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Articles & Guidance
Insights and guidance from our legal team on topics that matter to you.
Buying at auction in New Zealand
Property auctions are unconditional and binding. Understand how auctions work, what you must do before auction day, and the risks involved before you bid.
New Zealand Disputes Tribunal: A Complete Guide
Everything you need to know about the Disputes Tribunal. Covers jurisdiction limits, types of disputes, process, costs, and when to use it.
Limitation Periods in New Zealand: Time Limits for Legal Claims
Understanding time limits for legal claims. Covers contract (6 years), tort (6 years), employment (90 days), and when time starts running.
Company vs Trust: Which Structure for Your Business?
Companies and trusts serve different purposes. Understanding when each is appropriate helps you choose the right structure for your situation.
Buying at auction in New Zealand
Property auctions are unconditional and binding. Understand how auctions work, what you must do before auction day, and the risks involved before you bid.
Legal Fees Explained: Understanding Conveyancing Costs
What does conveyancing cost? We explain the work involved, typical third-party disbursements, and factors that affect complexity.
When Family Helps with the Deposit
Bank of Mum and Dad? We explain gift vs loan structures, property sharing agreements, and protecting family contributions.
Can a Retirement Village Force Me to Move to Care?
What happens if a retirement village says you need to move to a higher level 8 care? We explain your rights and what the law says.
Buying a cross lease property
Cross lease properties can be more affordable, but they come with unique ownership structures, restrictions, and potential pitfalls. Know what you are buying before you commit.
New Zealand Disputes Tribunal: A Complete Guide
Everything you need to know about the Disputes Tribunal. Covers jurisdiction limits, types of disputes, process, costs, and when to use it.
Limitation Periods in New Zealand: Time Limits for Legal Claims
Understanding time limits for legal claims. Covers contract (6 years), tort (6 years), employment (90 days), and when time starts running.
Company vs Trust: Which Structure for Your Business?
Companies and trusts serve different purposes. Understanding when each is appropriate helps you choose the right structure for your situation.
Moving from Sole Trader to Company
When your business outgrows sole trader status, incorporating offers liability protection and tax advantages. Here's what's involved in making the transition.
Warning Signs Your Business Is in Difficulty
Recognising early warning signs of business distress gives you more options. Here are the signals that should prompt immediate action.
Estate Planning for Blended Families
Blended families face unique estate planning challenges. Learn how to provide for your spouse while protecting your children's inheritance.
Farm Succession Planning in New Zealand
Passing on the family farm requires careful planning. Learn how to balance fairness between farming and non-farming children while protecting your retirement.
How Marriage and Divorce Affect Your Will
Marriage automatically revokes your will. Divorce doesn't. Understanding these rules is essential for protecting your estate plan.
The Rest Home Subsidy Myth: What You Really Need to Know
The belief that gifting assets protects them from rest home costs is one of the most expensive myths in New Zealand. Here's what the law actually says.
Understanding Family Protection Act Claims
Family members who feel inadequately provided for in a will may have grounds to challenge it. Understanding this area of law helps both potential claimants and executors.
The 3-Year De Facto Rule: What It Actually Means
After three years of living together, de facto partners have the same property rights as married couples. Here's what you need to know.
Is a Prenup Right for Your Relationship?
Deciding whether a contracting-out agreement is right for you. Questions to ask yourself, signs you should consider one, and myths debunked.
Protecting Inheritance in a New Relationship
How inheritance becomes relationship property, the mortgage pay-off trap, and your options for protection. A guide for those who have received or expect to receive an inheritance.
Contracting-Out Agreements: What the Law Actually Says
Understanding the Property (Relationships) Act 1976, requirements for valid agreements, when agreements can be challenged, and what the courts have said.
De Facto Relationships: Your Property Rights in New Zealand
Understanding when the Property (Relationships) Act applies to de facto couples in New Zealand, including the criteria courts consider and the 3-year threshold.
Mediation
What is Mediation and How Does It Work?
Mediation is a structured negotiation with a neutral third party. Learn how the process works, what the mediator does, and when mediation makes sense.
When Mediation Makes Sense for Business Disputes
Not every business dispute needs court. Learn when mediation offers a smarter path to resolution, and how to maximise your chances of success.
Resolving Trust Disputes Without Court
Trust disputes often involve family relationships that litigation would destroy. Learn how mediation can resolve trustee and beneficiary conflicts while preserving what matters.
What to Expect in Your First Mediation
Never been to mediation before? Here's a practical guide to what happens before, during, and after mediation, and how to give yourself the best chance of a good outcome.