Bindmans LLP welcomes two new partners as it strengthens its Public Law and Human Rights offering.

Natasha Maugueret joins as partner to lead the expansion of the firm’s existing Animal Law practice and to establish a Planning and Environment Law practice. Alice Hardy also joins as a partner, diversifying the team’s current service offering with her specialism in cases relating to women’s rights, environmental and protest law, and deaths in custody.

Natasha Maugueret

Natasha is dual-qualified as a solicitor in England and Wales, and Victoria, Australia. She joins the firm from Victoria where she led a Public Law, Planning and Environment team with a strong judicial review and litigation practice. Whilst in Australia, Natasha acted in significant and high-profile judicial review proceedings challenging government approvals of major transport and public infrastructure projects. She also acted in high-value compulsory acquisition and valuation compensation claims, and claims for compensation arising from ‘planning blight’. She regularly advised on the exercise of statutory powers, and has prepared comprehensive issues papers and strategic advice on greenhouse gas regulation in Victoria, Australia, and on climate change and energy legislation more generally.

Natasha’s Animal Law experience includes acting in urgent applications for injunctions to restrain the culling and relocation of wildlife. Bindmans is delighted to be able to put this expertise within the reach of individuals and organisations who require expert legal advice on issues relating to Animal, Planning, or Environment Law as the firm continues to grow and diversify its offering.

Alice Hardy

Alice has extensive experience acting for victims of sexual violence and domestic abuse and other individuals who have been poorly treated by the state, including the criminal justice system. She also acts for environmental and political activists and campaigning groups, challenging unlawful decisions and injunctions that restrict the right of protest and freedom of speech. Alice also represents bereaved families at inquests and in judicial review challenges and civil claims, where their loved one has died in custody or in other circumstances in which the state is implicated in the death. She has been commended by peers for her ‘client-focused and sensitive’ approach to ‘the needs of often very vulnerable clients in distressing situations’.

With a particular interest in challenging unlawful decisions by public authorities on behalf of political or campaigning groups, Alice is ranked in Chambers and Partners, and recommended in Legal 500, for her work in Civil Liberties and Human Rights, Administrative and Public Law, Police Law, and Inquests.

John Halford, Head of the Public Law and Human Rights team at Bindmans, comments:

My colleagues and I are delighted to welcome Natasha and Alice as partners. Bindmans is fortunate to attract lawyers who are not only exceptionally talented in their specialist fields, but who have the judgement and commitment needed to deploy that talent effectively in the most challenging of cases. Natasha’s presence will hugely accelerate the development of Bindmans’ Environmental, Animal Law and Planning work, and Alice’s will broaden and strengthen our ability to enforce rights through public law for individuals and organisations.

Natasha Maugueret comments:

I am so pleased to be in a position to assist community groups and individuals to protect and speak up for our natural environment, including challenging the decisions of public bodies where necessary.

I look forward to building on Bindmans’ outstanding reputation and history acting for claimants in public law matters, and expanding the firm’s services in Animal law, and the Planning and Environment fields.

Alice Hardy comments:

I am thrilled to be part of the Public Law and Human Rights team at Bindmans and I am looking forward to contributing to the extraordinary work that they do. I am also excited to be strengthening the firm’s offering in a range of areas, including women’s rights, environmental and protest law and deaths in custody.