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New Zealand’s immigration settings have seen several notable changes in recent months, applying to visa applicants and New Zealand employers alike. Here are the notable updates […]

Imagine this. You’ve just met the perfect person, with whom you wish to share the rest of your life. Things are great. The relationship is moving […]

The Public Works Act 1981 (PWA) is a piece of legislation that enables the compulsory acquisition of any land required for public work purposes. You may […]

It would be remiss of Wakefields not to jump on the band wagon of discussing artificial intelligence – or ‘AI’ in its abbreviated form. From self-driving […]

We are often asked by first-time buyers about the process and when they should engage a lawyer. Buying your first home is an exciting, but also […]

  You may be familiar with the news headlines that emerged following government changes to New Zealand’s Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act (CCCFA) at the […]

The case of New Zealand Steel Ltd v Haddad recently decided in the Employment Court serves as an important and timely reminder for New Zealand employers […]

The Employment Relations (Extended Time for Personal Grievance for Sexual Harassment) Amendment Bill is earmarked for a ‘Third Reading’ any week now. Bills that reach the […]

In mid-2021, the New Zealand government announced an exemption to the interest-deductibility rules for some landlords and developers in the build-to-rent (BTR) sector. This exemption is […]

Comparison websites will tell you which banks have the lowest fixed term mortgage rates for each period and outline your potential mortgage savings. These comparisons can […]

Has your money been disappearing down the gurgler? It is often easy to get into debt, but not so easy to get out of it. Debt […]

Whether you like it or not, New Zealand/Aotearoa’s minimum wage is set to increase from the first of April 2023. Accordingly, we thought we would remind […]

The internet has flipped the script on how to successfully operate a business. Gone are the days when billboards and print media reigned supreme as the […]

Time to refinance your mortgage? With rising interest rates and no apparent respite in sight, could it be time to refinance your mortgage? The uncertainty regarding […]

The travel restrictions and economic downturn caused by COVID has had a profound effect on both New Zealand’s employment market and on immigration of skilled workers. […]

Do you intend to subdivide your property? It is common to view subdivision projects as difficult and complicated procedures, but with the assistance of expert advisors […]

The trusts landscape has changed drastically over the last three years after being relatively consistent for more than half a century. Trusts and trustees in this […]

It is no secret that the property market has been red hot across New Zealand over the past few years. This was initially great for both […]

Property (Relationships) Act 1976 Most people have a vague idea that if they break-up with their partner, they’ll have to divide some of the property they […]

Gaining residence status in New Zealand can be a challenging and rigorous process. Recently, it had also become a very long process, with many applicants waiting […]

Tired of being told you need to say ‘no’  to avocado on toast in order to get onto the property ladder? Buying your first home is […]

Chapter Two: Vaccinations for non- ‘Regulated’ Businesses In our previous blog (read here) we outlined how to navigate the new COVID-19 Traffic Light Framework if you […]

Chapter One: Food + Beverage, Close Proximity, and Gyms  Many local businesses and organisations have approached Wakefields Lawyers to help them navigate the new COVID-19 Traffic […]

Many new home buyers in New Zealand are finding it impossible to get on to the property ladder. With house prices rocketing, for many it seems […]

Running a business is hard work, as any business owner knows only too well. There are staff to think about, cash flow to worry about and […]

With the country being plunged into a level 4 lockdown again, most landlords and tenants will recall the uncertainty that followed when the country was put […]

With the pandemic feeling more real than ever, many business owners are wondering what they can do to keep their employees and businesses safe. Getting vaccinated […]

As we enter Level 4 lockdown again, the last thing your business needs is to be exposed to the risk of a personal grievance, so take […]

We often see business owners who haven’t thought to protect the money they have personally put into their company. Many aren’t even aware they can get […]

For advice on how to avoid penalties and minimise delays in getting the workers you need, read on. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) are making some major […]

Employees are the key to business growth and success, so it should be no surprise that helping staff to perform well is an important part of […]

Introducing… the Privacy Act 2020 Did you know that the Privacy Act has changed? As of 1st December, the Privacy Act 2020 has now come into […]

Over the next few weeks, New Zealand workplaces will be taking a moment to head off and celebrate the end of the challenging year that 2020 […]

