For more than 25 years, Sue Simons has been at the forefront of Environmental and Resource Management Law, working in every aspect of the specialty. Sue has the breadth of experience to handle the most complex and controversial projects.

“The old, establishment firm model has too many constraints and you don’t get the level of engagement the client of today wants and needs. Simon and I have the same view on client relations, we want to engage; we don’t do boring, and as a result we’re more effective. I like the novel, ground-breaking or contentious cases and if it is a tough job, our determination will see clients through to a successful conclusion. In the Environment Court I’m the type of litigator who throws everything into the case and doesn’t back down. Clients enjoy our style.”

Sue is known as a formidable litigator and presence in court with a career that features a number of precedent-setting decisions and successes across the varied fields of Environmental and Planning law. Fast thinking and determination are applied to projects across the Environmental legal spectrum.

Sue won resource consents for the first ever tidal power turbine project in the Kaipara Harbour, and acted for Vision Manukau in the Board of Inquiry hearing into the proposed Wiri prison.

She led precedent-setting cases against development contributions imposed on property developers by Auckland-based councils, provides complex opinion work on aspects of the Resource Management Act (RMA) and frequently works in the difficult areas of heritage scheduling and RMA prosecutions.

Large-scale development work includes the industrial rezoning of Highbrook, the Millwater and Pokeno Village residential developments and commercial projects for Auckland-based development companies. A broad range of large-scale urban planning work includes numerous successful CBD, urban and coastal residential developments, and commercial and mixed use projects.

In the Natural Resource sector, Sue works in the public spotlight brought to bear on applications for contentious land uses such as quarries, landfills, clean fills and mines.

She believes that taking the time to truly understand a clients’ business is the key to finding a strategic, yet workable answer.

In November 2016 Sue won the prestigious Award for Excellence and the Industry Associate Award at the Auckland Property People Awards.

Sue’s particular areas of expertise are:

• Natural Resource Development – Quarries, Cleanfills, Landfills, Mining, Forestry
• Electricity generation development both renewables and traditional generation sources
• Urban plan changes for wide-scale residential and commercial development
• High level advice on Development Contributions
• Coastal Subdivision and Development
• Public Works Act Acquisition work
• Prosecutions under the RMA
• Complex opinion work on Local Government Act issues
• Cases involving contentious heritage scheduling

Education

• Bachelor of Arts (Hons), University of Otago
• Bachelor of Law, Victoria University

Experience

• Partner, Ellis Gould 1998-2012
• Senior Associate, Simpson Grierson 1989-1998
• Solicitor, Phillips Shayle George 1986-1989

Personal Assistant: Katie Miller, DDI: 09 909 7313, Email: katie@berrysimons.co.nz

Email: sue@berrysimons.co.nz
Phone: 09 909 7311