Time costed or fixed fee by agreement. 24 hour phone line
Office
Level 9, 15 Adelaide Street, Brisbane QLD 4000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
A Brisbane firm whose history goes back to 1924, and which has focused on criminal and employment law since 2008. It says five of its lawyers are accredited criminal law specialists, and three of them appear on the Queensland Law Society register. Managing director Callan Lloyd won the QLS Outstanding Accredited Specialist award in 2024, according to the firm. As well as everyday charges it handles CCC hearings, corporate crime, youth justice and coronial inquests. Fees are time costed unless a fixed fee is agreed, and the main line runs 24 hours.
Kristy Bell set up this criminal law only firm in 2022, after working as a judge's associate, a police prosecutor, in the state and Commonwealth prosecution offices and as a partner at another Brisbane firm. She is an accredited criminal law specialist, and since 2025 she has been deputy chair of the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council. Senior associate Emma Kearney is also an accredited specialist, according to the firm. Its list covers parole, blue card and disciplinary matters, coronial inquests and dangerous prisoner cases alongside everyday charges.
Established in 2022
Also worth knowing
Handles parole, blue card, disciplinary and dangerous prisoner matters, which not every firm does.
Lawyers
Kristy Bell's accreditation is confirmed by the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council. The firm says Emma Kearney is also accredited.
Free first consultation. Fixed fees for simpler Magistrates Court matters
Office
Level 10, 95 North Quay, Brisbane QLD 4000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Justin Sibley formed this firm in 2017 after careers as a Queensland police officer, including in child abuse and sexual assault investigations, and as a Commonwealth counter terrorism adviser, according to the firm. It started as a criminal defence practice and now also does traffic, employment and family work, with five offices across South East Queensland. Its Essential Services team acts for police, paramedics and corrective services officers. The first consultation is free, simpler Magistrates Court matters can be done on a fixed fee, and after hours appointments are available for urgent charges.
Formed in 2017
Also worth knowing
Five offices: Brisbane, Ipswich, Bundall, Cleveland and Caboolture.
Free 15 minute phone consultation. Hourly or fixed fees, with payment plans
Office
Level 10, 95 North Quay, Brisbane City QLD 4000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Amy Soong established Ashworth Lawyers in 2014, and it's one of the few private Queensland firms that practises only criminal defence. She is an accredited criminal law specialist and a notary public, according to the firm. Senior consultant David Svoboda is a past member of the QLS criminal law committee. The firm takes on serious matters, from sexual offences and drug trafficking to fraud, money laundering and organised crime, and its lawyers travel to courts on the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and in regional Queensland. A 15 minute first phone call is free, with hourly or fixed fees and payment plans.
Established in 2014
Also worth knowing
Lawyers travel to courts on the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and in regional Queensland.
Lawyers
The firm says Amy Soong is a QLS accredited criminal law specialist.
Amy Soong, Legal Practice Director and Notary Public
Fixed fee or time costed, most clients choose fixed. 24 hour line
Office
Level 8, 420 George Street, Brisbane QLD 4000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
A Brisbane criminal firm that has been practising since 1977, with offices in Mackay and Cairns as well. The firm says five of its lawyers are accredited criminal law specialists, including all three principals. Managing principal Nick Dore sat on the QLS criminal law accreditation committee for eight years and chaired it in 2020, according to the firm. It handles everything from traffic and domestic violence to murder, corporate crime and customs offences. Most clients choose a fixed fee, and the firm can be reached 24 hours a day.
Practising since 1977
Also worth knowing
Reachable 24 hours a day.
Lawyers
The firm says the first five lawyers listed are QLS accredited criminal law specialists.
