Terms of Engagement and Trade Link Law Limited
Fees and Payment
- Our invoices are generally issued by email. Payment is due within 7 days of the invoice date unless otherwise agreed.
- Clients may deposit funds into our trust account in advance. Upon completion of work, our fees and disbursements may be deducted from those funds.
- Interest may be charged on overdue accounts at the rate of 15% per annum or the rate charged by our bank for unauthorised overdrafts, whichever is higher.
- We reserve the right to request advance payments, retainers, or personal guarantees before undertaking work.
- We may issue interim invoices monthly or at key stages of a matter.
- We reserve the right to suspend or cease work where invoices remain unpaid or where we are unable to obtain instructions despite reasonable attempts to contact clients.
Disbursements
- In addition to our professional fees, you are responsible for all disbursements and third-party expenses incurred on your behalf.
- These may include LINZ registration fees, Companies Office fees, court filing fees, bank charges, barrister fees, consultant fees, and search fees.
- We may require payment in advance before instructing barristers, experts, or consultants.
- You authorise us to deduct unpaid fees and disbursements from any funds held in our trust account on your behalf.
GST
- Unless otherwise stated, all fees and disbursements are subject to Goods and Services Tax (GST) in accordance with New Zealand law.
Ethics and Conflicts of Interest
- We will not act in any matter that we consider unlawful, unethical, or inconsistent with our professional obligations.
- We may decline to act or cease acting where a conflict of interest arises or where continuing to act would breach our professional responsibilities.
File Retention and Documents
- We generally provide documents electronically by email.
- Administrative charges may apply for retrieval or additional copies of files.
- Unless otherwise agreed, you authorise us to destroy files and documents relating to your matter 7 years after completion of our engagement.
Client Identification and Security
- To comply with New Zealand anti-money laundering legislation, we are required to obtain identification and verification documents from clients.
- You authorise us to deduct unpaid fees, expenses, or disbursements from funds held in our trust account on your behalf.
Complaints Procedure
- If you have any concerns regarding our services, please contact:
- Link Law Limited, Attention: Gagandeep Kaur
- Letter:17 Matata Drive, Takanini
- Email: info@linklaw.co.nz
- Phone: 022 090 2766
- You will be notifying the outcome. If a complaint is unable to be resolved to your satisfaction you are entitled to refer it to the New Zealand Law Society. The New Zealand Law Society can be contacted by phone on 0800 261 801, or through its website www.lawsociety.org.nz.
Client Care and Service
The Law Society client care and service information is set out below. Whatever legal services your lawyer is providing, he or she must:
- Act competently, in a timely way, and in accordance with instructions received and arrangements made.
- 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.
- Provide you with information about the work to be done, who will do it and the way the services will be provided.
- Charge you a fee that is fair and reasonable and let you know how and when you will be billed.
- Give you clear information and advice.
- Protect your privacy and ensure appropriate confidentiality.
- Treat you fairly, respectfully and without discrimination.
- Keep you informed about the work being done and advise you when it is completed.
- Let you know how to make a complaint and deal with any complaint promptly and fairly.
- Act competently, in a timely way, and in accordance with instructions received and arrangements made.
Termination of Engagement
- You may terminate our engagement at any time.
- We may terminate our engagement in accordance with professional obligations and applicable laws.
- We may terminate our retainer in any of the circumstances set out in the Law Society’s Rules of Conduct and Client Care for Lawyers.
- If our retainer is terminated, you must pay us all fees due up to the date of termination and all expenses incurred up to that date.
Trust Account
- We maintain a trust account for client funds received on behalf of clients.
- Where significant funds are held on your behalf, we may place those funds into an interest-bearing account.
- We may charge an administration fee of 2% of the interest earned for administering those investments.
Professional Indemnity Insurance
- Link Law Limited holds professional indemnity insurance that meets or exceeds the minimum standards required by the New Zealand Law Society.
Lawyers Fidelity Fund
- The New Zealand Law Society maintains the Lawyers Fidelity Fund to provide protection against losses arising from theft by lawyers.
- The maximum compensation payable to an individual claimant is currently $100,000, subject to applicable law.
General
- These terms apply to all current and future engagements with Link Law Limited unless otherwise agreed in writing.
- We may amend these terms from time to time and notify clients of any material changes.
- Our relationship with you is governed by the laws of New Zealand.
