Lauren is a highly respected lawyer, specialising in environmental and local government law, construction law and civil litigation.
Lauren has been involved in a variety of environmental and local government matters throughout her career. She has a broad client base and acts for local and regional authorities, individuals and families, national corporations, local businesses, iwi and PSGE, and community organisations. Her key areas of practice include:
- Assisting to draft and provide advice on district and regional plan provisions;
- Project management of resource consent projects, including; with respect to large residential and coastal subdivisions; commercial developments and industrial facilities;
- Minerals and petroleum development, including assisting to obtain consents for offshore installations in the coastal marine area and EEZ and with respect to access arrangements and iwi consultation;
- Acting for affected parties in opposition to consent applications;
- Advising on all aspects of the Resource Management Act and Local Government Acts;
- Assisting iwi to development environmental plans, strategies and guidelines;
- Assisting developer clients to formulate and implement consultation strategies;
- Appearances and advice with respect to Council Hearings, Environment Court, High Court and Board of Inquiry processes;
- Prosecution and enforcement; and
- Assisting to draft and providing advice on local government policies and bylaws, including; Local Alcohol Policies, Gambling Policies and Development Contribution Policies.
Lauren also regularly acts for our construction clients and has considerable experience in building law and with respect to construction contract disputes and weather-tight homes claims.
Lauren’s civil litigation experience includes appearances in the District Court and High Court involving a range of contractual disputes, lease and property disputes, debt recovery, and judicial review proceedings. She is a skilled negotiator and enjoys helping clients to find the best solutions possible to resolve disputes quickly and cost effectively.
Outside of Govett Quilliam
Lauren is a trustee for Wild for Taranaki, New Zealand’s first regional biodiversity trust, and a trustee on the Moturoa School Board of Trustees. Lauren is a founding member of the Taranaki branch of the Resource Management Law Association and current committee member (past president and secretary). She is also the honorary solicitor of the Friends of the Govett Brewster/Len Lye Centre.
Lauren enjoys mountain biking, skiing and travel but generally spends most of her spare time as Mum to her young sons. She is a keen supporter of the arts and New Zealand music and a self-confessed 'foodie'.
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