Setareh Masoud-Ansari - Simpson Grierson

Senior Associate

Setareh is a senior associate in the firm's local government and environment group. She advises on all aspects of resource management and local government law, with a focus on plan changes, enforcement and regulatory issues under the Resource Management Act, Building Act, Sale of Liquor Act, and Local Government Act. She also represents local authority clients on processes under the Coroners Act in Coronial inquiries.

Setareh joined the firm from Waitakere City Council where she was the team leader of the regulatory and litigation legal services team.

Examples of Work:

Judicial review proceedings in the High Court
Drafting and reviewing bylaws under the Local Government Act
Defending Council decisions before the Privacy Commissioner and the Ombudsman
Key advisor on plan changes in response to the Prostitution Reform Act
Undertaking investigations and preparing responses to inquiries under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act
undertaking investigations and preparing responses to inquiries under the Privacy Act
Enforcement proceedings under the Resource Management Act, the Building Act and the Health Act in the District Court
Appearing at Council hearings, in the Environment Court, and the High Court on a variety of matters
Advising on licensing issues under the Sale of Liquor Act
Advising on all aspects of the Building Act and representing clients before the Department of Building and Housing
Representing the former Waitakere City Council at Council hearings and in the Environment Court in relation to appeals to:

three plan changes expanding the metropolitan urban limit to the north-west in Massey North and Hobsonville, including the rezoning of the former Hobsonville Airbase into a new mixed use precinct to house and employ 8,000 people and developing a new sub-regional town centre at Massey North
a plan change to intensify brownfield development in New Lynn and rezone industrial sites into commercial sites

Preparing submissions and appearing before Parliamentary Select Committees on a range of regulatory issues from health and hygiene to the formation of the new Auckland Council

Other Credentials

ADLS Environment and Resource Management Committee - Member
Resource Management Law Association - Member and past co-convener of the Climate Change Sub Committee
Lexis Nexis seminar series - Regular presenter
Conferenz seminar series - Presenter on local government prosecutions