Smith and Partners Lawyers

Last week we took the time to acknowledge Matariki at the Smith and Partners office. We put up posters for everyone to add their own reflections under three of the themes of the season: remembrance, celebrating the present, and looking to the future. Then, the team came together on Thursday to share homemade soup and frybread, taking some time away from the day to connect and reflect. It was good to slow down for a moment together. Ngā mihi o Matariki. #SmithAndPartners #Matariki #NewYear #Connection #Teamwork #TeamBonding

More families are heading to court over estates than ever before. In this article, Carolyn Ranson examines recent estate claims in 2026, from late-life will changes and estrangement, to caregiving contributions and blended family dynamics, and what can be done to reduce the risk. Read the full article here:  https://lnkd.in/gUuPKP8s #SmithAndPartners #Estates #Disputes #Law #Lawyers #Auckland #NewZealand

Most legal disputes don't start in a courtroom. By the time someone picks up the phone to call us, the situation has usually been building for a while. The earlier we can give the right advice, the more we can help. This is the difference between having options and having to react, and between a negotiated resolution and a drawn-out, costly process. Sometimes that means de-escalating. Other times it means applying leverage or building a strong defence. The best legal support in those moments is about helping someone see the full picture before they decide how to respond.

Introducing Georgina Inwood, Graduate Law Clerk in our litigation team. Georgina works across family and employment law, with a background in Maori legal issues, public law, and a published article in the New Zealand Women's Law Journal. Having grown up in West Auckland, Georgina was drawn to Smith and Partners by the opportunity to work within and give back to the community she knows well. Outside of work, you'll find her tramping, baking, or deep in a good book. #SmithAndPartners #MeetOurTeam #LawClerk #AucklandLawyers

A franchise comes with an established brand and a proven system. It also comes with a contract that's been written for the franchisor's benefit. Before you sign, it pays to understand what you're actually agreeing to. In this article, Jude Dragh walks through the key things to check when buying a franchise. Read the full article here:

Smith and Partners' Commercial Director, Bret Gower was recently quoted in NBR on the rise of copyright enforcement claims targeting Kiwi businesses. Here's what you should know. #SmithAndPartners #Copyright #Advisory #Lawyers

A business can look completely healthy from the outside and still be carrying legal risk it hasn't thought to look for. That risk tends to accumulate gradually. A new product line that isn't covered by your existing IP protection. A key person who joined without a proper employment agreement. A lease coming up for renewal with terms the business outgrew two years ago. Each of these deserves attention. Together, they represent a business that has grown faster than its legal foundations have kept up. The businesses that manage this well treat legal health the same way they treat financial health. Not as something to deal with when there's a problem, but as something worth reviewing periodically, especially after a period of growth or change. The questions you need to ask aren't complicated. - Do our agreements still reflect how we actually operate? - Are the right people covered by the right documents? - If something went wrong tomorrow, where would we be exposed? Most business owners already know the answers. They just haven't had the conversation yet. #SmithAndPartners #LawFirm #LegalAdvice #Law #Advisory

Registering a company name and owning a brand name are two very different things. In this article, Bret Gower explains what a proper brand name check looks like and what to do if the name you want is already taken. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dZM2frKi SmithAndPartners #LawFirm #LegalAdvice #Law #Advisory

Every business needs a legal team that understands how business actually works. Meet the Smith and Partners commercial team. Seven people with experience across business sales and purchases, contracts, leasing, governance, succession planning, and more. What they share is the same approach: understand the business, give straight advice, and stay across it until the matter is resolved. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dNnffp7Q Bret Gower Peter Smith Chantal Laidler Tam Irvine Bethany Sweeney Jude Dragh Kelly Carter #SmithAndPartners #LawFirm #LegalAdvice #Law #Advisory #OurTeam #CommercialLaw

There are three conversations we have with almost every business client at this time of year. The first is about employment. Agreements that haven't been looked at in a while, policies that haven't kept pace with the law, processes that work fine until they don't. It's one of the most common areas of legal risk for employers, and one of the most preventable. The second is about commercial relationships. Supplier agreements, client contracts, partnership arrangements. The terms that made sense when the relationship started aren't always the terms that reflect how things actually work today. That gap tends to matter when something goes wrong. The third is about structure. Growth changes things. So does succession, new shareholders, or a shift in how the business operates. Mid-year is a natural moment to check whether the structure you're running under still fits the business you're building. None of these conversations need to be complicated. But they're worth having before something else makes them urgent. SmithAndPartners #LawFirm #LegalAdvice #Law #Advisory