Denis is a special counsel in the firm's local government and environment group. He brings to this role an intimate and in-depth knowledge of the workings of local government and the legal environment in which it operates. This knowledge is informed by 40 years legal practice experience. His most recent experience was as in-house general counsel at Waitakere City Council. Prior to this Denis was in private practice, advising a broad range of local authority, commercial and property clients.
Examples of Work
- Waitakere City Council - managed all aspects of the council's legal and insurance requirements from 2003 to 2010, including:
- compliance advice in connection with decision-making
- supervision of civil litigation and Resource Management Act litigation (both district plan and consent related)
- conflicts advice for elected members
- Public Works Act advice
- complex and difficult information requests, and Ombudsman and Privacy Commissioner enquiries
- general legal risk management
- Waitakere City Council - involved in the legal aspects of the implementation of all major projects from 2003 to 2010, including:
- introduction of development contributions policy in 2004
- moving of the metropolitan urban limit and the rezoning of land at Hobsonville and Massey North
- undergrounding of the New Lynn rail station, Clark Street extension, and the New Lynn urban regeneration project
- development of the new town centre at Massey North
- development of the former Hobsonville air base for residential and marine industry purposes
- Project Twin Streams (a project concerned with enhancement of the riparian margin for stormwater management and water quality purposes)
- Member of the steering committee that negotiated the terms of the Government's financial assistance package for leaky home owners
Other Credentials
- Local Government Mutual Funds Trustee Limited (the trustee of Riskpool, the New Zealand local authority mutual liability fund) - Director 2006 to date
- New Zealand Law Society seminars on risk management and loss prevention, mortgagee sales, and the Local Government Act 2002 - Presenter
- New Zealand Law Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal - Past member
