Emma leads LCC's local government and environmental practice. She has extensive litigation experience across a range of areas including environmental law, regulatory enforcement and civil litigation. She has a particular interest in acting for local government clients.
Emma is a senior Crown prosecutor and has been lead counsel in jury trials prosecuting serious crime. She has appeared in the Court of Appeal, High Court and District Court.
Across her senior roles at LCC and a large commercial firm, Emma has provided advice on enforcement matters including to a number of councils. She has acted in insurance disputes arising from the Canterbury Earthquake Sequence and other natural disasters, advised on enforcement under the RMA and acted in civil pecuniary penalty proceedings and investigations brought by the Commerce Commission, Financial Markets Authority and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.
Recent and notable work:
Lead counsel in prosecutions brought by regional councils under the RMA.
Assisting in successfully defending judicial review proceedings taken against a council.
Providing advice and representation to local and regional councils on building compliance, dog control, public health, transport, privacy and official information and investigations.
Acting for New Zealand's statutory disaster insurer in a number of proceedings with customers and other parties (including in a potential class action).
Providing advice on and acting for defendants in investigations and pecuniary penalty proceedings brought by the Commerce Commission, Financial Markets Authority and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.
Acting for the Commissioner of Police in civil restraint and forfeiture proceedings under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009.