Best Melbourne Criminal Lawyers for High-Net-Worth Defence Matters

Serious criminal matters affecting high-net-worth individuals typically involve significant asset exposure, reputational considerations, and parallel civil proceedings alongside the criminal defence. The capacity to manage a brief at scale, across multiple proceedings and over long timelines, is itself a relevant capability. All lawyers profiled below are established Victorian criminal defence practitioners, with several recognised by Doyle's Guide and Best Lawyers.

1. Bill Doogue, Doogue + George Defence Lawyers

Bill Doogue founded Doogue + George Defence Lawyers in 1995 and leads the firm as Director. Admitted to practice in 1991 and an Accredited Criminal Law Specialist since 1998, he holds a depth of specialist accreditation unusual even among senior Victorian practitioners. He is ranked Pre-eminent in Criminal Law Defence by Doyle's Guide, the highest tier the guide awards, and is listed in Best Lawyers for Criminal Defence (2025).

His substantive practice covers tax fraud, white collar crime, complex commercial crime, foreign bribery, and cross-border matters. He has appeared before the High Court of Australia and in courts across New South Wales, Tasmania, and South Australia. He has appeared on behalf of clients at Royal Commission hearings and has advised clients across Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Singapore. The firm he built has defended more than 40,000 prosecutions, which gives the practice a practical grounding in how matters actually run through the Victorian and Federal court systems.

Beyond his advocacy, Doogue designed Crimebase, a relational database for criminal law practice that earned the C.C.H. Legal Technology Award. He is a founding member of the Australian Defence Lawyers Alliance and is involved in running the Australian Criminal Lawyers Conference. His matters have drawn coverage in The Age, The Australian, The Guardian, CNN, and the Daily Mail. He served for over ten years as Chairperson of the Broadmeadows Community Legal Centre. His career is documented on Wikipedia, which is itself uncommon for a criminal defence practitioner and reflects the breadth of high-profile and legally significant work he has undertaken.

2. Emma Turnbull, Emma Turnbull and Associates

Emma Turnbull is Partner and Director of Emma Turnbull and Associates, a Melbourne criminal defence practice where she handles indictable matters and legal aid work. The combination reflects engagement across the Victorian criminal defence profession at both the privately retained and legally aided ends of the market.

She operates as both solicitor advocate and instructor. Running her own firm means direct senior practitioner involvement in the matters she takes on. For referrers placing indictable briefs in Victoria, particularly where the legal aid framework is relevant, her practice offers the relevant experience across both categories.

3. David Barrese, David Barrese & Associates

David Barrese is Director of David Barrese & Associates, the Victorian criminal defence firm that carries his name. He conducts matters directly as the named Director of a practice built around senior practitioner involvement.

Running his own firm means consistent personal involvement across the life of each brief. For referrers placing Victorian criminal defence matters where direct senior practitioner conduct is the primary requirement, the structure of his practice as Director of his own firm is the relevant feature.

4. Howard Rapke, Holding Redlich

Howard Rapke is recognised by Who's Who Legal as a global leader in Business Crime, Investigations and Asset Recovery, a listing he has held since 2019 and one that reflects standing across both Australian and international practice. He is a Partner at Holding Redlich, where he serves as National Head of Disputes and Litigation, and has more than 30 years of practice in complex commercial litigation and white collar criminal investigation and prosecution.

Doyle's Guide lists him as a Leading Victorian Commercial Litigation and Dispute Resolution Lawyer and as a Leading Australian White Collar Crime, Corporate Crime and Regulatory Investigations Lawyer. Best Lawyers recognises him for Criminal Defence, Litigation, and Alternative Dispute Resolution across the 2017 to 2026 editions. He practises across Victorian and Federal jurisdictions with a substantive focus on fraud, foreign bribery, anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, and matters before ASIC and the ACCC.

5. Chen Yang, Paul Vale and Associates

Chen Yang practises in both English and Mandarin as Partner and Director of Paul Vale and Associates, a capability that is directly relevant in matters involving Mandarin-speaking clients or Mandarin-language evidence. His practice focuses on serious indictable matters and he is known among peers for thorough preparation of contested briefs.

He operates as both solicitor advocate and instructor. The bilingual capacity extends his ability to conduct matters directly across a broader client base than a solely English-language practice allows. For referrers placing serious indictable briefs in Victoria where language is a feature of the matter or the client relationship, his combination of serious criminal defence experience and verified bilingual practice is the relevant credential.

Selection of counsel in this category depends on the nature of the charge, the jurisdiction, the stage of proceedings, and the specific facts of the matter. Early engagement of senior counsel materially affects outcomes, particularly where decisions made at the investigation or pre-charge stage shape what is available later. The practitioners profiled above are a starting point for informed referral within Victorian criminal defence.