Partner - Tauranga
Jessica Easton
Jessica is a local government specialist, with particular expertise in natural hazard risk, resilience, and complex recovery and adaptation work.
Jessica is a local government specialist, with particular expertise in natural hazard risk, resilience, and complex recovery and adaptation work.
Expertise
About
Jessica (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Pūkenga, Ngāti Pikiao) is a trusted advisor to local government, with more than eight years’ experience in the sector before returning to private practice.
Jessica has contributed to significant natural hazard response and recovery programmes, including the Future of Severely Affected Land initiatives and flood resilience projects across Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti. Her experience includes legal risk management following Cyclone Gabrielle, the Whakaari/White Island eruption, and the Edgecumbe floods, as well as advising on public transport strategy during COVID-19.
She has broad experience across local government matters, with particular strength in governance and decision-making, risk and liability management, investigations and reviews, disputes, and advice under the Local Government Act, and emergency management legislation. She works closely with in-house legal and executive teams, often on the ground, through complex response and recovery phases.
Jessica leads the firm’s Tauranga Moana office.
Recent Cases & Achievements
Cyclone Gabrielle recovery
Advised councils in Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti on the development and implementation of land categorisation frameworks under the Future of Severely Affected Land (FOSAL) programme, in addition to buy-out programmes and property-level mitigation programmes addressing flood and land instability risks.
Provided strategic and operational advice on bespoke recovery legislation and Orders in Council, decision-making processes, engagement with affected landowners and communities, and management of legal risk in a high-profile, time-critical recovery context. Handled extensive LGOIMA and Ombudsman-related work, and acted in disputes and legal challenges to recovery decisions.
Flood resilience projects
Acting for regional and unitary councils on major, NIFF-funded flood resilience projects. Supporting the land access programmes, including advice under the Public Works Act 1981, Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993, and the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Act 1941. Also advising on the interface with the Resource Management Act 1991, relevant Orders in Council made under SWERLA, and related consenting and process issues.
Providing strategic advice and legal risk management to support decision-making on land acquisition and access, engagement with landowners, Māori Land Court, and central government.
Whakaari/White Island eruption
Advised local authority and response agencies on the use of powers and coordination obligations under the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 during the response phase of the Whakaari/White Island eruption.
Managed legal risk through the WorkSafe investigation and review processes, including advising on agency roles, document management, and preparedness for regulatory scrutiny and potential proceedings.
Credentials
Admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand in 2016.
Admitted as a Lawyer in Australia in 2011.