In July this year, Parliament unanimously agreed to changes to the Equal Pay Act 1972, which come into force today, 6 November 2020. The changes are […]

Now that the dust has settled after the recent election, what does the Labour parliamentary majority mean for the employment law landscape? Unsurprisingly, Labour’s Workplace Relations […]

Buying a house is probably the biggest purchase that most of us will ever make. In days gone by, most houses were either bought by a […]

In a tight housing market, buying an apartment, townhouse or house off the plan can be a very attractive proposition. As well as securing a brand […]

Changes the Government announced last year to improve the employer assisted temporary work visa system came into effect on 27 July 2020. Until that point, a […]

The most common type of “triangular employment” is when a labour hire or recruitment company arranges for their employees to do work for a third party […]

Wakefields Lawyers understands the challenges that come with running your own business, particularly when you get busy enough to start thinking about taking on staff. Employing […]

We’ve been helping a number of employee clients recently, with a worrying theme running through many of their claims that their employer simply didn’t know what […]

The first wave of redundancies is well and truly here and it’s not pretty. We’ve been conducting free consultations in these last few weeks, some of which have […]

On 23 March 2020, the government announced that from midnight on 25 March 2020, New Zealand will raise the alert level to level 4 in relation to […]

Throughout the ages and stages of our lives, we make a number of big decisions and changes. For some of us, deciding to make the move […]

For the first time in 70 years there are major changes coming to the laws that govern the establishment and operation of trusts. The Trusts Act […]

The Government has recently announced a re-opening of the Parent Category for immigration purposes, which had been frozen since 2016 and has now been closed. However, […]

From time to time you may be asked to be a trustee of a trust for someone – be it a friend, colleague or relative. While […]

It’s no surprise that employment relationships are a major feature of our lives. Many of us spend more time at work than we do in our […]

With the recent publication of the External Independent Review, ‘Bullying and Harassment in the New Zealand Parliamentary Workplace’ and the ongoing coverage of bullying in the […]

It’s been a hot topic recently with a number of people asking us how General and Enduring Powers of Attorney work. A general power of attorney […]

Every penny counts when buying your first home! There are many options for financing your purchase; some including, your own savings, your KiwiSaver, and the KiwiSaver […]

The case of Mainzeal Property and Construction Limited v Yan has been one of the highest profile cases in the last number of years. This case involves one […]

Immigration New Zealand is seeking feedback on its proposal to change work visa settings; to make them more employer-led, and hopefully, more responsive to the labour […]

New Zealanders have a particular affinity for investing in residential property. We see large numbers of our clients retaining ownership of their first home when they […]

Are you married or in a de facto relationship? Are you thinking of moving in with that special someone? Do you already have a contracting out […]

IMPORTANT: From June 2018, there have been changes to the work visa system, leaving skills shortages to not be relevant anymore. Please check out the Wakefields […]

  Now that the worst of winter seems to have passed and the property market is heating back up, it’s time to look at one of […]

  Chances are, if you have recently approached us for legal assistance, you would have received an email from us with details of the new Anti-Money […]

  Welcome back to our tech blogs! Our last tech blog was on the digital estate planning of your crypto assets. Since then we’ve presented at a […]

  There is a massive accounting change on the horizon that will have significant adverse implications on many commercial tenants and the way they view the […]

Have you been thinking about purchasing property? Have you heard any of the media buzz around methamphetamine contamination testing or seen advertisements from any companies offering […]

  With applications for labour-market-tested work visas often taking 60 days or more to process and continuing low unemployment, it’s timely to consider whether becoming an […]

Can you execute an electronic will?  Possibly, but currently the options are extremely limited. While the Wills Act 2007 does contemplate the possibility of executing a […]

You started with a little Bitcoin, then maybe you bought some Ether. Over time your portfolio got more complex as you traded and purchased a variety […]

Estonia – the Blockchain Nation A glimpse into our tech future? Estonian Independence Day is on 24 February, so what better time to have SimpleTech highlight […]

What is an ICO? A simple summary to bring you up to speed! Following on from our Bitcoin and blockchain tech blogs of recent, 2017 saw […]

You’ve got your million dollar idea, your business plan, investors and, importantly, a really unique and catchy name for your company! Protecting your name can be […]

