Environmental law services
Access Big Firm Environmental Law Expertise Without the Big Firm Cost and Complexity
01 — What I offer
Clients who work with me are often managing:
I help planners, councils, infrastructure providers, community groups, developers, landowners, government agencies, in-house legal teams and law firms without an environmental specialist resolve:
Compliance concerns raised by regulators or councils that threaten project viability
Investigation or enforcement action by environmental regulators
Project delays and operational inefficiencies caused by impractical consent conditions
Conflicting advice from multiple consultants, planners or legal advisers
Politically sensitive or technically complex approvals
Disputes involving multiple stakeholders with competing interests
Resource consent hearings or appeals
Transition to the new RMA regime, the Planning Act and the Natural Environment Act
Compulsory acquisition matters affecting landowners or requiring authorities
I work with organisations and teams navigating environmental and planning challenges that require specialist legal expertise
03 — Services
Infrastructure providers
Support transport organisations, utilities and energy providers with consent strategies, approval processes and compliance issues across major infrastructure projects.
Local government
Regulatory advice, enforcement support and guidance on environment and planning policy matters.
Planning and engineering consultants
Specialist legal input on consents, approvals, complaints and complex technical matters.
Waste and resource recovery operators
Risk and compliance advice, consent applications, operational guidance and support for facility expansion or change projects.
Property developers
Environmental due diligence, contaminated land issues and advice on planning and approval pathways.
Legal teams
Specialist counsel, co-counsel support and hearing representation for environmental and resource management matters.
"I have worked with Ana over the past three years where she has helped unpack complex compliance issues in a reassuring and strategic manner. She thinks outside the box and challenges assumptions and thinking in a thoughtful manner. She is very responsive and always happy to talk through scenarios even in a quick phone call."
Environmental Compliance Consultant – Auckland
03 – My services
Project Approvals & Consents
Get your project approved the first time.
The difference between a smooth approval process and a costly, drawn-out battle often comes down to strategy. I help you identify the right consenting pathway, anticipate objections before they arise, and set your project up for long-term success.
What this service covers:
Advice on consent pathways for new projects and to change existing projects
Interpreting plan provisions, designations, to inform the drafting of consent conditions
Identifying approval risks and constraints early
Multi-consent and staged approvals
Coordinating input from your planners, consultants and engineers
Project Recovery & Regulatory Strategy
Get your troubled project back on track.
There is almost always a resolution pathway when it comes to projects that have been declined or delayed, but it requires a full and frank assessment of what went wrong, what your options are and a realistic plan to get it back on track.
What this service covers:
Reviewing refusal reasons or the current consent application
Advice on your options following a decline or delay
Responding to regulator or council queries
A revised consent strategy and application approach
Amendments to applications, proposed conditions or scope
Preparing for appeal, amendment or resubmission
Amendments to applications, proposed conditions or scope
Environmental Compliance & Risk
Understand your risks and your obligations, before you find them out the hard way.
I help you get ahead of compliance issues and help you manage your risks before they become problems. I cover compliance in various environmental areas, including resource management (RMA), contaminated land and water, hazardous substances (HSNO), emissions trading scheme (CCRA) and waste (WMA).
What this service covers:
Identifying the environmental obligations that apply to you
Interpreting compliance requirements under the relevant legislation
Advice on ongoing obligations
Compliance risk assessments for projects and business operations
Advice on current or potential non-compliance issues
Remediation plans and reporting obligations
Ongoing compliance support
Regulatory Disputes & Enforcement
When a regulator comes knocking, you always want to respond from a position of strength.
Enforcement action can be costly, not just in terms of remediation, but also in terms of lost momentum, lost productivity and lost opportunity. I help you assess your options, and respond strategically, whether that means negotiating a resolution or preparing to defend your position.
What this service covers:
Responding to abatement notices or enforcement orders
Advice on alleged breaches of consent conditions or other environmental legislation
Preparing responses to regulatory action
Engaging with councils and regulators
Assessing prosecution risk
Negotiation and resolution options
Preparing for formal enforcement proceedings
Coordinating legal strategy as matters escalate
Hearings & Court Representation
Senior advocacy when your matter reaches a hearing or the Courts.
Clear eyed, effective and strategic advocacy from preparation through to determination or judgment.
What this service covers:
Representation in Council hearings and Court proceedings
Managing appeals and litigation strategy
Preparing legal arguments and submissions
Coordinating expert witnesses
Handling procedural requirements and filings
Advice on Complex Environmental Issues
The novel and the genuinely difficult.
Some environmental matters raise novel legal questions, or create situations where the usual approaches simply cannot work. These are the matters where experience and judgement matter most, and where having senior environmental law resource from the outset can make the difference between success and an expensive dead end.
