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Quality and consistency through collaboration

We are pleased to announce that Vanessa Maruna has joined our Planning Environment & Local Government team as a Partner and head of our new Cairns office, which opens this month.  Vanessa is accompanied by two senior lawyers, Leeanne Bou-Samra and Sangeetha Badya.

Vanessa holds dual qualifications in law and town planning, making her uniquely placed to assist her clients navigate the planning and environment and compulsory acquisition regulatory frameworks across Queensland.  Vanessa has worked on large-scale master planning projects, waste facilities, renewable energy projects, represented local government and government-owned corporations, and provided advice to major developers, mining companies, publicly listed companies, and private entities. Her expertise lies in urban development, renewables, infrastructure, waste, compulsory acquisition and environmental approvals, compliance and enforcement. 

In addition to her professional achievements, Vanessa also holds community and business leadership roles.  She serves as Director and Deputy Chair  of the Cairns Organisation United for Cancer Health, and is a former Deputy Chair of Port North and former Chair of JUTE Theatre Company.  Vanessa is also a regular presenter for the Queensland Environmental Law Association, the Planning Institute of Australia, Advance Cairns, and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Alan McKelvey, Planning Environment & Local Government National Leader said, “We are pleased to welcome Vanessa and her team to Sparke Helmore. She is a market-leading planning practitioner with a strong client focus and is a known and trusted pair of hands. 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.”

“I am excited to join Sparke Helmore and work with a team known for its technical excellence and collegiate culture. 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 ,” said Vanessa.

Vanessa, Leeanne, and Sangeetha all join from Holding Redlich.

About Sparke Helmore

We’ve come a long way since our doors first opened in the Hunter in 1882.  We’ve had an office in Sydney since the ‘60s and we recently opened our tenth office in Cairns.

We cover six key areas of law – Corporate & Commercial, Commercial Insurance, Government, Property Environment & Finance, Statutory Lines of Insurance and Workplace – with more than 30 specialised areas of expertise. We’re a truly national, full service and proudly Australian firm that delivers results through deep collaboration with our clients. Wherever our clients need us, that’s where we’ll be.

Covering a big country needs a big team—we’re more than 880 people now and still growing. And in true Australian spirit, we’re friendly, approachable and easy to work with. And when you work with one of us, you get the expertise of all of us.

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