Published 19th November 2020 by Mia Petrovic, Simpson Western
Time for a contracting out agreement?
You have had years of saving up for the overseas experience many New Zealanders dream of — then a pandemic hits. The London job you thought you had in the bag is no longer an option, and you and your partner are faced with extending the lease on your flat here — that you were eagerly awaiting to escape. What do you do now?
Published 18th November 2020 by Tim Oliver, Horsley Christie
Hefty consequences for getting it wrong when company was in financial distress
In September 2020, the Supreme Court released its keenly anticipated decision in the Debut Homes case. This decision illustrates the risks for directors where a company is experiencing irrecoverable financial distress.
Published 18th November 2020 by Tanya Surrey, Mactodd
Rules for both owners and renters
With New Zealand’s borders closed and overseas travel restricted for the foreseeable future, many Kiwis will be looking to rent a holiday home for the traditional summer holiday this year.
Published 18th November 2020 by Taylor Houston, Gawith Burridge
As the daylight hours extend, so too does the list of summer jobs that have been building up over the past year. On that list for many will be replacing those rickety old boundary fences that surround your house. Before you rip them all down, we have a case study that clarifies why it’s so important not to rush.
Published 29th June 2020 by John Mezger , Aspiring Law
What the Zero Carbon Act means for business
One of the most significant pieces of new legislation introduced last year was the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019, more commonly referred to as the ‘Zero Carbon Act’.
The legislation outlines the government’s targets over the next 30 years (by the year 2050) of net greenhouse gas emissions of zero and to reduce methane emissions by up to 47%.
Published 29th June 2020 by Gemma O’Donnell , Innes Dean Lawyers
Charities play an important role in our society to help the disadvantaged, support specific causes or to advance knowledge. In New Zealand we have more than 27,000 registered charities, with 230,000+ volunteers and 180,000 paid staff . Many of these charities are structured as trusts which can be incorporated and run as a trust board by the trustees.
Others are structured as incorporated societies or companies, or as unincorporated bodies. These types of charities are run by a board with specific obligations and responsibilities.
Published 29th June 2020 by Polly Hill, Argyle Welsh Finnigan
New Privacy Act comes into force in December
The Privacy Bill is on its third reading in Parliament and will now become law on 1 Decem-ber 2020. It will repeal and replace the current Privacy Act 1993, and will update the law to reflect the continually-evolving needs of the digital age.
Published 24th March 2020 by Margaret Matthew, Rennie Cox
Company structure or sole trader for business?
You have decided to quit your job, and go out on your own to run your own business. Do you form a company or trade in your own name? We outline some of the pros and cons of these two options to help you make a decision.
Published 23rd July 2019 by Kirsten Patterson, CEO, Institute Directors
The damage from governance failure can be profound, and can attract significant unwelcome media and public scrutiny. Focusing on the learnings from these cases is how we can get some real benefit and continuous improvement in corporate governance.
He tāngata – it is the people
Governance is, above all, about people. It’s a team game and, like any team, the board’s composition, and its culture and dynamic, are all critical to its effectiveness.
Published 23rd July 2019 by Angela Stafford, Wain & Naysmith
Risk of hefty penalties if you don’t
There are plenty of war stories about recordkeeping blunders. Think of offices crammed with paper, ‘lost’ documents, fireplace filing systems and online voids.
Section 194(1) of the Companies Act 1993 requires boards to keep correct accounting records. Records are supposed to ‘speak for themselves’ and allow the company’s financial position to be determined at any time with reasonable accuracy. Failure to keep proper records can badly hurt your business.