What this service covers:
Contaminated land and remediation liability
Hazardous substances compliance and risk
Waste and resource recovery matters
Infrastructure and large-scale project issues
Interpreting overlapping regulatory frameworks
Novel or uncommon environmental issues
Multi-agency and multi-stakeholder matters
Legal input where standard approaches don’t apply
I can also help with
Compulsory acquisition
Including just compensation claims and acquisition processes
Strategy & early-stage project planning
Bringing me in at conception to map regulatory risks and design the project plan to avoid them .
Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) obligations
Specialist advice in an area where few practitioners have deep experience.
Local government law & council process issues
Including plan making.
How I work
04 — Process
01 Initial consultation
We start with an obligation-free conversation about your situation, whether I can help and the likely next steps.
02 Strategy development
You can expect clear-eyed advice on your options, the risks involved and the recommended approach.
03 Execution
Get direct access to a senior lawyer throughout your engagement with no layers or handoffs to junior lawyers.
04 Stakeholder management
You can expect a pragmatic approach to stakeholder engagement, negotiations, hearings and disputes that focuses on creating common ground and building long-term goodwill between all parties.
05 Ongoing support
Access responsive ongoing support that ensures long-term project success.
Trusted by infrastructure leaders, project managers and government agencies across Australia and New Zealand
"She was always highly responsive, and she was knowledgeable and robust in her review of the legal issues and expert evidence. Her work greatly contributed to the successful outcome secured for our client."
Barrister, Wellington
05 – More Info
Are You a Lawyer Referring a Matter?
If you’ve hit an environmental or planning issue outside your core expertise, I act as specialist co-counsel, taking carriage of a discrete part of the file or appearing on a specific issue, working alongside you, and prioritising a clean, unambiguous handover.
Why clients choose to work with me
06 — Difference
01
Get Big Firm Experience, Without The Big Firm Overheads
I’m a barrister, which means I work independently. There are no big firm overheads, no unnecessary complexity and fewer conflicts of interest.
02
Work with a Senior Lawyer From First Call to Final Outcome
When you instruct me, you get me. Not a partner who hands your matter to a junior and checks in at billing time. You brief me directly, I advise you directly, and if your matter goes to a hearing, I appear for you.
03
Expertise Across All Facets of Environmental Law
Environmental issues are rarely self-contained. Planning can intersect with contaminated land which can intersect with waste. My breadth across all facets of environmental law means I can address the blind spots others cannot see.
04
Global Perspective, Local Experience
I bring a global perspective to my work, having practised for 8 years in Sydney as an Australian qualified lawyer and studied environmental law in both Australia and the European Union.
05
Practical Resolution Focus
Environmental disputes rarely benefit from unnecessary escalation. I focus on practical outcomes that protect long-term project viability, stakeholder relationships and future regulatory pathways wherever possible.
08 — Questions
Frequently asked questions
How is environmental law advice different from general commercial legal advice?
General commercial legal advice usually focuses on contracts, governance, and business risk more broadly. Environmental law advice is more specific: it deals with statutory obligations, approvals, regulator engagement, conditions, and compliance strategy. In practice, environmental lawyers help organisations understand their legal obligations so that they can avoid damaging their productivity, their reputation and the environment around them.
When should I engage an environmental lawyer instead of handling it internally?
If the matter involves regulatory risk, time pressure, or the potential for disputes, it is usually worth involving an environmental lawyer early. Internal teams can often manage routine compliance, but specialist environmental legal advice becomes particularly valuable when the consequences of getting it wrong are higher. Early input can help prevent delays, rework, and avoidable cost.
What kinds of projects or matters warrant specialist environmental legal advice?
Projects that involve planning approvals, resource consents, contaminated land, emissions, heritage issues, waste and resource recovery, biodiversity impacts, or complex conditions often benefit from specialist advice. The same applies to enforcement action, consent breaches, or non-compliance with other environmental legislation where environmental liability may arise. If the matter could affect approval pathways, consent conditions, or deal value, specialist advice is usually worthwhile.
How do environmental lawyers work with consultants, engineers, and other advisors?
Environmental lawyers often coordinate with technical advisors to make sure the legal strategy and technical needs align. Planners, other consultants and engineers provide the scientific and design input, while the lawyer focuses on how that material fits the approval or compliance framework. Good collaboration helps ensure the project has the best chance to succeed through all the approval processes.
When in the project lifecycle should I bring in legal advice?
The earlier the better, especially if approvals, consents, conditions, or stakeholder issues are likely to impact long-term project outcomes. Legal advice is most effective when it informs project design and scope before commitments are locked in. Waiting until issues arise can limit your options and increase cost.
What documents or information should I prepare before the first consultation?
You don’t need to prepare anything in particular, but it can be helpful for you to mentally prepare a concise summary of the project or issue and have any relevant approvals or correspondence and a rough timeline of key events at hand.
If you’d like to send materials in advance, just email them through to ana@anacoculescu.com.