Does someone owe you money? Have you been served with Court proceedings and do not know what to do? We are happy to advise you on any matter to help in getting the problem solved.

We can assist you with

• Debt collection
• Tenancy Tribunal and Disputes Tribunal: preparation for hearings
• High Court matters/litigation
• District Court litigation
• Enforcement procedures

We understand that being involved in employment problems is very difficult and can lead to many challenges for you and your family. We can help you.

We have a team that can attend at any meetings with you on your behalf from investigation through to any disciplinary meeting to protect and safeguard your interests.

We have dealt with many of the issues that arise that can lead up and include the termination of employment such as redundancy, re-structuring, and claims for dismissal.

Our work includes providing: 

• General employment advice
• Drafting Employment Agreements
• Attendance at disciplinary and related matters up to and including decisions being made
• Drafting Personal Grievance claims
• Mediation
• Matters before the Employment Relations Authority
• Matters before the Employment Court

It is not uncommon when a person dies that a person may in their Will have not left anything to one of their children or to someone to whom a promise has been made.

It may also be the case that one child appears to have been preferred over the other children.

This situation also arises where the person has died without making/ leaving a Will.

We can assist you in these circumstances if this applies to you.

We are experienced in the following areas: 

• Family Protection and Testamentary Promises advice and negotiating settlement in those circumstances.
• Dealing with Family Protection and Testamentary Promises litigation, acting for claimants, beneficiaries and executors

As people get older, some may experience some form of dementia. If they have limited or no understanding then they cannot deal with their own affairs and those will need to be managed by someone else.

This can be very difficult for those closest to that person. Spouses or partners who been have together for many years can suddenly be faced with a spousal partner who cannot deal with their own affairs.

Although this can be prevented if preparation has been made in advance, it is not uncommon for this to arise.

In those circumstances we can help through:

• Making applications under the PPPR Act for appointments of a welfare guardian, property manager or administrator.

These apply in situations where there is:

• Intellectual disability
• Dementia
• Physical disabilities

Although required occasionally in the elderly where enduring powers of attorney have not previously been prepared, These can be used for younger people who lack the understanding/ capacity to act on their own behalf.

We are well aware that we can all at various stages in our lives do acts that we regret. The daily news has stories of murders, sexual assault, damage to property, and people driving in an inappropriate way.

We will know a person who after celebrating a friend’s birthday, drove home when he/she should have taken a taxi and are stopped by the Police and found to have excess alcohol on their breath or a person who has said something offensive about another person that leads to a fight.

We have a well-established team of lawyers who can represent you in such matters and on offences of various degrees of severity. They are able to deal with both private clients as well as those on legal aid.

There are two critical rights that any accused has:

1. The right to remain silent; and
2. Your Bill of Rights.

In practice, this means-

Do not make a statement to the Police whether verbal or written unless you have had the opportunity to seek legal advice; and

Consult a solicitor at the first available opportunity and no later than when your bill of rights are explained to you.

If you are at the Police station, legal advice is available to you.

The variety of work covers:

• Daily appearance on a range of matters before District Court/High Court
• Jury trials
• Transport matters
• Driving with excess alcohol blood/breath
• Limited licences
• Male assaults female (and related matters)
• Applications for discharge without conviction (Section 106 application)
• Sentencing
• Criminal appeals

Amongst our team are those who have appeared in criminal courts from various countries: 

       -in the Pacific Islands, Samoa, Cook Islands, Tuvalu,

       -in England and Wales

We believe that because of this we are well suited to deal with clients from a broad range of cultural backgrounds and beliefs. Having a strong understanding of their culture enables better understanding of the reason for the offending.

Building disputes are highly complex, involved, and very time consuming. We have prepared and defended claims under the Construction Contracts Act with success.

We can advise and assist you with:

• Building contracts: drafting and interpretation;
• Managing claims under Construction Contracts Act 2002
• Preparing and defending Notices of Adjudication under the Construction Contracts Act 2002.
• Enforcement of decisions