Our commitment to you

1. We are totally committed to ensuring that your legal requirements and business needs are met in all work carried out for you.

We will:

• Protect and promote your interests and act for you free from compromising influences or loyalties.
• Discuss with you your objectives and how they should best be achieved.
• Act competently, in a timely way, and in accordance with instructions received and arrangements made.
• Provide you with information about the work to be done, who will action it and the way the services will be provided.
• Protect your privacy and ensure appropriate confidentiality.
• Treat you fairly, respectfully and without discrimination.
• Give you clear information and advice.
• Keep you informed about the work being done and advise you when it is completed.
• Charge you a fee that is fair and reasonable and let you know how and when you will be billed.
• Let you know how to make a complaint and deal with any complaint promptly and fairly.

2. The obligations lawyers owe to clients are described in the Rules of Conduct and Client Care for Lawyers. Those obligations are subject to other overriding duties, including duties to the courts and the justice system. If you have any questions, please contact Michael Wigley on (04) 472 3023, or the Law Society on 0800 261 801 or www.lawsociety.org.nz.

Person with overall responsibility for your work

3. Michael Wigley is the Principal with overall responsibility for all matters handled by the firm. He can be contacted on (04) 499 1841.

Basis of our charges

4. Unless agreed otherwise our fees are based on the range of factors applied by the NZ Law Society, including value, time, expertise, importance, urgency and results achieved. We also charge for disbursements (court fees, registrations, duties/levies etc) and travel expenses incurred on your behalf. These will be itemised separately, and we will notify you in advance of any expenses or disbursements we expect to incur on your behalf. At times these may need to be paid in advance.

Billing arrangements

5. To help you budget we issue interim accounts, usually monthly, while work is in progress, with a final bill on completion. Current payment terms are set out on invoices, and unless otherwise stated are due for payment within 14 days.

Professional indemnity insurance & fidelity fund

6. We hold professional indemnity insurance that meets or exceeds standards specified by the Law Society. The lawyers’ Fidelity Fund also provides a limited form of cover up to specified maximums in certain circumstances, generally excluding investment monies

Complaints

7. If you have any concerns or complaints that you prefer not to raise with Michael Wigley, please contact Stuart van Rij (Senior Associate) on (04) 499 1842. We are committed to resolving any issues as soon as possible.

8. You can also contact the NZ Law Society’s Lawyers’ Complaints Service, at 26 Waring Taylor Street, PO Box 5041, Wellington 6145, Tel (04) 472 7837 or (0800) 261 801, Fax (04) 473 7909.

Conclusion

9. We value your instructions and look forward to an ongoing relationship with you. Please retain this information as the core basis of our relationship and our commitment to you.