Welcome to our final newsletter for 2024 - with the holiday season almost upon us, the last few weeks before Christmas can often be quite overwhelming.

So, we thought we would wrap things up a little early as well as provide you with a few things to contemplate (in terms of your legal affairs) of the beach and BBQ period. We also thought it would be a good time to remind everyone that as the year winds down, any last minute legal matters should be attended to as quickly as possible.

If you need our assistance before the year ends, please make sure you in get in touch with one of our team soon as possible (our holiday hours are listed at the end of this article).

This time of the year always feels pretty chaotic (which is why our October newsletter is arriving on 01 November!)…the days are quickly ticking by as we approach Christmas and the silly season slowly descends upon us. There are often too many engagements, gatherings and social events to keep up with and essential life admin, gets put on the back-burner. So to keep things light and as a bit of a break from our usual newsletter contents, this month, it’s all about the people - our people.

We know that dealing with the law can be a very daunting prospect for clients, even those who have been through the process before, and so we take great pride in being approachable, listening to what our clients need and being able to explain the possible options in simple, clear terms. The video introductions on this page, hopefully give you some insight in to that approach and how our people do what they do.

At Turner Hopkins, we understand that the journey to homeownership is a significant milestone, and for many first home buyers, it can feel both exciting and overwhelming. Recent market trends suggest that now could be a particularly good time to make your move.

With a cooling property market, more opportunities are emerging for first-time buyers to secure a home at a competitive price. Property listings have increased, and housing prices in certain areas have stabilized, meaning less competition and more room to negotiate. This shift is providing a rare window for first home buyers to get onto the property ladder without the intense bidding wars that were commonplace just a year ago.

Spring appears to have sprung across New Zealand, and it feels like a great time to refresh and reflect as we push forward towards the end of the year. In this month’s blog, we explore key topics in family law, employment law, and immigration – all areas that might come into focus during this season of change. Whether you’re navigating family dynamics, dealing with workplace issues, or considering your path to residency in New Zealand (or how to stay here), our latest articles offer insights and guidance to help you make informed decisions.

Just a little over four months until we reach the end of the year and what a year it has been. The Olympics are over and New Zealand managed to pull of a spectacular showing, securing more gold medals than any other Olympic games in history. The Reserve Bank also dropped the official cash rate for the first time in over four years, to the surprise of at least 50 percent of all economists.

This month we have a variety of articles and news from the team, including details on how to be your own boss, and an update on our service offerings for clients, immigration updates from your specialist immigration team, as well as a plug for two very worthwhile charitable causes.

在新西兰，商业租赁对企业至关重要，因为它提供了财务灵活性、降低了运营风险，并使企业能够选择理想的经营位置。通过租赁，企业可以专注于核心业务发展，而不必承担物业所有权的高昂成本和维护责任。此外，法律框架为租赁双方提供了明确的权利和保障，确保企业在稳定的环境中运营。

商业租赁对大多数在新西兰经营的企业至关重要。作为租户，您需要清楚地了解租约中的主要条款以及可能存在的风险。您也需要按需决定是使用公司名义，信托名义还是个人名义作为租客。这样，您的商业活动才能在稳定的环境中顺利进行。

What is a Shareholders Agreement and why does my company need one?

The short answer is that if you are the sole shareholder of your company then you don’t. A shareholders agreement becomes relevant when there is more than one owner.

A shareholder’s agreement is a contract between the owners of a company designed to document each owners’ rights, responsibilities, and expectations relating to how the company will operate.

Have you been dreaming of becoming your own boss?

There are of course many upsides to owning your own business. Are you considering the shift from employee to business owner? Or perhaps you are looking to expand your current business by purchasing a complementary or competitors’ business.

Here are our top 5 tips for purchasers to consider when deciding to buy a business in New Zealand.

July is almost done and while there is still a definite nip in the air, the days are slowly getting just that little bit longer, and hopefully will become a little bit warmer. The second half of 2024 is now upon us and whilst there are still plenty of challenges out there for many, here is hoping the next six months brings some more of those potential winds of (positive) change.

This month, we have compiled information on sale and purchase agreements from our property team, as well as a detailed discussion on cross-leases. Our immigration team have a useful case study for any migrant looking to make the move here (or for those, already here who want to stay) and we finish off with a video from our private client team, answering some key questions on trusts and wills.

comment a lot on the relevance of “rules” in terms of the New Zealand immigration process and mostly because they are the back-bone as to how the whole system works. Migrants are basically pushed through a blender of criteria, rules and policy, and the slices that fall out, should resemble a visa of some description.

