Justine began her career advising iwi, including several years with Ngāi Tahu’s team negotiating and implementing the iwi’s $170M Treaty of Waitangi settlement. She joined Oceanlaw as a Senior Associate in 2005 and became a partner in 2007, maintaining deep relationships with iwi nationwide and strong ties to the seafood sector, including as Chair of FirstMate, a charitable trust supporting mental health and wellbeing across the industry.

Her specialist areas are aquaculture and Māori fisheries (customary and commercial), alongside broader resource management and fisheries advice and governance support to companies and industry bodies. Justine has appeared as Junior or Senior Counsel at all levels, including the Supreme Court, and held government appointments to several advisory and decision-making panels.