Law Awareness brochures
The New Zealand Law Society produces information pamphlets to inform you of your legal rights, the law and how lawyers can help you.
Buying or Selling a Property
Whether you are buying or selling for the first time or not, you can avoid a lot of potential stress, cost and frustration by following the simple steps in this guide.
- The process
- Your lawyer's role
- Checks — what needs to be done and who will do it
- Loans
- Buying a property — ownership and other issues
- A property checklist
- How much can you afford to pay for a home?
- Other sale and purchase costs
- Frequently asked questions and commonly used terms
- What else your lawyer can do for you
The Family Trust
Trusts are becoming an increasingly popular way of protecting property and managing assets.
- Why have a family trust?
- Who is involved?
- How long does a trust last?
- Who can appoint and remove trustees?
- How does a trust operate?
- Getting assets into a trust
- Repeal of gift duty
- Getting money out of the trust
- What about tax?
- Trust structures
Going Into Business
If you are starting up a new business or buying an existing business, you may need a lawyer as much as any time in your life.
- Sale and purchase agreement
- Why use a lawyer?
- Prudence
- Licenses and approvals
- Buying a business
- Running a business
- The structure of your business
- Will the business be a good investment?
- Health and safety requirements
- Selling your business or going out of business
Making a Will and Estate Administration
This guide tells you about making a will and how your estate is administered.
- What is a will?
- Who can make a will?
- When should I make a will?
- Why should I see a lawyer?
- How much will it cost?
- What should my will include?
- Can a will prevent legal problems after my death?
- What if I die without a will?
- Guardianship of children
- Estate administration
Over the Fence
Ideally, you and your neighbour will be able to resolve any problem by discussing it together. Your lawyer can advise you about your rights.
- Boundaries and encroachments
- Fences
- Nuisance and trespass
- Animals
- Noise, vibration and smell
- Use of land and buildings
- Excavations, trees and structures
- Easements and rights of way
- Legal remedies against neighbours
- How to prevent neighbourhood disputes
Powers of Attorney
Who can make decisions about your welfare, bank accounts or property if you are unable to.
- What is a general power of attorney?
- What is an enduring power of attorney?
- A personal care and welfare enduring power of attorney
- Who should set enduring power of attorney — and when?
- Who should you appoint?
- How do you arrange an enduring power of attorney?
- Who checks on the attorneys?
- What if a person is already mentally incapable?
- What happens on death?
- Living wills and advance directives
