Presented by Helen Atkins and Stuart Ryan


Decisions of the Environment Court, District Court, High Court and Court of Appeal pervade the practice of those working in the resource management and planning fields. Case law is literally developing on a daily basis. Keeping abreast of recent changes to law from the Courts is an essential part of any practitioner’s knowledge base. This seminar will cover essential ‘must know’ case law from recent years, focusing on resource consents and plan changes under the RMA.

Learning Outcomes:

  • To be updated on important cases relevant to planning practice
  • To learn how to apply and refer to such cases in planning evidence


Helen Atkins
Helen Atkins is one of the founding partners of the boutique environment and public law firm, Atkins Holm Majurey. Helen has worked for a number of years for a variety of private and public sector clients on a range of environmental, local government and public law matters. Helen has served on the both the New Zealand Planning Institute local branch Committee (Wellington) and on the Resource Management Law Assn National Committee (including as president from 2009 to 2011). Helen recently finished an 11 year term as a member of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Committee of the Environmental Protection Authority (ERMA) having previously served as a Board member of the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) before it became the EPA. Helen is in her 2nd year as a co-opted member of the Water NZ Board.

Stuart Ryan
Stuart Ryan is a barrister with a practice in resource management, public law and local government law. Stuart has 25 years’ experience in advising local government, corporates, trade and industry, private individuals, iwi, and public interest groups; and has experience in litigation in a wide range of courts and tribunals including in the District Court, the Environment Court, High Court, and Supreme Court. He is based in Auckland, and previously practiced as a lawyer in the Bay of Plenty.


*Morning Tea provided

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