What to Expect From a Business Lawyer in NZ

First Contact and Initial Consultation

What Happens

• Initial call/email: Brief discussion of your needs
• Consultation booking: Usually within 1-2 weeks
• First meeting: 30-60 minutes to discuss your situation
• Fee discussion: Lawyer explains their rates and approach

What to Bring

• Summary of your business situation
• Any existing legal documents (contracts, agreements)
• Specific questions you want answered
• Relevant correspondence
• Details of deadlines or urgency

Engagement Process

Letter of Engagement

Before work begins, you'll receive a letter of engagement covering:

• Scope of work: Exactly what the lawyer will do
• Fee structure: Hourly rate, fixed fee, or retainer
• Estimate: Expected cost range
• Terms: Payment terms, billing frequency
• Contact: Who you'll work with

Working Together

Communication Expectations

Type	Expected Response
Routine query	24-48 hours
Document review	2-5 business days
Urgent matter	Same day
Complex advice	3-7 business days

Your Responsibilities

To get the best results:

• Be responsive: Answer queries promptly
• Be honest: Share all relevant information, even if unflattering
• Be organised: Provide documents when requested
• Ask questions: If you don't understand, ask
• Respect boundaries: Non-urgent matters can wait for business hours

Common Business Law Tasks

Company Setup

• What they do: Register company, draft constitution, create shareholder agreement
• Timeline: 1-2 weeks for full setup
• Your involvement: Provide details, review and sign documents

Contract Drafting

• What they do: Create contracts tailored to your needs
• Timeline: 3-7 days for first draft
• Your involvement: Explain what you need, review and provide feedback

Contract Review

• What they do: Review contracts you've been given, flag issues, suggest changes
• Timeline: 1-3 days typically
• Your involvement: Provide context, make decisions on recommendations

Commercial Lease

• What they do: Review/negotiate lease terms, explain obligations
• Timeline: 1-2 weeks depending on negotiations
• Your involvement: Provide details, approve negotiation positions

Buying/Selling Business

• What they do: Due diligence, sale agreement, settlement
• Timeline: 4-12 weeks depending on complexity
• Your involvement: Significant - decisions at each stage

Billing and Costs

How You'll Be Billed

• Hourly billing: Time recorded in 6-minute units (0.1 hours)
• Fixed fee: Agreed price for specific work
• Retainer: Monthly fee for ongoing access
• Capped fee: Hourly up to a maximum

What Gets Billed

Typical billable activities include:

• Meetings and phone calls
• Emails (reading and writing)
• Document drafting and review
• Research
• Travel time (sometimes)
• Disbursements (filing fees, searches)

Invoice Frequency

Most business lawyers bill monthly. You should receive itemised invoices showing what work was done. Question anything you don't understand.

Red Flags to Watch For

Building a Long-Term Relationship

The best business lawyer relationships are ongoing partnerships:

• Proactive advice: They alert you to legal changes affecting your business
• Know your business: Less time spent explaining context each time
• Quick access: Established clients often get faster responses
• Better rates: Long-term clients may get preferential pricing
• Prevention focus: They help you avoid problems, not just fix them

Getting the Most Value