Renata’s practice has focused on advising Māori organisations with general commercial and governance matters, strategic projects, leasing, property transactions and projects.  He has particular experience assisting clients with the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme, climate change regulation and carbon forestry matters.  Renata is also an experienced adviser on procurement and general commercial contracting matters.

Having previously advised a broad spectrum of clients, including iwi, hapū and Māori land entities, government agencies and large businesses (both local and international), Renata has a deep understanding of the ecosystem within which our clients operate.

Outside of work, Renata holds the position of director of Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu GP Limited, the Whānau Ora commissioning agency for Te Waipounamu (the South Island) and is a committee member of the Rakiura Tītī Islands Administering Body. In 2013 Renata attended the First Nations’ Futures Programme at Stanford University as a Ngāi Tahu fellow.

Renata has completed a Master of Laws thesis which examined the application of the international law right of indigenous peoples to self-determination.

Renata’s whānau hold customary rights to harvest tītī (muttonbirds), which is a tradition that his whānau continue to exercise each year on their motu at Putauhinu, southwest of Rakiura (Stewart Island).

Prior to joining Kāhui Legal, Renata was a Senior Associate at a large national law firm in Wellington.