Mhairi is a solicitor in the natural resources and regulatory team at DLA Piper and works on a range of environmental, local government and public law matters.

 

Mhairi (LLB/BA – Politics) joined DLA Piper as a Law Clerk in 2022 and was admitted to the High Court in September 2022. A University of Otago graduate, she spent 2019 building international networks by studying abroad at Leiden University in the Netherlands, and later Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM) in Mexico. She grew up in West Auckland, her family currently live in Tauranga, and she now calls Wellington home.

Mhairi has worked on matters for both public and private clients and has assisted in litigation matters before all New Zealand senior courts. Alongside the provision of advice relating to plan making/plan changing processes and other issues arising within the resource management framework, Mhairi regularly assists with environmental enforcement proceedings, including case management and preparation for criminal prosecutions under the RMA.

Experience:

  • Assisting in various environmental enforcement proceedings, both with the provision of strategic advice to local authorities around enforcement action, and in preparing the subsequent case management and preparation. This includes witness and evidence preparation, and case strategy through to sentencing.
  • Assisting the preparation of advice relating to the interpretation of resource management planning instruments, building and infrastructure regulations, and plan processes.
  • Provided international legal research for the legal team representing Make it 16 in Make it 16 v Attorney-General [2022] NZSC 134, a successful application for declarations of inconsistency with the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act.
  • Assisted a refugee on a pro bono basis to successfully apply for resident visas though Immigration New Zealand to reunite their family under the Refugee Family Support Category.

Qualifications

Degrees: LLB / BA (Politics)
Admission to High Court: 2022

Contact

DLA Piper Wellington
Level 4, Deloitte Building
20 Customhouse Quay
Wellington Central
Wellington, 6011

Email: mhairi.mackenzieeveritt@dlapiper.com
Phone: 04 474 3207
Mobile: 021 963 508
Website | LinkedIn

Areas of practice

Criminal, Dispute resolution, Environment and resource management, Infrastructure and projects, International, Local government, Public law 

Languages spoken

English, Spanish (intermediate)