Expertise
Asset Protection, Trusts and Estate Planning
Trusted advice for protecting your assets
Succession planning is about more than deciding what happens next. It is about protecting what you have built, providing for the right people, and creating a clear pathway for the future. Ford Sumner can help you put the right legal structures in place to support an orderly transition of personal and family wealth, while minimising risk and uncertainty.
We advise clients on asset protection strategies that help safeguard wealth for future generations, including structuring ownership arrangements and reducing exposure to potential claims. We also assist with creating and managing trusts, from establishing new trusts and preparing trust deeds through to trustee appointments, ongoing administration, and reviewing whether an existing trust remains fit for purpose.
Our team can also support your wider estate planning, including wills, enduring powers of attorney, and planning for the transfer of assets in a way that reflects your wishes and family circumstances. By bringing together asset protection, trust planning, and estate planning advice, we help clients take a joined-up approach to succession planning with confidence and clarity.
Our asset protection, trusts and estate planning services
Estate planning
*UPDATE* We prepare and review sale and purchase agreements to ensure the terms reflect your interests and protect you from potential risks. Whether you are buying or selling, we make sure the contract is clear, accurate, and legally sound before you sign.
Trust establishment
Our team can help with all aspects of trust establishment, from assessing whether a trust is appropriate to preparing the necessary documentation and implementing the structure. We work with you to create a trust that supports your long-term goals.
Trust reviews
We provide comprehensive trust reviews to assess whether your trust remains suitable for your circumstances and objectives. Our practical advice helps identify issues, address risks, and ensure ongoing compliance with trustee obligations.
Trust administration and management
Managing a trust comes with ongoing responsibilities. We assist trustees with all aspects of trust administration and management, providing practical guidance to ensure trusts are administered properly and obligations are met.
Dispute resolution
Ford Sumner can assist with all aspects of trust disputes, including claims against trustees, beneficiary disputes, and challenges relating to trust administration. We work to achieve practical and effective resolutions while protecting our clients’ interests.
Meet the asset protection, trusts and estate planning team
Sarah Churstain
Fenella Smith
Elizabeth Hughes
Maggie Knowles
Mary Ward-Tyree
How to Get Started
Buying or selling a home is a significant step — we’re here to make the legal process clear and stress-free.
To get started, contact us for a no-obligation consultation. In this initial conversation, we’ll review your situation, explain the process, and outline the next steps. Our goal is to give you clarity and confidence from the outset, whether you’re a first-home buyer or an experienced property owner.
At Ford Sumner Lawyers, we focus on achieving the best possible outcomes efficiently and effectively. Get in touch today.
News and insights
Asset protection, trusts and estate planning: Legal updates and case studies
At Ford Sumner, we are a committed part of New Zealand’s business sector and local communities. We keep a watchful eye for relevant legislative and regulatory changes, and we regularly write and share updates on what these changes will mean in practice for our clients.
So check in regularly with this part of our website, and subscribe to our newsletters.
Court of Appeal clarifies HSWA liability
The Court of Appeal has released its decision in RH & JY Trust v WorkSafe New Zealand [2026] NZCA 12, confirming that trusts, as well...
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Property Owners view preserved through court
A recent High Court decision has prevented the potential subdivision of a property at St Arnaud, near Nelson. The decision highlights the ‘roadblock’ effect land...
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Rent payment in time saves nine:
With increasing financial pressure on businesses and individuals alike, the High Court’s recent judgment in James Ward Trustee Company Limited v Jarm[1] (“James Ward”) serves as a...
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