Smart legal support for companies and the people behind them.

Whether you’re establishing a new company, managing shareholder relationships, or navigating a significant ownership change, strategic legal advice is critical to ensuring growth, compliance, and informed decision-making. Harris Tate offers straightforward, practical guidance to help you remain compliant, avoid disputes and make smart decisions for your business.

Start Smart – Your Blueprint for the Right Company Setup

Start smart with the right structure. From limited companies to joint ventures and investment setups, we guide you through registrations, appointments, and share allocations—tailoring everything to support your goals and protect your liability from day one.

Understanding Shareholder Rights and Duties

Managing a company with multiple shareholders requires careful navigation of competing interests and a clear understanding of individual rights. We offer detailed guidance on directors’ obligations under the Companies Act 1993, as well as on voting entitlements, dividend policies, and share classifications. We also advise on when shareholder consent is required and how to approach key decision-making processes and what happens if Shareholder’s are not in agreement.

Director Duties and Risk Management

Directors carry serious responsibilities, from acting in good faith, avoiding conflicts of interest, and keeping the company solvent. We provide clear, practical guidance to help you understand these obligations and to implement robust governance framework, policies, and decision-making processes that meet legal standards, that protect your business and your reputation.

If you’re uncertain about the legal implications of a board decision, we can also help assess the situation and recommend tailored risk management strategies.

We are here to help you stay on top of sorting any director conflicts, delegating authority the right way, keeping records tidy and meetings on track, and ensuring compliance with legal requirements for any major transactions the company is contemplating.

Buying, Selling, or Exiting a Company

Whether you’re investing, exiting, or restructuring ownership, we provide expert guidance throughout the legal process. From share transfers and company record updates to managing approvals and disclosures. Our goal is to ensure every transition is well-documented, compliant, and efficiently executed.

Navigating Internal Conflict and Organisational change

Disputes over strategic direction, dividend policies, or workload can disrupt business performance. We provide pragmatic legal guidance to help resolve internal tensions, manage leadership or ownership transitions, and maintain operational continuity.

Clear, Strategic Advice on Commercial Governance

Good governance goes beyond compliance, it lays the foundation for sustainable business success. Whether you’re leading a growing company, advising a trust-owned entity, or serving on a joint venture board, Harris Tate provides clear guidance to help you meet your responsibilities and maintain governance practices that are both legally sound and commercially strategic.

Governance That Drives Growth—Clear, Strategic Legal Support for Your Business

From single-director entities to multi-tiered corporate groups, we assist clients in developing governance frameworks that align with their structure and strategic goals. We guide you through governance models, define roles and reporting lines, and ensure documents such as constitutions and board charters are customised to suit your operational needs and stage of growth.

Helping Your Board Run Smoothly – Clear Advice for Effective Meetings

We can help you get ready for governance meetings, sorting resolutions, and keeping your minutes tidy. Whether you’re conducting virtual board meetings, or passing written resolutions, we ensure your processes comply with legal standards to create a reliable audit trail.

Growing Your Business, Shifting Gears, and Planning for What’s Next

When your business changes, your governance setup might need a refresh too. Whether you’re scaling up, changing leadership, or planning for succession, we make sure your governance evolves with you.

How Purpose-Driven Businesses Stay on Track

For mission-led businesses, we support governance frameworks that reflect your social, or environmental objectives. That might mean embedding stakeholder accountability, or designing models that blend profit with impact.

Why Choose Harris Tate?

• Legal advice made simple – plain English, clear steps, no confusion.
• Practical strategies and solutions that help solve real-world business challenges.
• A trusted legal partner for New Zealand companies.

Let’s Talk

Smart moves start with smart advice. Harris Tate delivers practical legal support to protect what matters to help power your business forward.