Le Pine & Co is delighted to be a Bronze Partner of Taupō’s Winter Festival, which gets underway on 14 July and offers world-class theatre, comedy and music shows as well as a whole lot of free activities and an action packed programme.

Sometimes you do... The way we live our lives and operate our businesses is always changing. Amongst the biggest changes is the move to electronic communication and information. Despite its potential for quick, efficient communication and the reduction in the need for paper and storage, ironically, many people find themselves surrounded by more paper than ever!

If you are in a de facto relationship, there could be significant financial implications for you if you separate, or if your partner (or you) dies

You have just moved into your new home and your neighbour knocks on your door. They say that your garage is two metres into their boundary, and that they need this space to widen their driveway. Suddenly you wish you had known where your boundary was before you purchased the property.

All too often shareholders overlook the need to properly secure the advances they make to their company, or the guarantees they grant in favour of their company, without being aware of the consequences that can result from this oversight. By registering security over the assets of their company, shareholders can effectively and efficiently secure their advances to that company and feel assured that steps have been taken to safeguard their investment.

The Resource Legislation Amendment Bill was introduced to Parliament on 26 November 2015. The submission process is well underway with the Select Committee receiving submissions until Monday, 14 March 2016.

New health and safety legislation comes into force in early April

In recent years there has been a significant increase in online abuse particularly of vulnerable young people. A high profile example was the 2013 ‘Roast Busters’ case involving teenage boys bragging of sexual activities with girls. This article looks at what remedies are available when cyberbullying takes place.

A new era begins

The new law will come into force on Monday, 4 April this year. Despite some of the originally proposed changes being watered down in the final stages of drafting the new Act there will still be significant effects for you, your business or your organisation. This article looks specifically at implications for organisations with volunteers.

Who pays for your funeral? Most Wills have a clause directing the executors to pay funeral expenses as well as other usual estate liabilities. Often there is also a clause saying whether you want burial or cremation. Are these directions binding?

Come along to one of our free seminars to find out what you need to know and do about the new Health & Safety at work Act. We have teamed up with SafeTworks to share what a business needs as a robust health and safety management system. If you’re a business owner or director you could become personally liable for breaches of the new Act and no one wants that.

How you can help avoid a claim on your own estate

The construction industry will see some significant changes in the long-awaited Construction Contracts Amendment Act which was passed in October. The impact will be felt by every building owner, homeowner, contractor and subcontractor.

When you are selling, buying or leasing a rural property one of the things that you should take time to consider is what grass or supplements will be available for the incoming farmer’s stock. This is a matter for both the landowner, when selling and leasing, and the prospective purchaser or lessee to establish – regardless of what time of year settlement is to occur.

Some harsh remedies when retailers sell to minors. For generations, teenagers have tried every trick in the book to get their hands on alcohol before they are legally old enough to buy it. However, it’s getting more and more difficult to do so. This article looks at the legislation and what happens when a retailer sells alcohol to a minor.

Over the summer, young people will be keen to celebrate the end of the school year and enjoy the long holidays.

Make sure you have a current Will – make an End of Year resolution
With summer, Christmas and the New Year fast approaching now is a good time to make an End of Year Resolution to get your affairs in order. In this past year you may have bought a house, established a business, moved in with your partner, welcomed a baby, booked your big OE or perhaps there are wedding bells on your horizon.