Maruna heads new Cairns office, belongs to firm's planning environment and local government team
Sparke Helmore has announced the hires of Vanessa Maruna, Leeanne Bou-Samra, and Sangeetha Badya, a team of lawyers coming from Holding Redlich. Sparke Helmore named Maruna partner and head of its new Cairns office, which opens this month.
Maruna joins the firm’s planning environment and local government team. With qualifications in both law and town planning, she can help her clients navigate the planning and environment and compulsory acquisition regulatory frameworks across Queensland.
“We are pleased to welcome Vanessa and her team to Sparke Helmore,” said Alan McKelvey, national leader of the planning environment and local government team, in the firm’s media release. “She is a market-leading planning practitioner with a strong client focus and is a known and trusted pair of hands.”
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“I am excited to join Sparke Helmore and work with a team known for its technical excellence and collegiate culture,” Maruna added in the media release.
Maruna’s experience lies in urban development, renewables, infrastructure, waste, compulsory acquisition and environmental approvals, compliance, and enforcement. She has handled large-scale master planning projects, waste facilities, and renewable energy projects.
She has represented local government and government-owned corporations. She has advised developers, mining companies, publicly listed companies, and private entities.
Maruna has held community and business leadership roles. She has been director and deputy chair of the Cairns Organisation United for Cancer Health, deputy chair of Port North, and chair of JUTE Theatre Company. She has presented for the Queensland Environmental Law Association, the Planning Institute of Australia, Advance Cairns, and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
New senior lawyers
“Vanessa’s team are excellent operators, and we are delighted they have decided to join us as we expand our national reach in Northern Australia,” McKelvey said in Sparke Helmore’s media release.
“This is a great opportunity for my team to help build on already strong foundations and contribute to growing the practice throughout Queensland as well as provide on the ground regional support for our Northern Australian clients,” Maruna added in the media release.
Leeanne Bou-Samra has been a solicitor for the Supreme Court of Queensland and a private practitioner focusing on planning and environmental law, according to her bio on the website of Surveyors Board Queensland. She has assisted various clients with commercial litigation matters in Queensland jurisdictions. She holds a bachelor of laws degree.
Sangeetha Badya has worked on planning and environment matters involving sites including waste facilities, quarry operations, mines, and commercial and residential development projects. She has appeared before the Planning and Environment Court in contested reviews and originating applications and has done cross-jurisdictional work in NSW and Victoria.