About Samantha

Samantha specialises in environmental law. She advises Government and private sector clients on a range of matters, including biodiversity, environmental liabilities, contaminated land, climate change adaptation and mitigation, water law, mine rehabilitation, planning approval processes, Crown land and Aboriginal cultural heritage.

Samantha holds a Master of Environmental Law and has a particular interest in biodiversity and climate change mitigation and adaptation. Her expertise in environmental law is complemented by her diverse experience advising on government decision making, civil and administrative litigation, contract drafting and law reform.  Her unique combination of experience enables Samantha to produce detailed and comprehensive advice, whilst retaining a broader focus on her clients’ overall objectives and assisting to identify and proactively manage associated risks in new and emerging areas of law.

Most recently, Samantha has been assisting Maddocks clients in preparing for the phase in of the new sustainability reporting requirements of the Corporations Act. 

Experience

• Climate change

  Samantha has a keen interest in climate change law and how legal developments in this area impact on Government and private sector clients.  Samantha’s experience includes advising on emissions reporting, the assessment of scope three greenhouse gas emissions in planning approval processes and advising on assessment requirements applying to adaptation activities.

• Government decision making

  Samantha works extensively with our Government clients, advising on environmental assessment and approval processes, including in relation to mining leases and mine rehabilitation, approvals under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, Aboriginal cultural heritage and law reform proposals. Samantha has also drafted various Government agreements in relation to land access and the conservation of biodiversity.

• Environmental liabilities and contaminated land

  Samantha advises Government and private sector clients in relation to potential liabilities for environmental incidents and historical contamination, including responding to regulatory notices and contractual and tortious claims.

• Planning approval processes

  Samantha advises various Government and private sector clients on the environmental assessment requirements for developments. This includes reviewing environmental impact assessments and advising on assessment processes, biodiversity offsetting requirements and Commonwealth assessment requirements for matters of national environmental significance.

• Civil and administrative litigation

  Samantha’s litigation experience includes acting in civil disputes, civil penalty proceedings, judicial review proceedings and merits review proceedings, primarily in the Federal Court of Australia, although also in the NSW Supreme Court and NSW Land and Environment Court.  Samantha has acted in proceedings concerning contaminated land, administrative decision making, mining leases, water licencing, biodiversity offsetting and environmental reporting.