Simonetta Astolfi

Biography

Simonetta is Partner-in-Charge of the Maddocks Canberra office. She advises Commonwealth Government clients primarily as well as private sector clients.  Her practice covers corporate, governance, commercial, FOI, statutory interpretation, administrative law and regulatory decision-making, procurement and probity. Simonetta has been ranked in the Australian Financial Review’s Best Lawyers in the categories of Corporate/Governance and Government from 2011-2018, and in the category of Regulatory Practice from 2014-2018. She was also named Best Lawyers 2016 ACT Lawyer of the Year for Corporate/Governance. Simonetta has been ranked by Chambers Asia-Pacific for Government in 2015, 2016 and 2017 and she has been ranked as a leading Corporate, Commercial & Procurement Lawyer in Canberra in the 2017 Doyle’s Guide.

Research Interest

Acting as probity adviser on a range of procurements (including infrastructure and construction projects,  large grant programs and whole of government processes), outsourcings, scoping studies and panels for clients such as the Commonwealth Department of Finance; the former Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations; the Department of the Environment; and the Department of Defence. Advising and assisting with the establishment of public sector bodies corporate (including statutory authorities) and private sector companies, and advising on applicable regulatory frameworks and best practice corporate governance. Advising on defensible decision-making including in regulatory and urgent operational contexts for clients, including show cause notices; drafting statements of reasons; and on delegations and authorisations. Advising both public and private sector clients on the processing and submission of FOI requests, including the application of applicable FOI legislation, and undertaking or responding to, third party consultation processes.