Can your ex-spouse claim your property when you die?

Agreeing on a division of relationship property after you and your spouse separate can be fraught. Usually, emotions are highly charged.

Estates and guarantees

Guarantees entered into by a person during their lifetime can create some difficult legal issues for their executor after they die.

Making a bequest to a charity

For many charities, gifts in wills (bequests) are a significant source of funding.
Sometimes, however, charitable bequests cannot take effect when wills are not carefully drafted. This article looks at ways your wishes for a charitable bequest have the best prospect of being fulfilled.

Business briefs

Cartel conduct: New Zealand’s first ever criminal cartel prosecution; New privacy rules for biometrics; New reporting obligations for large businesses

Whakaari/White Island eruption

The eruption of Whakaari/White Island on 9 December 2019 was a tragedy. The last of the prosecutions brought by WorkSafe due to the eruption concluded on 31 October 2023. We look at the lessons landowners and company directors can learn from these prosecutions.

Trial periods vs probation periods

We explain the differences between trial and probation periods to enable you to better understand your options.

Property briefs

First Home Partner scheme: on pause; Council delays for property developers; Short-term accommodation – take care; Election impact on property issues

Alternative methods to sell your property

A more buoyant market means that sellers and their real estate agents will be looking to offer alternatives to advertised price, deadline sale or by negotiation methods. We give an overview on how the closed tender and auction processes works.

What happens if your builder goes bust?

Building a new home is an exciting process. It can, however, be quite daunting with risks of unexpected delays, cost increases and, in the worst scenario, your project going completely off the rails. In this article, we discuss how choosing your builder carefully can help to give you some peace of mind as you embark on your build.

Business briefs

Inside: Lego wins trade mark dispute with Zuru; Start preparing for the Incorporated Societies Act 2022; ESG and directors: the Companies (Directors’ Duties) Amendment Act 2023 now in force