A tight team with big capability

Who we are

Ford Sumner’s focus on building strong relationships is what makes us special. Our clients trust us to get it right; because we do, many of them have worked with us since we began.

Our team collaborates to provide expert, personal and individualised service. We’re responsive, with a can-do attitude, and we always bring our ‘A’ game.

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Expertise

How can we help you?

Commercial

Whether your business needs advice on terms and conditions of supply, or agency, distribution, outsourcing or licensing agreements, we deal with all manner of commercial contracts. Read more

Corporate

Wherever your company is at in its lifecycle, we have the corporate law experts to support you. Read more

Corporate insolvency & turnaround

With expertise and experience in all aspects of corporate insolvency, our insolvency team delivers tailored, commercial advice. Read more

Medico Legal and Health Care Law

We’ve represented clients in a wide range of medico legal and dispute resolution matters, as well as investigations and disciplinary proceedings. Read more

Insurance

We provide advice on all aspects of insurance law, our experienced team acts on disputed claims, and provides regulatory and compliance advice. Read more

Dispute Resolution

With a focus on quality and a pragmatic approach, we deliver outstanding solutions by combining in-depth commercial knowledge with technical excellence.

Employment & HR

Whether you’re an employer or employee, when you want employment advice, you need approachable experts you can trust. Read more

Investigations

When unbiased and legally robust workplace investigations are needed, our record speaks for itself. Read more

Property & Construction

In a constantly changing legislative environment, property and leasing can be challenging. Read more

Environment & Regulatory

With environmental and land use development law becoming more and more complex, our specialist team cut through the red tape, to find solutions to your problems. Read more

OUR PEOPLE

Meet our team

Our team’s big enough to be experts across many fields, and small enough to know and care about each other, and our clients.

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Automated Documents

What does our legal document suite and automation software mean for our clients? Agreements to You is able to produce high-quality legal documentation in a shorter time – and with greater accuracy and less cost.

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Latest legal news

REINZ/ADLS Agreement for Sale and Purchase – Update 2019 Banking on pulling out of purchasing a property? Not so fast! Link

Turbulence in the regions 2 In this second article in our three-part series, we look at some of the important changes to aviation law contained in the Civil Aviation Bill. This topic formed part of presentations by Ford Sumner’s Jaesen Sumner and Sarah Churstain at the recent New Zealand Airports’ Conference. Link

Turbulence in the regions? Big legal changes are currently on the horizon for New Zealand’s aviation industry. When the Civil Aviation Bill has its First Reading and is referred to the Transport and Infrastructure Select Committee during the next 18 months, it will represent the culmination of over half a decade of policy work by officials at the Ministry of Transport, begun under the last National Government. Link

Trusts Act Overhaul – What You Need To Know The Government has introduced significant changes to trust law that will impact anyone that is a trustee or beneficiary of a trust in New Zealand. It is important for trustees and beneficiaries to be aware of the influence the changes will have on their rights and obligations. In short, trustees will face increased compliance requirements and beneficiaries will receive a greater amount of information about the trust. Link

Do you offer financial advice? You may want to read ours... The Government has introduced a new financial advice regime that will likely impact any business or individual involved in the delivery of financial advice, services or products in New Zealand. Link

A reminder to chatterboxes - Confidential remains confidential Parties to a Record of Settlement (“ROS”) may be subject to penalties under the Employment Relations Act 2000 (“the Act”) if they breach agreed terms of settlement. Link

A lifeline for the construction industry? New procurement rules announced

New Zealand’s construction industry is growing rapidly. In recent years, the industry has used a ‘lowest price model’ approach when awarding construction projects. This has led construction companies to cut costs and under cut each other to secure tenders.

Link

Fair Trading Act Reminder

The Commerce Commission (“the Commission”) recently took issue with Hell Pizza as a result of its online advertising of the “Burger Pizza”.

Link

Subbies suck it up again? On 5 September, Auckland and Waikato-based Stanley Group/Tallwood became the latest in a long line of construction companies to go to the wall. Initial estimates put the amount owed to creditors at $5 million, with individual subcontractors reportedly owed up to $600,000. Link

Incorporated societies update - do your clubs rules need a refresh The suspensions occurred in the context of Avondale’s prospective plans to rationalise its landholding. Link

Overstepping on your restraint of trade clause The recent High Court case of Commerce Commission v First Gas Limited highlights the need for businesses to think carefully about restraint of trade clauses when it comes to their contractual arrangements. Link

High Court exercises jurisdiction to award non-party costs A recent decision in the High Court in the case of Minister of Education v H Construction North Island Ltd (in rec and liq) has seen a parent company, uninvolved as a party to the legal proceedings, be ordered to pay non-party costs of over a million dollars. Link

Law changes for rental properties From 1 July 2019, several significant changes came into effect which impact landlords, residential tenants and property managers. Link

Court of Appeal rules on interest rate swaps

The Court of Appeal at the end of June held in Bushline and Coomey v ANZ that ANZ’s representations to dairy farmer borrowers were false and of legal consequence

Link

Breaks legislation – Do employees have to take breaks?

The law regarding break allowances for employees has recently changed.

The Employment Relations Amendment Act 2018 has amended the Employment Relations Act 2000 to state that:

“an employee is entitled to, and the employee’s employer must provide the employee with, rest breaks and meal breaks”.

Are you up to speed with the new changes and what they require?

Link

Are You Still Relying on Employment Trial Periods?

Trial periods are no longer available for employers with more than 19 employees

If you are an employer that relies on trial period provisions when employing new employees, you need to be aware that the law has now changed.

If you have over 19 employees, you can no longer use a 90 day trial period and any attempt to use one will not be effective. A new approach is needed.

Link

Changes to Employment Law in 2019 We address recent changes to the Victims' Protection Act 2018 and the Employment Relations Amendment Act 2018. Link

Employment Law Changes

The Employment Relations Amendment Bill 2018 was passed on 5 December. There are 3 stages of changes, taking effect the day after the date the Bill becomes an Act (expected to be this week), 6 months after the date the Bill becomes an Act, and then 6 May 2019.

Link

Go to legal updates

Our Community

Connecting with each other is vital to all of us, and at Ford Sumner our community’s central to who we are.

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New Zealand Ocean Swim Series

The Whitireia Foundation - Scholarship

Other Charities and Community Organisations

Contact Us

If you would like to discuss more, share feedback or ask any questions, please get in touch. We’re here to help.

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