Amy Soong was admitted as a legal practitioner to the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia in 2008, after completing a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). She later completed a Master of Laws, undertook the Bar Practice Course, and became a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Notaries.
Amy began her legal career at one of Queensland’s largest criminal law firms, where she practised exclusively in criminal defence. In 2014, she founded Ashworth Lawyers, a Brisbane-based criminal defence law firm focused on representing clients charged with serious and complex criminal offences under Queensland and Commonwealth law. She now leads the firm’s criminal defence practice and is responsible for strategic oversight of high-risk and complex matters.
With more than 18 years’ experience practising exclusively in criminal law, Amy has appeared extensively in the Magistrates Court, District Court, and Supreme Court of Queensland, as well as in interstate jurisdictions including New South Wales and Western Australia. Her practice includes contested jury trials, complex committal proceedings, and matters involving substantial volumes of evidence and sensitive factual issues.
Amy has acted for clients in a wide range of serious criminal matters, including large-scale drug and organised crime operations, historical sexual offence and rape allegations, major and complex fraud, aviation and transport offences, white-collar and cybercrime, and proceeds of crime matters. She also has experience defending allegations involving murder, terrorism, human trafficking, people smuggling, money laundering, kidnapping, and extortion.
Her work frequently involves matters with significant personal, reputational, and commercial consequences for clients, including cases involving digital and forensic evidence, intercepted communications, multi-accused prosecutions, and historical allegations. Amy is known for a strategic, evidence-focused approach and for providing clear, direct advice at critical stages of criminal investigations and proceedings.
In addition to her legal practice, Amy contributes to the profession through speaking and professional education. In 2026, she is presenting at the Queensland Law Society Symposium on the topic of ‘Cybercrime in 2026 and Beyond: Deepfakes, AI and the Expanding Digital Frontier.’ She is also presenting for Legalwise in 2026 on defending serious and repeat driving offences in Queensland where clients face a risk of imprisonment. These engagements reflect her leadership in the profession, ongoing involvement in professional development, and her focus on complex and evolving areas of criminal law practice.
In addition to her legal practice, Amy is an active member of the Queensland Law Society Wellbeing Working Group, contributing to initiatives aimed at supporting practitioner wellbeing within the profession.
Amy’s work and leadership in criminal law have been recognised through a number of professional honours, including being named a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year at the Lord Mayor’s Business Awards 2023, a finalist for Executive of the Year at the Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards 2024, and receiving the Trailblazer of the Year award at Law Biz Con 2025.
Amy continues to lead a team of Brisbane criminal defence lawyers at Ashworth Lawyers, representing clients across Queensland in serious and complex criminal matters, with a focus on strategic criminal defence and careful preparation aimed at achieving the best possible outcome in each case.
