Amelia Beech has appeared as an advocate in a broad range of criminal defence matters across both Victoria and the Northern Territory, having worked as a solicitor advocate in private practice and at Victoria Legal Aid and as a barrister and solicitor at the Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission.
In these roles, she has had the carriage of complex criminal defence matters including terrorism, drug offences, sexual offences, murder, violence, property offences and white collar crime, in both state and commonwealth proceedings.
Amelia has appeared as an advocate in the Magistrates’ and County Court, including bail applications, pleas, committals, appeals and contested hearings and breaches as well as applications for Supervision Orders made pursuant to the Serious Sex Offender (Detention and Supervision) Act. She also appeared as junior counsel in a complex rape trial in the County Court.Amelia is a Victoria Legal Aid Criminal Trial preferred barrister.
Amelia began her career as an articled clerk and then associate with Robert Stary Lawyers. During that time she appeared extensively as an advocate in the Magistrates’ and County Courts in both suburban and regional locations. In these courts, she gained experience in a broad range of hearings.
In 2011, Amelia transitioned from private practice to the Sexual Offences Team of Victoria Legal Aid in the capacity as Deputy Managing Lawyer and, later, Managing Lawyer of the Sexual Offences Sub-Program, working almost exclusively on sexual offence matters. She presented papers on Restorative Justice in Sexual Offence Cases, Defending Historical Sexual Offence Cases and Practical Aspects of Defending Applications made under the Serious Sex Offenders (Supervision and Detention) Act. She also worked on the Sexual Offence List Users Group of the County and Magistrates’ Courts as well as consulting regularly with the Department of Justice in relation to proposed law reform in the area of sexual offences.
In the twelve months prior to joining the Victoria Bar, Amelia was a barrister and solicitor with the Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission in Alice Springs. As a fused jurisdiction, Amelia appeared as counsel in a broad range of matters, including large numbers of contested hearings in the Court of Summary Jurisdiction as well as pleas, breaches and, notably, a successful appeal against conviction in the Supreme Court.
Amelia’s broad range of criminal law experience as both a solicitor advocate and barrister, combined with her specialised experience in sexual offence and indigenous matters, highlight her passion in providing high quality legal representation to marginalised members of the community.
Amelia read with Julian McMahon and is supported by Senior Mentor George Georgiou SC.
Amelia does not accept direct briefs through barristerconnect.