Examples of Where We Can Provide Professional Services

Our capabilities span (i) business support services and (ii) commercial law. 

There are many specific areas in which we can provide professional services to assist your business needs, but we list a few below.

Business (re)structuring and change management

Let us contribute in design and implementation.  In this ever-changing world in which your business needs to position itself and adapt, we can work with you on optimising your ownership, management and business delivery structures.  Use us in all sorts of ways, as you formulate, disseminate and cement your business paradigm.

Project management and overview (eg a construction project)

We can manage project tasks at all stages.  We are good with defining objectives, working with teams, and mapping the way forward, when it comes to any sort of significant project or deliverable.  We understand the parameters of “the deal” (indeed we might be involved in the underlying documentation), we can communicate effectively with the full range of participants, and we have a pragmatic and focussed approach to delivery.

Procurement and sales

When you need to buy or sell, we can work with and for you.  We enjoy the challenge of understanding, testing and distilling the need for any business asset, which might then translate into a divestment or acquisition.  Let us get up to speed with you, and assist in the steps along the way from evaluating an asset (including through any due diligence process), through to closing off its sale or purchase.  Equally, we can help when you are simply taking your core product to market.

Contract negotiation and drafting

So many business challenges call for negotiation and documentation.  We do that, and we have done it both as external legal advisers and as commercial and legal resources within an organisation.  It can be beneficial to dedicate an additional resource like us – with experience and another perspective – to key negotiations that impact your business.

Governance appraisal and implementation

Governance and risk management are easily overlooked.  We are a useful set of eyes for balance and review.  Businesses tend to focus on their business outputs and have little time to question decision-making processes and related safeguards.  It is never a case of one size fits all, but we have experience in advising on, and being part of, a number of governance arrangements.

Regulatory compliance and liaison with regulatory bodies

For some businesses, resources and business imperatives might preclude appropriate focus on regulatory demands.  We can review triggers for compliance, and test performance.  In other situations, you might want us to talk to regulatory bodies on your behalf, and possibly work towards better alignment.

Management of legal services (procurement and appraisal)

We can create legal service provider contestability and real cost savings.  We have a lot of experience in legal service provider panels, both as members of, and as the client compiling, a panel.  We know where there is inefficiency and limited value, and we understand how to maximise the return on your legal spend.  We are also proficient in compiling a compelling combination of skills and expertise when creating a team of legal service providers.  We have no compunction about breaking down a siloed approach and requiring members of different firms to work collaboratively on the one matter for you.

Dispute resolution/litigation management

Let us make sense of it all, managing or giving advice, as well as arranging internal inputs.  We have appeared in several judicial forums.  We have managed a range of significant commercial litigation in the New Zealand courts and in private arbitration.  In most instances, we were the point of contact within the client, providing instructions and monitoring the performance of external counsel.  We can explain the process to a business.  We can work within the business to lighten the load that litigation inevitably creates.  And we can provide a useful perspective to counsel throughout a proceeding.

Client work from other businesses/law practices

We might be a useful port of call to assist you or your clients on, for example, a range of commercial law or dispute resolution/litigation matters.  Maybe you are too busy.  Maybe the nature of the work called for is not a natural fit for your business or practice.  We can assist, working with you or (if you or your client prefer) directly with your client cohesively and at a high skill-based level.  We can be the first port of call or the provider of a second opinion or level of input.

Work we have chosen not to do

Our focus is on providing high quality services at modest cost to our clients.  To that end, we do not provide any professional services that would require us to comply with identification, verification, reporting or similar regulatory obligations (for example, under anti-money laundering or tax requirements).  Instead, we will look to find another trusted business resource who can provide those services for you.