Free online case appraisal. 24 hour emergency representation
Office
Unit 5, 8 Petrie Terrace, Petrie Terrace QLD 4000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
A criminal law firm co-founded by Terry O'Gorman, the civil liberties advocate who is still with it as senior consultant, and now led by principal Dan Rogers. The firm says four of its solicitors are accredited criminal law specialists, and Terry O'Gorman received the QLS Outstanding Accredited Specialist award in 2020. Senior associate Evan O'Hanlon-Rose spent about ten years as a senior Crown prosecutor. As well as everyday charges it handles corporate crime, professional discipline and inquests. You can get a free case appraisal online, and emergency representation is available 24 hours.
Also worth knowing
24 hour emergency representation, and a free online case appraisal.
Lawyers
The firm says Dan Rogers, Terry O'Gorman, Emma Higgins and Jaimee-Lee Jessop are QLS accredited criminal law specialists.
First consultation in the office, in prison or by video. Lawyer on call 24 hours
Office
Level 1, 331 George Street, Brisbane QLD 4000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
A criminal and traffic firm on George Street led by directors Adam Guest, admitted in 1999, and Lewis Hunter. The firm says it has defended more than 1,500 criminal cases and appears in courts from Brisbane to Southport, Ipswich, Maroochydore and Toowoomba. Solicitor Chelsea Waters holds a youth practitioner certification for Childrens Court work. Beyond court work it handles Parole Board reviews, coronial inquests and Office of Fair Trading prosecutions. First consultations can be held at the office, in prison or by video, and a lawyer is on call 24 hours.
Free first consultation. Fixed fees for most matters. 24 hour call and text line
Office
Level 10, 95 North Quay, Brisbane QLD 4000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
A criminal, traffic and domestic violence practice run by principal Ryan Roche, with offices in Brisbane, Caboolture, Southport and Caloundra. It handles the everyday charges most people face, from assault and drug possession to dishonesty offences and drink driving. If you need a work licence or a special hardship order, it refunds its fee if the application fails, the firm says. The first consultation is free, fixed fees are available for most matters, and there's a 24 hour line you can call or text.
Free first appointment and quote. Fixed price services. Emergency mobile line
Office
Level 10, 95 North Quay, Brisbane QLD 4000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
A criminal, domestic violence and traffic firm led by principal Troy Smith, with offices on North Quay and in Bundall on the Gold Coast. He was admitted in 2001, moved into criminal law in 2016 and has run trials and won appeals in the Queensland Court of Appeal, according to the firm. It appears in the Brisbane Magistrates and District Courts and at Southport for Gold Coast matters. The first appointment is free, the firm offers fixed price services, and there's an emergency mobile line for urgent matters.
Free consultation. 24 hour emergency line. After hours meetings by appointment
Office
Level 10, 95 North Quay, Brisbane QLD 4000
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
A small criminal and traffic practice that David Abrey started in 2010 and still runs as its principal. If you want the same lawyer from your first call through to court, a firm this size is more likely to give you that. The work runs from police station representation and bail through to committals, trials and appeals, and covers charges from public nuisance to drug importing and murder. The first consultation is free, there's a 24 hour emergency line, and after hours and weekend meetings can be arranged.
Started in 2010
Also worth knowing
Covers matters from bail and pleas through to trials and appeals.
Firm details come from each firm's own website and the Queensland Law Society register. Google ratings are shown as published on Google and don't set the order. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
Not sure which firm suits you?
Tell us a little about your matter and we'll put you in touch with a Brisbane criminal lawyer. It's free and there's no obligation.
How we compiled this list
We include firms with a Brisbane office that do criminal defence as a main part of their work. For each firm we read its own website in October 2026 and wrote the description ourselves. Where a firm says a lawyer is an accredited specialist, we say so, and we checked the Queensland Law Society register where we could. Free consultations and fee terms are as the firm describes them, so confirm them when you call. We show Google ratings with the date we checked them.
Some firms pay for a featured listing, which affects where they appear on this page. Payment doesn't buy the write-up. We write those ourselves, and firms don't get to edit them. If something here is out of date, let us know. There's more detail on how we rank law firms.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws and programs are as published by the Queensland Government, Queensland Courts and Legal Aid Queensland in October 2026.
