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Elana Geddis

Elana Geddis is one of New Zealand's foremost international lawyers and has 30 years’ experience providing advice and representation on all aspects of public and public international law to clients in New Zealand and overseas.

Elana relishes difficult problems and enjoys assisting clients to navigate new or complex issues. An experienced negotiator and advocate, Elana also particularly enjoys acting on non-contentious matters and frequently provides legal, policy and strategic advice outside of a litigation context. She is both creative and pragmatic and focusses on delivering workable solutions for her clients.

A former diplomatic legal advisor, Elana has comprehensive experience in all aspects of public international law and its application in New Zealand. She is familiar with diplomatic negotiations and dispute settlement, drafting and interpreting international treaties, and implementing international obligations in domestic law. Elana is able to provide practical advice that makes sense in a real world context, taking account of surrounding political and strategic issues.

Elana has appeared as counsel in the International Court of Justice, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, an UNCLOS Annex VII Tribunal and the New Zealand Supreme Court. She is also a nominated arbitrator, mediator and conciliator under UNCLOS, the Convention on the Conservation and Management of High Seas Fishery Resources in the South Pacific and the Environmental Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty.

Elana is also able to assist clients with a wide range of public law problems – whether advising on the exercise of statutory powers, assisting with reviews and inquiries, reviewing legislative developments, or challenging public decisions directly or in the courts. She has a deep knowledge of government processes and is regularly instructed to develop solutions at the interface of law and policy.

LOCATION

Wellington

AREAS OF PRACTICE

Arbitration and/or Mediation, International, Public and/or Constitutional Law