TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT
For a full copy of our terms and conditions, please click the button below:
AML AND CFT INFORMATION
As part of your engagement with Saunders we will need you to complete Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act forms. Please click on the fact sheet below to read more about why we need to ask you for this information and customer due diligence requirements.
TERMS OF CREDIT
Like any other business, our requirement and expectation is to receive payment in a timely manner. Where possible, we can make payment arrangements with clients to suit their individual financial circumstances.
Our invoices are payable within 7 days, or for commercial clients by the 20th of the month following invoice (“the due date”). We reserve the right to issue interim invoices on a regular interval basis based on work in progress. Otherwise our usual practice is to issue an invoice at the conclusion of a project.
Unless otherwise agreed with you, by accepting our engagement you grant us the permission to deduct fees from monies held on your behalf. An invoice shall be sent or handed to you on the day of deduction or immediately thereafter.
Click here to read our Client Privacy Policy.
If an invoice is unpaid after the due date (“overdue”), we reserve the right to suspend our services until the invoice is paid in full, to require payment for future fees in advance, and to terminate the relationship.
Unless otherwise agreed with you, accounts overdue longer than one (1) month will incur interest at the rate of 18.00% per annum commencing from the due date and charged to your account on a monthly basis until payment is made in full. If we are required to take recovery action against you all collection costs will be payable by you.
FEES POLICY
Our professional fees are calculated in accordance with any estimate, if one is provided, or in accordance with any other arrangement we may have with you. We take into account the guidelines set by the New Zealand Law Society, including:
- the value or amount of any property, assets or money involved;
- the skill, specialised knowledge and responsibility required;
- the importance of the matter to you and the result achieved;
- the urgency and circumstances in which the business is transacted;
- the complexity of the issue and the difficulty or novelty of the questions involved;
- the time expended on the work;
- the number and importance of the documents being prepared or perused;
- the level of legal aid (if any) granted to your case.
We will charge you for any amounts billed to us by third parties (“disbursements”). These may include agent’s fees, travel expenses, legal forms, court fees payable to the Ministry of Justice, courier fees, search or registration fees payable to LINZ or the Companies Office, and Local Council fees. We may request payment of disbursements in advance.
We do not charge a generic office service charge for such items as stationery, copying and printing, postage, internet and telephone. These items are covered in our fees. We may make an additional specific charge for such items where a particular circumstance warrants this.
Confidentiality and Conflict
We value and respect the trust you place in us with your private information. We will treat all information we hold about you and your personal or business affairs as private and confidential.
That information will not be disclosed to any third party unless:
- we are required to do so by law;
- it is necessary to do so in order to provide our services to you; or
- you have requested or consented to disclosure.
We reserve the right to disclose your name and address to a credit agency to perform a credit reference or to undertake credit management processes.
GETTING BEST VALUE
We will ensure you receive best value from our services by identifying your exact requirements, then providing you with the highest quality advice at competitive prices.
We recognise that quality legal advice is often a substantial financial commitment and uncertainty over fees can sometimes be a source of anxiety for clients.
Where the work we are to undertake is well-defined and follows a set process we can provide you an estimate of the likely total cost. If at any stage the total cost is likely to exceed the estimate where possible we will discuss the reasons with you and revise the estimate by agreement.
The difficulty with many legal matters is that problems and complexities usually only present themselves once the work is underway. As professionals, we are committed to achieving you the best possible result, and unrealistic cost constraints can often hinder our ability to get the job done to the necessary standard. Without exception, where we can present cost/benefit options to you, we will use best endeavours to do so.