Charlotta Harpur is a civil litigation and insurance law specialist with 20 years’ experience. Originally from Sweden, and having qualified in the UK, she came to Aotearoa in 2009 with her husband and two sons. She quickly gained a passion for working with local authorities, who in turn work for their communities. Charlotta has a strong reputation for being pragmatic, thinking outside the box and achieving good outcomes for clients through alternative dispute resolution. Having said that, when litigation is the best option Charlotta is a strong advocate who has appeared in the Weathertight Homes Tribunal, District Court, High Court and the Court of Appeal. Charlotta joined Rice Speir in 2021 and heads up the new Tauranga office. She lives at Papamoa Beach and outside of work enjoys family time at the beach, travelling around Aotearoa, photography, and classic cars.
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Council officers often enter private properties to carry out their statutory duties. The recent decision in Taupō District Council v Paalvast [2026] NZDC 3814 confirms that, provided they follow the correct steps, they can do so lawfully without risking a claim against them in trespass. This is an important decision – and may be relied…
Welcome to Charlene
We’re delighted to welcome Charlene to Rice Speir as Special Counsel in our Civil Team. She brings extensive expertise in litigation, particularly defective building claims, and a proven track record in resolving complex disputes. Charlene has a particular interest in major latent defect litigation and has acted in high-stakes proceedings involving structural and fire defects.…
Shaking up the rules for earthquake-prone buildings
New Zealand is set to transform its approach to earthquake-prone buildings (EPBs), with the Government announcing a major overhaul to make the EPB system more risk-based, proportionate, and workable for both building owners and local councils. The changes could see thousands of buildings removed from the system, especially in Auckland, Northland and the Chatham Islands.…
High Court declines application for summary judgment against Council
A high-profile developer has had its application for summary judgment declined by the High Court. The developer sought summary judgment against Christchurch City Council (CCC) in respect of two fire design related defects that it said had caused significant loss. The developer argued that the council had negligently processed and issued the building consent and…