Public Law and Policy
Based in Wellington, our Public Law & Policy team comprises leading practitioners in administrative and constitutional law. With an extensive cumulative experience of political and policy processes we play a key role in mediating and influencing the interaction between Government and the private sector.
Underpinning the team's strong legal expertise is a developed capability in policy and economic analysis, as well as an understanding of the drivers of policy and the politics that are often associated with it. As a result we are able to engage in the practicalities of policy development to influence - and in some instances shape - policy outcomes.
Over our several years of specialist practice we have built up an extensive network of contacts with Government Ministers, Members of Parliament, Ministerial advisors and officials. We enjoy a reputation as knowledgeable, considered, discrete and effective advocates of our client's interests.
Whilst much of our practice is focussed on the relationship between Government and our corporate clients, we also provide advice to a range of core public sector agencies, Crown entities and State Owned Enterprises.
Among our areas of practice are a number of specialist services including:
- Strategic Government relations advice
- Legislative and policy analysis
- Legislative drafting and drafting instructions
- Policy development Submissions to Parliamentary Select Committees
- Responses to Government discussion papers
- Statutory compliance
- Official Information
- Judicial review
- Special interest advocacy and negotiation
- Competition law and economic analysis
- Constitutional and administrative law
- Resource management and local government issues
- Regulations review
- Governance.
A defining feature of our practice is our recognition that successful engagement with Government and the policy process requires an approach that integrates a range of expertise. Legal analysis must often be complemented by policy and economic analysis and the capacity to communicate ideas to best effect. Accordingly, we have a developed association with selected Public relations firms, economists and other specialist upon whom we call as necessary.
We also recognise the value of our client's in-house capability and work seamlessly with our clients on the evolution and execution of their objectives and plans.
Our Work
Our work is both diverse and significant. It ranges across policy issues in transport, infrastructure, resource management, water and water allocation, community pathology, health, pharmacy, pharmaceuticals, banking and finance, telecommunications, energy, foreign investment and emissions trading.
Our recent engagements have involved:
- Leading the policy debate and reform on a range of regulatory issues across the electricity, telecommunications, ports airports and dairy sectors.
- Promoting the revitalisation of New Zealand's coastal shipping and authorship of the Roadways to Waterways, the precursor to Government's Sea Change strategy.
- Taking successful Judicial review proceedings over Government's Retirement Villages Code of Practice.
- Providing advice to several infrastructure interests on Auckland governance and infrastructure development.
- Promoting improvements to the management and efficiency of New Zealand's financial markets and financial regulation.
- Providing advice on Crown entity governance.
- Representing private sector providers to District Health Boards in high profile contractual disputes.
- Advising on the operation of the Electoral Finance Act and consistency with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990.
- Acting for a range of private sector entities subject to formal review processes.
Specialists
Partners
Associates
Consultants
