Johanna King (JK)

JK acts for a wide range of clients including farming and primary sector corporates, developers, councils, and individual landowners. She excels in strategising consent pathways, guiding projects from start to finish, and managing RMA compliance issues. She also leads RMA and environmental due diligence investigations for significant or complex transactions, including farming conglomerates, large-scale infrastructure assets, urban development projects and high-country pastoral lease stations.

JK frequently advises on district and regional plans, freshwater and drinking water regulations, national planning instruments, and highly productive land. She also regularly drafts or assists clients with drafting submissions on district and regional plan changes and national planning documents, and represents clients at plan change hearings.

JK is particularly focused on matters affecting the primary sector and rural infrastructure operators, and also advises rural landowners on compulsory land acquisition under the Public Works Act 1981.

Additionally, she advises on rural biosecurity issues and pest management. JK is a member of our specialist TP team created in 2018 to assist farmers with MPI’s Biosecurity response during the Mycoplasma Bovis outbreak.

JK has appeared before various council hearing panels and in the Environment Court, District Court, and High Court. She has also appeared as junior counsel in both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

Originally from the West Coast, JK's background and interests ensure she brings a deep understanding of rural and environmental issues to her work.

JK is based in our Christchurch office.