Resources /

These resources are designed to provide practical insight into a range of legal issues. They provide general guidance only and should not be relied on as legal advice — please contact us for advice specific to your circumstances.

Client Forms

Businessmen shaking hands over an agreement

Shareholders’ Agreements in New Zealand: Protecting Your Business Before It Matters

Why a bespoke shareholders’ agreement is essential for safeguarding your business, preventing disputes, and ensuring smooth governance in New Zealand companies.

Getting a Good Deal: A Negotiation-Lawyer’s Guide to Buying Residential Property in New Zealand

Why good deals aren’t about the ‘perfect property’ — and how to negotiate like a pro, price risk accurately, and win the 1-in-10 opportunities the market always creates.

Business men and women arguing over contracts at a board room table.

How to Handle a Business Dispute Before It Escalates

Business disputes can escalate quickly if not managed carefully. This guide outlines the early steps New Zealand businesses should take to protect their legal and contractual interests, manage communications, and minimise risk. Knowing when and how to involve a lawyer can save time, money, and stress down the track.

Are Relationship Property Agreements/Prenups Actually Enforceable in New Zealand?

How New Zealand courts approach prenups, what can go wrong, and how carefully drafted agreements can protect your assets.

Illustration of a New Zealand-style family home enclosed within a transparent shield, with faint scales of justice in the background, symbolising legal protection of assets in a relationship context.

Can a Trust Shield Your Property on Separation?

Family trusts are often seen as a way to protect assets if a relationship ends — but New Zealand courts take a close look at how they are set up, managed, and combined with contracting out agreements. This article explains how trusts interact with the Property (Relationships) Act, what recent case law shows about their strengths and limits, and the steps you can take to ensure your assets are genuinely protected.

New Zealand couple reviewing a separation agreement/relationship property agreement for spousal maintenance clauses.

Can You Contract Out of Spousal Maintenance in New Zealand?

Spousal maintenance can have significant financial implications when a relationship ends. Under New Zealand law, it is generally not possible to contract out of these obligations, even in a separation agreement. This article explains how maintenance is assessed and what strategies can help manage the associated risks.