Some migrants are brave enough to try and read Immigration New Zealand’s website to see if they can decipher how the process works, but very few applicants find themselves in amongst the weeds of the formal Operational Manual (most wouldn’t know what that is).

The Bank of Mum and Dad (BOMAD) has long been a source of financial support for young adults, particularly those trying to enter the property market. With rising house prices and stagnant wages, many young people find it difficult to save for a deposit on their own.

Historically, many parents have been willing and able to provide cash to help children get a deposit together for the purchase of a first home.

We would like to welcome Rebecca Ong to the Turner Hopkins Team. Rebecca joins our family law practice, working closely with her colleagues Jade Cookson and Yukie Tan.

Rebecca focusses on listening to her client’s needs, ensuring their best interests are protected, and then being able to guide them as they navigate through one of the most stressful times of their life.

Survive to 2025, seems to be the motto for 2024. There is no doubt that times are tough out there for many people and businesses and as we reach the mid-point of the year, with winter setting in, it is a good time to take stock and think about how you might make it through the next six months.

Our employment law team have some sage advice on social media and staff commentary as well as getting the restructuring process right. We also take a look at how to manage your debtors in this tougher climate as well as the results of our recent net promoter score survey.

I have been eagerly watching the election process in South Africa, as voters take to the polls in what could be the single biggest political event for the country and its people in recent history. For 30 years the ANC has held power, but it now appears that even their most loyal voter base is slipping away and early poll results show they are a fair way away from reaching the 50% majority.

What that means for South Africa and South Africans is another story (and potentially another blog) but no matter what happens, there will be families up and down the country contemplating whether it might be the right time to leave and start life in another place (New Zealand is obviously a popular choice).

The winter chill seems to have arrived early this year, with May bringing some very cool temperatures across the country, along with a very sudden cold snap. We were however treated to a spectacular display of lights over the country as the earth was subjected to a solar storm - a fair few of us braved the colder nights to take some incredible photos (the above was one taken by one of the team).

Despite the longer nights and cooler temperatures, the team at Turner Hopkins have been keeping warm, by keeping very busy.

Twenty years in this business and I have seen plenty of ups and downs, particularly when it comes to the way INZ processes applications. Over that time, I have also seen how easily, good quality applicants can be caught out by INZ simply taking a different approach to all applicants.

These ups and downs also tend to happen as the political winds change direction and right now we are seeing exactly that as the new coalition Government is trying to clean up the mess left by the previous Government.

Blink and you will miss it…Easter has been and gone and we are now near the end of the fourth month in 2024. The colors of autumn are everywhere and the days are shorter, and getting a little cooler as we gradually move into winter.

With many businesses working through financial year end, now is a good time to start planning ahead for the next 12 months and with tighter economic conditions out there, the more planning ahead you can do, the better.

Big changes announced to the AEWV overnight, which will have plenty of people wondering where that leaves them. The changes introduce new requirements, depending on the skill level of the role in question, a minimum skill threshold and increased compliance for employers.

However this is (largely) policy we have seen before. With the exception of the English tests for lower skilled applicants, much of what the Government has rolled out is familiar territory. So a case of “back to the future” - we dive in with a detailed few explainers and a couple of plot spoilers.

March madness has its origins in various places because for some reason this particular month creates an unusual degree of chaos in various quarters. In the US it is synonymous with the start of the basketball season, bringing a rush of tournaments and players to the front and centre of the American sporting calendar.

In New Zealand (and particularly in Auckland) it is often associated with a sudden increase in traffic, as students are all back at school, including the Universities. That of course translates to longer commute times and everyone realising that summer holiday are in fact over and we are now really back at work for the year…

Losing a loved one is tough. It is even harder when there are disagreements about how their assets are divided after their death.

Family disputes over estate distributions are more common than ever, especially with blended families, i.e. step-parents, half-siblings and step-siblings, getting in the mix.

At Turner Hopkins, our experienced team, Michael Robinson (who leads our Family Law and Litigation Team) and Principal, Jade Cookson, specialise in handling these sensitive situations with compassion while ensuring their clients receive the very best outcome.