Blog

Martelli McKegg welcomes Andrew Skinner to the partnership

We are delighted to welcome Andrew Skinner to the partnership. Andrew is an experienced commercial lawyer with specialist industry experience in building and construction and franchising.

By Melissa Higham - 4 Feb 2020

Who will care for my children if I die?

Appointing testamentary guardians

A difficult decision parents of younger children have to make when making a Will is deciding who should be appointed as guardians of their children. Inclusion of an appointment of a guardian should be considered whenever a Will is made by a person with children who are under the age of 18.

By Emma Foster - 22 Jan 2020

Good news for Unsecured Creditors: Directors' Duties

A proposed new change to insolvency law is good news for unsecured creditors.  As the law currently stands, when a director is successfully sued for breaches of duties to the company, any recovery is an asset of the company.  This means that the money is subject to a secured creditor claim and quite possibly will not be available at all as a dividend to unsecured creditors.

By Tony Johnson - 19 Dec 2019

Building consents FAQS

We are often asked about the rules and regulations around building consents. We have put together answers to some of the most frequently asked questions.

By Meika McHardy - 12 Dec 2019

The partners and staff mourn the passing of Kay Keam

The partners and staff of Martelli McKegg Lawyers mourn the sudden and unexpected passing of Kay Keam. Kay was a much loved and respected partner of Martelli McKegg having spent over 17 years at the firm. She was an exceptional lawyer, mentor and friend. Despite the pressures of her busy and specialised practice, Kay always maintained a calm, assured and compassionate demeanour.

By Mike Worsnop - 5 Dec 2019

A Global Roadmap to Personal Data Protection

We're pleased to be the contributor for the New Zealand chapter in the 2^nd edition of "A Global Roadmap to Personal Data Protection". Proudly put together by Meritas Law Firms Worldwide. Download your complimentary copy here: https://www.meritas.org/DataProtectionGuide.aspx

By Mike Worsnop - 18 Nov 2019

Court costs in disputes as to who should be trustee

The recent Court of Appeal decision in Guest v Guest [2019] NZCA 64 stands as a reminder to trustees that if they do not act reasonably, then they may be exposing themselves to a significant costs liability.

By Terri Gough - 10 Nov 2019

Changes to the Disputes Tribunal - threshold increased to $30,000

The Disputes Tribunal has just increased the financial threshold for submitting a claim to $30,000. Until 29 October 2019, a party could only file a claim up to a maximum of $15,000 (or $20,000 with both parties' agreement). At this low sum it meant that parties who wanted to pursue claims slightly over $15,000 faced the prospect of either writing off a portion of the debt to pursue their claim in the Tribunal, or abandoning it all together.

By Pierce Bedogni - 1 Nov 2019

A celebration of the 150th year of the New Zealand Law Society

Jacque Lethbridge had the great pleasure of delivering a speech on behalf of community law for the commemorative sitting of the High Court recognising 150 years of the NZLS. The Chief Justice, Helen Winkelmann, presided over the ceremony.

By Jacque Lethbridge - 30 Oct 2019

Want to drug test your employees? What you need to know first

Employers are becoming increasingly aware of the risk that drug-taking poses to a workplace. However, employers should tread carefully when deciding to drug test employees. The employers in the recent case A v N learned this lesson the hard way.

By Claire Mansell - 10 Oct 2019