Most agreements are signed on a standard form. The conditions, dates and special terms are where a buyer is protected, or exposed.
Jointly owned property, trusts, KiwiSaver and relationship property all sit outside a will. A proper plan accounts for every one of them.
Visa decisions turn on documents, consistency and disclosure. The strongest applications are prepared, not patched after a letter arrives.
A buyer signs on a Saturday afternoon and finds an unconsented extension on Monday. A business partner leaves and nobody knows who owns the brand. A parent loses capacity and the family discovers there is no enduring power of attorney. A visa is declined over a detail that could have been explained in a paragraph.
None of these needed a miracle. They needed someone to ask the right question early. That is the work: knowing what to look for in a title, a lease, a trust deed or a visa file, and saying so before it becomes expensive.
Every area we practise has its own traps. Our guides set out the ones we see most often, so you can recognise them, whether or not you ever need us.
These are the kinds of questions that bring people to a lawyer, usually a little later than they should have. If one of them is yours, you are not alone.
A buyer finds out after settlement that the extension has no code compliance certificate.
Who carries the cost, and what could have been done before signing?
Two owners, no shareholders' agreement and no idea how to value a share.
What does the law say when the documents say nothing?
One partner owned the home before the relationship began.
Why it is usually still shared, and what can protect an earlier contribution.
A request to respond to concerns, with a deadline measured in days.
What a good response contains and what makes it worse.
Ranbir Singh SandhuPrincipal
Ranbir practises in immigration, property and dispute resolution. Years of acting for individuals, families and businesses mean he has watched the same handful of problems play out many times, and knows the point at which each can still be fixed cheaply.
He also advises employers on corporate immigration and is involved in community organisations outside his practice.
Bring photo identification, any documents relating to your matter (agreements, letters, visa correspondence, title documents, bank statements) and a short list of your questions. If you are not sure what is relevant, bring it all and we will sort through it with you.
It depends on the work involved. Wherever possible we give a fee estimate or a fixed fee after the first conversation, explain what is and is not included, and tell you promptly if the scope changes. Our Terms of Engagement set out how fees, disbursements and GST are charged.
No. The first consultation is for understanding your situation and explaining your options. You are free to decide afterwards whether to proceed with us, and there is no pressure to do so.
New Zealand’s anti-money laundering law (the AML/CFT Act) requires lawyers to verify the identity of clients and, in many property and business matters, to understand where funds come from. It is a legal requirement for every law firm, not a reflection on you. Our AML page explains what we will ask for.
Yes. Lawyers owe their clients strict duties of confidentiality, and communications for the purpose of obtaining legal advice are generally privileged. We only share information with others, for example a surveyor or a bank, with your authority or where the law requires it.
Yes. Most work can be done by phone, email and video call, and documents can be signed electronically or witnessed locally. We regularly act for clients elsewhere in New Zealand and overseas, particularly in immigration, property and estate matters.
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Read articleTell us what is happening. We will explain how the law applies, what your options are, what is likely to be involved and, where possible, give you a clear fee estimate before you commit to anything.
