Generally speaking, a company is a separate legal entity in its
own right and its shareholders will not generally be liable for the
company's obligations. However, there are exceptions to this rule,
as illustrated in the recent case Lewis Holdings Ltd v Steel
& Tube Holdings Ltd.
By Claire Mansell - 29 Jan 2015
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As the building industry rides the wave of buoyant construction,
new regulations coming into force on 1 January 2015 introduce more
consumer protection and compliance requirements for
tradespeople.
By Andrew Steele - 23 Dec 2014
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A Court in Argentina has granted Habeas Corpus to an Orang-utan
named Sandra. Habeas Corpus (which means "you have the
body") is an ancient remedy which requires a detained person
to be brought before the court at a specific date and time. It is
usually used as a means of liberating someone from unlawful
detention.
By Claire Mansell - 22 Dec 2014
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Christmas work parties are now in full swing. Many
commentators are reminding employers that they could face liability
if employees are hurt, or hurt others, when under the influence of
alcohol supplied at work functions. Drink driving is a
particular concern, especially with lowered breath and blood
alcohol limits.
By Andrew Steele - 12 Dec 2014
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Disagreements are part of life. Knowing where to turn when
disputes turn nasty is crucial. Things can get especially difficult
if a disagreement concerns a lot of money or there are friends or
family involved.
A litigator's role is to help people resolve disputes and
navigate their way through the Court system. Finding a good
litigation lawyer can put your mind at ease and save you money in
the process.
By Claire Mansell - 19 Nov 2014
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The Supreme Court has today handed down its Judgment
in the long awaited Jennings Roadfreight Limited (In Liq) & Ors
v Commissioner of Inland Revenue [2014] NZSC 160.
By Tony Johnson and Claire Mansell - 7 Nov 2014
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Section 21 agreements, often referred to as "pre-nups" are now
common place. They are an important tool in an estate planning
lawyer's tool kit and are not just for the paranoid, rich and
famous, as perhaps once thought. Having an agreement in place can
bring certainty around issues of property sharing and division. It
can allow couples to get on with the more romantic aspects of their
relationship, without worrying about property entitlements.
By Tara Grant - 10 Oct 2014
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Domain names are changing! From 1pm, 30 September 2014, you
will be able to register short and simple domain names like
shortandsimple.nz. This change will see second levels
(like the '.co' in '.co.nz' and the '.org' in '.org.nz') become
optional. For example, if your website is
mywebsite.co.nz, you may be able to get
mywebsite.nz.
By Mike Worsnop - 30 Sep 2014
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Fancy a carpet with lifetime stain and soil resistance? How
about one that won't fade for 25 years? Sounds great, but as usual,
the devil is in the detail.
By Craig Nelson - 11 Sep 2014
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Converting a cross lease title to a fee simple title or a unit
title can add value to your property. This is particularly
beneficial where your existing title is defective and needs to be
rectified anyway. By way of example, this could be where you
or a previous owner has carried out alterations to the building so
that the external dimensions of the building no longer match what
is shown on the flats plan. If you are going to spend money
with a surveyor rectifying the flats plan then using that money to
pay for a new fee simple plan may be a better use of your
money.
By Kay Keam - 2 Sep 2014
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