter, arson, money laundering, extortion, torture, choking offences, aviation offences and many other serious criminal matters.
She also has extensive experience defending white-collar and regulatory prosecutions, including ASIC investigations, taxation offences and prosecutions under the Food Act. In addition, Amy regularly represents clients in Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) coercive hearings and coronial inquests.
Amy is focused and is highly organised and has strong attention to detail to cases. Her strength is to explore all options and believes that thorough and meticulous preparation is the key to achieving the best outcomes for clients. She will always look for alternative processes which may end the matter early for clients to save stress, time, and costs. This includes having successfully negotiated or mediated cases so that they are discontinued from the court.
She is sensitive to the highly stressful and foreign nature of the criminal law process to most clients and so understands that working closely with clients and maintaining regular communication is important.
She is always looking for new arguments and perspectives for a client’s case. Her extensive court experience means that she can anticipate what the prosecutor will likely argue, and knows what arguments will likely be persuasive to a court.
She is a fellow of The Australian and New Zealand College of Notaries and is an active member of the Queensland Law Society Wellbeing Working Group, dedicated to supporting QLS in strengthening the health and wellbeing of fellow practitioners.
Amy is a Council Member of The Society of Notaries of Queensland and 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 seminars on criminal law for Legalwise and the Queensland Law Society.
She is also recognised by Doyle's Guide as a Recommended Leading Criminal Defence Lawyer in Queensland for 2026. Doyle's Guide is one of Australia's most reputable and respected independent legal rankings, recognising leading lawyers through peer review and industry research.
Click here to connect with Amy on LinkedIn or to learn more about her experience.
David Svoboda
Senior Consultant
David completed a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts at University of Queensland, and a Masters of Applied Linguistics from University of South Queensland.
David is a leading Brisbane criminal lawyer and has practised solely in criminal defence for over 15 years in private and government legal practice in Queensland and in Western Australia, and is a highly respected and leading criminal lawyer in Queensland.
He has extensive experience appearing as solicitor-advocate in different courts and jurisdictions in all serious crime matters.
He has represented clients in complex and novel criminal cases and high-profile matters. He is committed to providing the highest standard of criminal law representation by considering all legal issues in a matter and exploring all available options, including prospects of negotiations, discontinuance, and alternative dispute resolutions to divert a matter away from the court process.
David understands how stressful the criminal law process can be for clients and as such, works closely with clients to keep them informed and ensures that they are supported during a difficult process.
David has travelled widely and is very familiar with the nuances of cross-cultural communications. He regularly acts for clients from all different backgrounds and is very familiar with working with interpreters if necessary for a client.
He is a past-member of the Criminal Law Committee (Queensland Law Society), and has received the Outstanding Achievement Award - Contribution to National Legal Aid Law Reform Regarding People Smugglers, Legal Aid Queensland Recognition Award 2012.
Jessica Incledon
Senior Associate L.L.B, BPsychSc, GradCertLP (Griffith)
Jessica completed a Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Psychological Science at Griffith University and was admitted to the profession in 2015.
Jessica is an experienced criminal defence lawyer in Brisbane, appearing across Queensland criminal courts for over 11 years. Jessica is client focused and committed to obtaining the best outcome for clients. She brings a compassionate approach to assisting clients navigate the legal system.
Jessica is also proud to contribute to the evolving role of artificial intelligence in the legal profession through her involvement with the QLS AI in Legal Practice Committee and Advisory Group. Established in 2024, this committee is dedicated to supporting lawyers in understanding the impact of emerging technologies and how these innovations are shaping legal practice. Jessica is committed to helping drive progress in this area, focusing on how AI and other advancements can enhance legal services and improve the delivery of outcomes for clients.
Jessica has a high level of technical expertise in exploring all legal options and arguments to achieve the best outcome for clients.
In her spare time, Jessica gives back to the community through volunteering at community legal centres.
Paris Brotherton
Solicitor | L.L.B (Hons), BJus (Criminology), GradDipLP (QUT)
Paris graduated with honours in a dual degree of Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Justice, majoring in Criminology and Policing from QUT. Paris has completed a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from QUT and has been admitted as a legal practitioner to the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia.
Paris long aspired to pursue a career in criminal law. This aspiration was fuelled by her intrinsic belief that everyone should have the right to a fair trial and competent legal representation, regardless of their circumstances or background. Paris understands that everyone’s personal circumstances and life experiences are unique. She believes that in working closely with her clients and understanding their particular circumstances so that tailored advice can be given to achieve the best outcome for the client.
Paris has experience working on a wide range of criminal cases, ranging from unlawful assembly to high-level drug operations and offences of sexual violence. She has appeared before central and regional courts throughout Queensland. Paris pays a high attention to detail when reviewing the evidence against her clients to establish possible weak points in the prosecution case. She also aims to investigate and consider relevant nuances and novel points of law when they arise. Paris always strives to achieve the best results for her clients and ensure the fundamental principles of our justice system are upheld.
Our Brisbane Criminal Lawyers Are Available Now
If you have a court date or are under investigation in Queensland for serious charges, it is critical to seek early advice.
The steps you take now can make the difference to the outcome of your case.
Based in Brisbane and appearing in all Queensland criminal courts, our lawyers have extensive experience defending serious and complex charges, including murder, rape, violence, drugs, and fraud.
Call (07) 3012 6531 or fill in our Quick Enquiry to speak directly with our best Brisbane criminal lawyers.