Where Brisbane criminal cases are heard
Almost every criminal case starts in the Magistrates Court. In the city that's the Brisbane Magistrates Court at 363 George Street. If police held you in custody, your first appearance is usually at the arrest courts in the Roma Street complex, at 240 Roma Street.
The Magistrates Court deals with summary offences and most property offences, such as stealing and fraud. For some charges you can choose whether to go to a higher court. More serious charges are committed to the District Court or Supreme Court, which sit in the QEII Courts of Law at 415 George Street. At a committal, the magistrate decides whether there's enough evidence for the case to go to trial.
Charges against young people under 18 go to the Childrens Court. Its magistrates sit at 363 George Street, and the Childrens Court of Queensland, with District Court judges, sits at 415 George Street.
Bail in Queensland
A court must grant bail unless there's an unacceptable risk you would fail to appear, commit another offence, endanger someone's safety or interfere with witnesses. It looks at the seriousness of the charge, your background, your bail history and how strong the evidence is.
For some charges the starting point flips, and you must show cause why you shouldn't be held. These include:
an indictable offence allegedly committed while you were already on bail or awaiting trial for another indictable offence
an indictable offence involving a firearm, offensive weapon or explosive
an offence against the Bail Act, such as failing to appear in court
serious domestic violence offences, such as strangulation or a violent breach of a protection order
Where a conviction would mean mandatory life imprisonment, only the Supreme Court can grant bail. Bail for children is dealt with under the Youth Justice Act instead.
Adult crime, adult time: the youth justice changes
Since December 2024, Queensland courts can give children adult penalties for a list of serious offences. The list started with 13 offences, including murder, grievous bodily harm, robbery, burglary and unlawful use of a motor vehicle. It has been extended three times, in May 2025, March 2026 and April 2026, and now covers more than 40 offences, including drug trafficking, rape, arson and strangulation in a domestic setting.
For these offences, children sentenced since 13 December 2024 face the same penalties as adults, up to the adult maximum, and mandatory adult penalties apply too. For murder that means mandatory life detention, with at least 20 years before parole. Courts sentencing any child must also give primary regard to the impact on the victim, and no longer treat detention as a last resort.
The law keeps changing. The Breach Bail, Go to Jail bill, introduced on 27 August 2026 and still before Parliament on 23 October 2026, would make committing a listed serious offence while on bail a new offence with a mandatory minimum of 12 months, served wholly in custody. It would apply to adults and children: for children, the listed offences are the Adult Crime, Adult Time offences, and the 12 month minimum would be served in a youth detention centre. Even after showing cause, police and courts would have to refuse bail unless satisfied to a high degree of confidence that the person won't commit another listed offence. As introduced, it would start on 30 November 2026. The new offence would apply only where bail is granted on or after that date. The tougher bail test would apply to listed offences committed after that date, whenever the first bail was granted. If your child has been charged, get advice early, because the rules that apply depend on when the offence happened.
Drug diversion for small amounts
If police find a small amount of drugs that they believe is for your own use, police must offer an eligible adult diversion instead of charging you. For under 18s it's up to police. You get one warning, then up to two referrals to a drug assessment program, and each step counts as used once it's offered. You're not eligible if there's a related indictable charge, or if you've ever been jailed for supplying, trafficking or producing drugs.
Drug
Diversion limit
Cannabis
50 grams
MDMA
4 pills
LSD
3 tabs
Ketamine
0.2 grams
Most other illicit drugs, such as cocaine, heroin and methylamphetamine
1 gram
If you've been charged and plead guilty to a minor drug offence in court, the Illicit Drugs Court Diversion Program may still let you avoid a conviction. For more serious offending linked to drug or alcohol dependence, the Queensland Drug and Alcohol Court sits at the Brisbane Magistrates Court. Parliament has passed laws replacing this scheme with a single diversion chance, plus on-the-spot fines for minor drug offences other than cannabis. When we checked on 23 October 2026 those changes had not started, so check with a lawyer or the Legal Aid drug diversion line.
