Paul Beverley

Paul leads the environment and resource management team and the Māori law team in the Wellington office and specialises in Resource Management Act consenting and processes, Treaty settlement and foreshore negotiations and conservation law. 

He appears in a range of courts and tribunals including the Environment Court, High Court and Court of Appeal, and Boards of Inquiry and Special Tribunals on a range of RMA and environmental/conservation law matters.

Prior to joining Buddle Findlay, Paul spent 4 years as a senior lawyer at the Department of Conservation.  Paul is a leading specialist in conservation law, including concessions and biodiversity issues.  He advises on Conservation Act, National Parks Act, Marine Reserves Act, Reserves Act, Wildlife Act and Marine Mammals Protection Act issues.

Paul is a member of the World Conservation Union’s Commission on Environmental Law.

He advises the Crown on the environmental and conservation law aspects of a number of negotiations with Māori, including Treaty settlements and negotiations under the Foreshore and Seabed Act.  Paul has published widely on Māori interests under environmental legislation.

Recent work includes:

• Appearing for Contact Energy in Environment Court proceedings on a successful appeal for a windfarm involving 22 parties and evidence from over 30 expert witnesses
• Assisting the Crown in negotiating with iwi in relation to the Waikato River, including advising on, negotiating and drafting the co-governance and co-management arrangements for the Waikato-Tainui Deed of Settlement that was signed in December 2009
• Assisting the Crown on the Ngāti Manawa and Ngāti Whare Deeds of Settlement that were signed in December 2009, including advising on negotiating and developing the unique co-management models for the Whirinaki Forest Park and the Rangitaiki river framework
• Assisting the Crown to reach full and final settlement with iwi with overlapping claims in Te Tau Ihu (the top of the South Island), which included developing redress and advising on, negotiating, and drafting the Deeds of Settlement
• Appearing in the Court of Appeal on an appeal from a High Court RMA judicial review on non-notification under the RMA
• Appearing in front of the Board of Inquiry on the Proposed New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement under the RMA
• Advising on the Foreshore and Seabed Act including assisting the Crown in negotiations on the East Cape and advising the Crown in the revision of the Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004
• Appearing before a Special Tribunal in relation to a water conservation order in Otago, and in a hearing on raising the level of a hydro electric power storage lake in Otago
• Appearing in the High Court and Environment Court on a range of judicial reviews, appeals and declarations on environmental matters, including under the Conservation Act, Wildlife Act and RMA