Complete business legal support so that you can confidently progress in today’s competitive commercial environment.  Rely on our sound legal advice to give you the edge and navigate the minefield of legislation regulation standards and rules.

Corporate and Commercial

  • Corporate Governance and Directors Duties
  • Business mentoring for directors, executive directors and senior management
  • Advising lending institutions
  • Financing Arrangements
  • Joint Venture Arrangements
  • Statutory Compliance
  • Competition issues
  • Prospectuses, takeovers and mergers
  • Company Restructuring
  • Business Sales and Purchases
  • Company formation and Shareholders Agreements
  • Leases
  • General Business Advice
  • Succession Planning

- Jacqui Gray, Iain Taylor, Neil Dent, Heidi Oliver

Dispute resolution and litigation

In the event that you have a dispute, we have skilled and experienced litigators who can provide advice and advocacy to obtain/reach solutions that best fit your circumstances – whether that is advice, direct negotiation, alternative dispute resolution, or Court.

We also provide strategic risk management advice to reduce the risk of disputes in the future.

Our litigators provide advice and advocacy in areas including:

  • Company law
  • Consumer law
  • Competition law
  • Contract
  • Copyright
  • Fair Trading
  • Insolvency
  • Insurance
  • Leaky building claims
  • Negligence
  • Product Liability
  • Property issues
  • Lease issues

- Jim Ferguson, Andrew Harris, Kate Trusler

Employment

Our employment team can provide strategic advice and advocacy on a full range of employment issues including:

  • Bargaining
  • Disputes and personal grievances
  • Employment agreements
  • Occupational health and safety issues
  • Performance management
  • Recruitment
  • Restructuring and redundancy
  • Transfer of business issues

- Jim Ferguson, Andrew Harris, Kate Trusler

Franchising

Whether buying a business run as a franchise or setting up a franchising structure for your existing business we can ensure you receive the advice you need.

- Jacqui Gray, Iain Taylor, Neil Dent

Insolvency

We can advise you about Directors’ and Corporate liabilities and obligations concerning debt restructuring, receivership, creditors compromises, company liquidation and statutory management.

- Jim Ferguson, Andrew Harris

Intellectual Property

If you need advice about licensing, confidentiality agreements, trademark registration, copyright protection, plant variety rights or any other intellectual property rights we can assist you and where appropriate provide access to specialist patent attorneys.

- Jim Ferguson, Andrew Harris

Mediation

Sometimes it’s hard to find the common ground.  Mediation is the leading source of dispute resolution in New Zealand and our skilled negotiators are experienced mediators.  Let us find your answers. We have experienced mediators within this firm.

- Jim Ferguson, Jacqui Gray, Ingrid Squire

Resource Management

Our Resource Management Team can assist you with a wide variety of Resource Management matters including:

  • Applications before Local Authorities or Commissioners for consents to subdivide, develop land or infrastructure or to discharge contaminants to land, air or water
  • Advice about opposition to others applications before Local Authorities or Commissioners
  • Submissions and appeals on Plan changes
  • Representation before the Environment Court in appeals against Local Authority or Commissioners Decisions, Plan changes, applications, prosecutions and enforcement actions

- Jim Ferguson, Kate Trusler

Rural Advice

We have vast experience in farming and horticultural issues affecting corporate business involved in the rural sector.

- Neil Dent, Jacqui Gray, Iain Taylor, Heidi Oliver

Taxation

Most transactions will raise taxation issues. The timely identification, planning and meeting tax obligations can have big impact on your cashflow, budgets and corporate operations.  Let Gifford Devine assist you in structuring your business affairs to your best advantage to ensure that your firm meets regulatory compliance without undue stress.

- Kate Trusler