Helping organisations and projects get back on track by solving tough planning and environmental law problems

 

At the core of my practice, I help organisations and projects get back on track by solving tough planning and environmental law problems. In practice, that means I advise across a project’s lifecycle — from the early planning stages through to RMA consenting and compliance. I have worked on commercial and residential developments as well as on infrastructure projects (energy, transport, waste) over the past 20 years across Australia and New Zealand. I was called to the Bar in March 2026.

In addition to resource management, my practice covers the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme, biodiversity conservation, compulsory acquisition of land, contaminated land management, hazardous substances, local government, the Official Information Act, and waste management. I am also active in the ESG space — the governance aspect of environmental regulation. I have explored and written about ESG in my role as lead editor of the Dentons New Zealand ESG Newsletter (2023-2026).

Qualifications

Degrees: LLB (University of Sydney); LLM (University of Sydney); DEA Droit communautaire (Universite d'Aix-Marseille III); LLB (University of Bucharest); Maitrise en droit europeen (Paris I Pantheon-Sorbonne)
Admission to High Court: 2010 (Supreme Court of New South Wales, Australia), 2012 (High Court of Australia), 2018 (High Court of New Zealand)

Contact

Level 8, 45 Johnston St, Wellington

Email: ana@anacoculescu.com
Mobile: +64 21 509 503
Website | LinkedIn

Areas of practice

Environment and resource management, Healthcare, Local government, Regulatory 

Languages spoken

English, French, Romanian (mother tongue)