Criminal records and when a conviction isn't recorded
For many first offences, the biggest question is whether a conviction will be recorded. The court has a discretion not to record one, and looks at the nature of the offence, your character and age, and the effect a conviction would have on your job prospects and wellbeing. An unrecorded conviction isn't treated as a conviction for most purposes.
If a conviction is recorded, it can stop showing on most checks after a rehabilitation period, as long as you weren't sentenced to more than 30 months' imprisonment, even if the sentence was suspended. The period runs from the date the conviction is recorded, or until any court order is satisfied if that's later. A new conviction during the period can restart the clock.
Conviction
Rehabilitation period
Adult convicted on indictment (a higher court)
10 years
Any other conviction, including all convictions as a child
5 years
Some jobs, such as working with children or in the law, still require you to disclose older convictions.
If police want to question you
You have the right to stay silent. Police can demand your name and address in certain situations, for example if they suspect you of an offence. Police must caution you before questioning. Before they question you about an indictable offence, they must tell you that you can contact a lawyer and a friend or relative, and give you a reasonable time to do it. You can have your lawyer present during the interview.
Police can generally hold you for up to 8 hours to question you about an indictable offence, with no more than 4 hours of actual questioning, unless police get a magistrate to extend it. Extra protections apply to children and to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Free and low cost criminal law help in Brisbane
Legal Aid Queensland: 1300 65 11 88, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm. Its youth legal advice hotline is 1800 527 527
Duty lawyers: free at the Magistrates Court on your court day for many first appearances, pleas and bail applications, but not trials or committals. Arrive early and ask court staff
Drug diversion advice line: Legal Aid Queensland, 1300 004 924 (over 18s, Monday to Thursday, 8am to 5pm)
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service: 1800 012 255, with a custody notification service after hours
To check a lawyer is practising, or to find an accredited criminal law specialist, search the Queensland Law Society register of solicitors.
Brisbane criminal law: common questions
Do I need a lawyer for my first court date?
Not always, but you should get advice before it. A free duty lawyer at the Magistrates Court can help on the day, and Legal Aid Queensland can tell you if you qualify for a grant of aid. For anything that might mean jail, a lost licence or a recorded conviction, it's worth having a lawyer from the start.
What is an accredited criminal law specialist?
A solicitor who has passed extra assessment in criminal law through the Queensland Law Society and keeps up specialist training each year. It isn't required to practise, but it's a good sign of depth. You can search for one on the QLS register of solicitors.
Can I avoid a criminal conviction?
Sometimes. For many first and minor offences the court can decide not to record a conviction, looking at the offence, your character and age, and the effect on your work. Small drug matters may also be dealt with through police or court diversion.
What happens if I'm refused bail?
You can apply again if your circumstances change, or apply to a higher court. For some charges you have to show cause why you should be released, so a lawyer's help with the application matters.
Do I have to answer police questions?
No. You only have to give your name and address when police are entitled to ask, for example if they suspect you of an offence. You can say you want to speak to a lawyer first, and for an indictable offence police must give you a reasonable chance to contact one before questioning.
How much does a Brisbane criminal lawyer cost?
It depends on the charge and the court. Many firms offer a free or low cost first consultation, and several quote fixed fees for Magistrates Court matters. Ask for a written estimate before you sign anything. If money is tight, check whether you qualify for legal aid.
What are the adult crime, adult time laws?
Since 13 December 2024, children sentenced for listed serious offences in Queensland face the same penalties as adults, including mandatory penalties. The list now covers more than 40 offences. Get advice quickly if a young person has been charged, because the rules depend on the offence date.
General information only, not legal advice.
Looking in another city? See all our criminal lawyers by city, with a plain English guide to how it works.
