Blog
How much do lawyers get paid?
How much do lawyers earn anyway? Depending on who you ask, the answer is typically somewhere between “too much” and “not enough”. There are scores of myths and stereotypes about rich lawyers, some of which have something of a kernel of truth, but most of these are merely apocryphal. read more
What makes a good lawyer?
What makes a good lawyer? Is it the number of letters they have behind their name, how many textbooks and academic journals they’ve authored, how many cases they’ve won or deals closed, how flash their offices are, the size of their bank balance or the girth of their intellect? read more
How to ensure you get poorer legal advice (and quite possibly drive your lawyer around the bend)
Some clients seem to subscribe to the view that the best legal advice is urgent legal advice. The less time allowed, the better.
Granted, there will always be emergencies, urgent circumstances or plain old surprises, but persistent, habitual patterns of last-minute instructions from many clients tell another story. read more
Lawyers, bills and other incontrovertible facts of life
They’re old and persistent tropes: lawyers and their six minute chargeable units of time, or lawyers and their eye-watering hourly rates.
In a business of charging for services by time, and when that time happens to come at a sometimes hefty hourly rate, it makes sense to divide one’s efforts into manageable blocks of time. Some would argue it’s a more fair system than a standard-charge half hour’s medical specialist appointment, which comes at the same price whether you use the full appointment or only need a two minute prescription written up. read more
Pet hates of clients: lawyers who dwell in ivory towers
Anyone who has dealt with a variety of lawyers before will be able to attest that lawyers come in all shapes, sizes, shades, and dispositions. Some prefer to give advice for the real-world, and some not so much. read more
Getting the best value for money working with your lawyer
At RateVine Lawyers, one of the commonest complaints we hear of in consumers’ dealings with lawyers is in relation to expense. The proverbial bull on the charge complete with enraging wounds often follows close behind.
Contrary to popular belief, not all lawyers drive late-model luxury vehicles and spend their holidays jetting off to sun-soaked pampering. Many lawyers are just humble self-employed business people, no different to your any other small business-owner struggling to make a buck. read more
How to choose a lawyer
Choosing a lawyer can be a daunting process for first-time legal service consumers, especially for those who don’t have family or associates who are familiar with dealing with lawyers. read more
Future-proofing your business: how well-drilled is your exit strategy?
With the baby boomer bulge rapidly working its way through the pipeline into and beyond statutory retirement and superannuation age, it’s become common knowledge that there’s a goldmine of small and medium sized businesses, family-owned companies and self-made privately held companies out there which are ripe for the next stage. Many observers have asked, will the fruit of decades of hard work have its day to flourish to the next stage, will it rot on the vine, or will it, to inappropriately extend the metaphor even further, be gobbled up and excreted out like so much fodder from the circling vultures’ gizzards? The answer may depend on how prepared business owners are; how organised; how forward-looking. read more
Bumper pack of consumer law changes: impact expected to be far-reaching
A major batch of consumer law changes were approved at the end of 2013 and will impact in one way or another on much of the New Zealand business landscape. Standard consumer contracts are under the spotlight, with unfair consumer contract terms subject to Commerce Commission court action if these cross the line. Market participants will be observing with keen interest to see how this s applied in practice, with the expectation that the Commerce Commission may be on the lookout for a high profile “scalp” to emphasise the seriousness of the need for change in this area. In advance of this, many businesses will be seeking advice and legal opinions to give them comfort on the fairness and legality of consumer contract terms in use in their businesses. read more
Generic Top Level Domains: what are they and what do they mean for your business?
Generic Top Level Domains, or gTLDs as they are commonly referred to, are part of the Domain Name System (DNS) that aren’t country-specific (.co.uk, .eu etc.). In 2012, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) reached the conclusion that the 22 existing gTLDs would be added to with the establishment of 1,400 new Top Level Domains. ICANN’s move has meant that businesses may be able to choose their own top-level domains. read more
Tougher privacy laws in the wind
The New Zealand Privacy Commissioner is set to be granted beefed up powers to keep pace with technology changes. The proposed reform relates to the 20 year old Privacy Act 1993 – a relatively grizzled veteran by privacy law standards in the age of big data, cloud computing, the omnipresence of the internet and daily changes in ever-growing data gathering and processing practices. read more
Important credit contract changes which will affect credit-related businesses
The Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Amendment Act 2014 has reached its final stage and brings with it a number of important changes in the credit contract and consumer finance space. The changes introduce potentially significant considerations for businesses involved in consumer credit contracts, focussing on greater information to be provided to consumers and more clear disclosure of rights and considerations. read more
Health and Safety Reform Bill – working safer in New Zealand – submissions and feedback sought
The New Zealand Government has issued its proposal for health and safety regulations and seeks feedback and submissions on the regulation package. read more