Company share apartments are a unique form of ownership arrangement where the owner doesn’t technically own an estate in land, but owns shares in a company […]

Three Basic Methods of Business Valuation From Guest Blogger, Dave Morgan at LINK Business Broking If you’re considering selling your company, it helps to understand methods of […]

Welcome to the first in a series of tech blogs coming your way each month! In this series of blogs, the Wakefields Tech Team will bring […]

Ever considered selling your business? Here's a simple summary of the big questions you might have. Assets or Shares? One of the first questions you will […]

From the Property Team   We’ve been discussing a recent news article where a property owner got into hot water after demolishing their own house and […]

Are you contemplating entering into a new commercial lease? These documents are far more complex than your simple residential lease and therefore harder to understand, especially […]

Starting your own business comes with so many complex decisions, one of the first is figuring out what corporate structure to use. In most instances, you’ll […]

Ask a Lawyer: Do I need a LIM?   Angela recently emailed us to ask: ‘I’m looking at buying a house, why do I need to […]

On a damp winter’s morning a group of excited, warmly dressed lawyers boarded the East by West Ferry to cross Wellington Harbour and landed on beautiful […]

Business in the Cloud: Taking the World by Storm From the Technology Law Team   The concept of cloud computing has been around since the 1990s, […]

Lisa & Sarah braving the weather to feed the hungry sheep and meet the newest residents on Matiu/Somes Island for our annual volunteer day. Ask a […]

To Airbnb or not to Airbnb? From the Property Team Property owners are increasingly turning to websites like Airbnb.co.nz and couchsurfing.com to earn extra income and offset their […]

Bach Tax: What to do if you’re renting your holiday home. From the Property Team New Zealanders have a great love affair with holiday homes. Since […]

Ask a Lawyer: Does a Will Outright a Trust? From the Wealth Protection Team A reader wrote to us and asked: ‘Does a will outright a trust?’ By […]

Purchaser’s Perspective: What conditions should I put in my Sale & Purchase Agreement when making an offer on a house? From the Property Team Finding a […]

You’ve probably heard that there are three versions of the truth – her version; his version and somewhere in between. Nobody wants to end up feeling […]

One way to attract, retain and incentivise talent is to give your employees an opportunity to participate financially in the growth of your business. One way […]

When was the last time you gave any thought to your Family Trust? Here’s what you might not know about how to look after it successfully… […]

Here’s what you might not know about your commercial lease… Rent costs are likely to be one of the ultimate factors in determining where you base […]

Have you ever wondered what your social media is worth? Here’s what you need to know about social media accounts as an asset. Social media is […]

Too often, as lawyers, we find ourselves engaged in a business sale where the parties, or their advisers, have neglected to consider the implications of the […]

Are you going to have to pay up to 33% resident land withholding tax on your next property sale? There are now laws in place to […]

How can you keep your software idea confidential & safe? The simplest and most complete answer to this question is to keep your product or program […]

Can You Trust Your Trust? The following hypothetical scenario is very common: Jess has decided to purchase a residential property. Jess is currently single, but is […]

Nearly a year ago there were a large number of changes to employment law relating to zero hours contracts. Under these contracts, employers were not guaranteeing […]

What is a closely-held company? At Wakefields we specialise in dealing with smaller companies known as closely-held companies, or so-called ‘mum and dad’ type companies. These […]

A number of commercial buildings in the Wellington CBD suffered extensive damage in the recent earthquake. This seems like an appropriate time to explain the implications […]

Six years on from the Christchurch Earthquakes, insurance claims are still being settled through EQC. With the recent Culverden earthquake, now is a good time to […]

Wellington and the upper South Island recently experienced an unprecedented earthquake, causing serious disruption to life in the CBD. Many businesses are still displaced from their […]

New Zealanders are master inventors, and Wellington especially has a great reputation for cultivating ‘start-ups’. What Kiwi inventors are not quite so good at is moving […]

When a market is in relative good health, there is a good chance economists will be predicting a future decline. In light of the current press […]

When buying or leasing valuable goods, it is important to check that they are not subject to a security interest.   Otherwise, the secured party is able to […]

The world of business is increasingly competitive.   Business owners, as employers, have become more focused on securing and safeguarding information that sustains their business – such […]