Judge Prudence Steven KC was sworn in as an Environment Judge and District Court Judge on 15 February 2021. Prior to appointment, her practice focused on resource management and local government/public law, including advising on irrigation proposals, water quality and quantity issues, hydro-electricity, mining, landscape and biodiversity issues, adventure tourism, coastal marine activities, retail, commercial and residential greenfield developments, heritage, forestry and infrastructure projects and appearing at all levels of the courts.

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Judge Steven was appointed the in-house legal counsel for the Christchurch City Council early in her career. She was a founding partner of the firm Goodman Steven Tavendale Reid in 2001 before becoming a barrister sole in Canterbury Chambers in 2008. She was made a Queen’s Counsel in 2014.