Four of the appointments are women
Five legal counsel have joined the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, according to the New Zealand Law Society.
The new appointees are specialists in resource management and commercial law, with the majority having a background in private practice.
Bridget Bailey handles matters in resource management and local government. She has worked with a number of firms throughout a career spanning over 12 years.
Rachel Boyte is also a resource management specialist, with a focus on local government issues. Prior to joining the council, she was a private practitioner.
Monique Brooks is an expert on commercial law.She has worked with both national and local firms in her legal career.
Jodi Ellmers also focuses on commercial law. She has been in the profession for more than 13 years, and has experience working with in-house legal teams as well as private practice firms.
Before joining the council, Ben Easte worked with Auckland Transport. His area of expertise is commercial law.
The council’s legal and commercial manager, Jessica Easton, leads the team of legal counsel.
