Businesses
Below is our range of core services we offer to people in business. If your set of circumstances don’t quite fit any of these categories, contact one of the Core Crew below and they will talk through the issue and see what solution they can come up for you.
Read our practical guide for people starting a business – Getting Down to Business.
Buying and Selling Commercial, Industrial or Rural Property
We recommend you have the Agreement for Sale and Purchase checked by us before you sign it.
This way we can check the conditions and put in additional safeguards for you. We can search the Title, discuss property ownership options with you, assist you with any due diligence issues and ensure that all GST issues are taken care of. Documents such as leases, resource consents, water rights, etc. need to be checked and explained to you.
Developing and Subdividing Land
Following completion of the surveyor’s plan of subdivision, it is our responsibility to coordinate the preparation and signing of all subdivisional documents by all parties and to manage that process in such a way to ensure that the new Certificates of Title are available for you as soon as is practically possible.
We can also advise you on inter-title issues such as height restrictions, easements and restrictive covenants to maintain the appropriate standard of development.
Franchises
Most franchise documents are non-negotiable but what you need is a truly independent and objective assessment of the quality of the proposal and a plain English interpretation of the (often lengthy) franchise documentation.
It is important that you fully understand what you are getting with the franchise, how long will you get it for, and how much will it cost you.
Leases
We are familiar with all forms of currently used commercial leases.
We can advise you on the appropriate lease terms, prepare lease documents for you or provide you with a plain English interpretation of existing lease documents. We can also prepare documents to transfer, renew or vary existing leases. Leases can be long-term commitments so it is extremely important that you fully understand the commitment that you are entering into.
Forestry Agreements
Do you own land on which someone else wants to plant a forest or do you want to plant a forest on someone else’s land?
As these are long-term arrangements it’s important that you get it right.
Contact one of our specialists to prepare and register the necessary documentation.
Employment Issues
With the ever-changing legal requirements, it is important that your position is protected.
Many employers have out-of-date employment agreements that can disadvantage you in the event of a dispute. Let us check your existing agreement for you or prepare a new agreement if you do not already have one.
Resource Consent Applications
Many activities require some sort of resource consent. Make sure that your consent application is correctly prepared, that you receive the right advice and that you are appropriately represented at any consent hearing.
Business Structures
There are a variety of business structures to choose from, it is important that you have the correct and appropriate structure in place preferably before you establish or expand your business. We can discuss with you and explain simply the distinctions between partnerships, trusts, companies, etc. We can also advise you on the resolution of any partnership or shareholding disputes.
Unit Title Developments
After a slow start, unit title developments are becoming more common in Nelson. If you are considering this type of development, we can discuss its merits with you and prepare the necessary documentation including the Body Corporate Rules which need to be tailor-made to fit your proposed development.
Contractual Disputes
Sometimes business dealings just don’t go your way and you end up disputing a contract.
At times it becomes necessary to consider your options with the enforcement of contracts that you have entered into with other parties.
We can discuss your enforcement options with you, provide you with practical and objective advice and if necessary represent you in the enforcement of those contracts.
Financing
We can provide you with objective and independent advice relating to your financing options. We can assist you in negotiating financing terms with your lender and can prepare and register all security documentation.
BENEFIT FROM
Fixed Fees, No Surprises
We understand that uncertainty about legal fees can be a huge worry for clients. We have tried to take some of that worry away by offering different ways of pricing our services.
Fixed Fees
We are able to offer fixed fees on some of our core services including Wills, EPOA and Trust work. Please refer to the specific Service Page for pricing.
Estimated Fees
For services that do not fall into the fixed fee bracket, we will give you our best estimate once we have taken your full instructions and agreed with you what work needs to be done. We will review that estimate regularly with you and advise you if we think it is going to be exceeded.
Stage Pricing
For ongoing matters such as large commercial transactions and some dispute resolution, we can discuss with you a price for each stage of the job before moving onto the next stage.
Hourly Rate
For some complex matters including most litigation, our fees will be charged as set out in our Client Contract, but we will do our best to give you an indication of the likely overall cost.