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Specialist environmental law firm continues to flourish

Helen Andrews is promoted to partner and Kate Storer to senior associate.

Thu, 09 Aug 2018

This is a supplied media release.

Specialist environmental law firm Berry Simons continues its rapid growth and development with the promotion of senior environmental lawyer Helen Andrews to partner and Kate Storer to senior associate.

The appointments were announced by Sue Simons at a recent Environmental Defence Society (EDS) dinner sponsored by the firm.

“We are delighted that Helen has agreed to join us in partnership. Not only has Helen done excellent work on a range of projects, she plays an extremely important role in organising our in-house training and mentoring and supervising our junior staff.  Her partnership is well deserved,” says partner Simon Berry.

Ms Andrews says she is delighted to be joining the partnership. “Berry Simons has an enviable reputation as a leader in environmental law and continues to go from strength to strength. I am extremely proud to have been part of that growth over the past three years and am excited to join Simon, Sue and Andrew in leading our team going forward,” she says.

Ms Andrews joined Berry Simons from another boutique firm as a senior associate in June 2015 and has been involved in a wide range of large and complex projects, including the Auranga development, the first private plan change to be approved under the Auckland Unitary Plan, to which she made an enormous contribution. She has recently been working closely with EDS on RMA Law Reform, including co-presenting a workshop with EDS.

She graduated with LLB (Hons) and bachelor of arts (geography major) from the University of Auckland in 1999 and was admitted as a solicitor the same year, giving her almost 20 years in legal practice.

New senior associate Kate Storer has been at Berry Simons for five years, following five years as a senior researcher and in-house lawyer at EDS where she remains a director, and an earlier period as a civil litigation lawyer in an inner city firm.

“Kate’s progress as a practitioner has been exponential over the last couple of years,” says partner Sue Simons. “She has exceptional legal and writing skills and has developed the strategic thinking and commercial acumen that has made her a fully rounded environmental law practitioner. We are delighted to appoint her as a senior associate,” she adds.

Ms Storer has been involved in a wide range of work since joining Berry Simons, including a number of major greenfields developments, special housing areas, plan changes, and commercial, residential and mixed use developments.

Ms Storer says she’s delighted with the appointment. “Berry Simons is a great place to work. Our team culture is excellent and the range of work is both challenging and exciting. I look forward to new challenges as a senior associate,” she says.

She graduated with LLB (Hons) from the University of Bristol in her native England in 2005. She came to New Zealand shortly afterwards and in 2007 gained a master’s degree in public law with first-class honours from the University of Auckland.

From starting with the two founding partners in 2012, Berry Simons now comprises four partners, three senior associates, one associate and three solicitors.

“The appointment of a new partner and new senior associate reflects the ongoing maturing and deepening of the legal talent at Berry Simons,” says Mr Berry.  “Our team is more than a match for any environmental law group, making us an effective and viable alternative to any of the national firms.”

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Specialist environmental law firm continues to flourish
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