Adam
Hopkinson

I joined the firm’s litigation team in 2007. Prior to our move to Tauranga, I spent eight years working for Izard Weston in Wellington, carrying out a wide variety of litigation work, including prosecuting maritime and health and safety offences for Maritime New Zealand, civil litigation and employment disputes.

I have a wide range of general, civil and criminal litigation experience and particular expertise in regulatory prosecutions, which is a large focus of my role at Cooney Lees Morgan. The majority of prosecutions I'm involved with are under the Resource Management Act. However, I also regularly prosecute on behalf of local authorities under the Building Act, Dog Control Act and various bylaws. 

I act for clients who are the subject of regulatory investigations and prosecutions – particularly in the health and safety context.

I also have a general litigation practice, involving civil litigation in the High Court and District Court, coronial inquests, employment cases, criminal defence work and media law.

When not busy helping clients, I spend my time trying to control three children, running in the hills around the Bay of Plenty, surfing and playing music. 

Examples of work:

•  Supreme Court – Acting for the purchaser of a large dairy farm from a State Owned Enterprise where the sale was challenged in a judicial review claim.
• Environment Court – Acting for Gisborne District Council in enforcement order applications requiring forestry companies to address environmental issues.
•  District Court – Acting for Gisborne District Council in nine prosecutions of forestry companies for offending under the Resource Management Act.
• District Court – Acting for Bay of Plenty Regional Council in a Resource Management Act prosecution of Fonterra for discharges of wastewater at Edgecumbe, resulting in a large fine for Fonterra.
• District Court – Acting for Bay of Plenty Regional Council in a Resource Management Act prosecution of Mobil Oil New Zealand for a discharge of oil into Tauranga Harbour. 
• High Court – Acting for a kiwifruit packhouse in successfully defending a claim for breach of contract.
• District Court – Acting for a person prosecuted by Civil Aviation Authority, who successfully applied for a discharge without conviction.
• Representing employers during Worksafe investigations.
• Employment disputes – I have successfully negotiated a number of settlements of employment cases, which meant our clients avoided the risk, cost and stress of litigation.