Rainey Collins Lawyers

Business

Need business advice?  We assist clients with the establishment and effective maintenance of companies, trusts and a whole range of business structures to assist them with their business operations.  This also includes the sale and purchase of a business.  Our Business Team also assists with reviewing existing structures and restructuring where appropriate, commercial and residential leasing, employment agreements, contractual negotiations, documentation, joint ventures, intellectual property and all aspects of business operation.  We have a particular expertise with all aspects of small to medium enterprises and a broad range of commercial contracts.

E-commerce

The firm has substantial experience advising on the setting up and running of e-commerce initiatives.  This includes negotiations and contracts with service providers, vendors, purchasers, co-branding opportunities, purchase cards, financing and electronic settlement of transactions.

Debt Recovery

The firm offers highly efficient debt recovery services for many clients from major national organisations to small businesses and individuals.  If you need services relating to debt collection Wellington wide including bad debts recovered, advice on avoiding bad debts or securities drafted and registered contact Rainey Collins, the experts in debt collection NZ wide.

Dispute Resolution

Our expertise is in all areas of dispute resolution and litigation.  We act for many individuals and organisations particularly in the Debt Collection, Medical, Education, Maori, Employment, Insurance and Charity fields.  We have been involved as counsel in many high profile cases in the Courts and Tribunals, as well as many successful mediations and settlement negotiations.  Our vast experience of the pitfalls of dispute resolution and litigations enables us to advise clients on how to avoid the potholes and keep their careers and businesses on track.

Employment

Employment Law problem?

Our employment law team regularly assists employers and employees with all sorts of employment problems.  We advise and assist on a range of matters, including minimum employment rights; contract formation and dispute; performance, disciplinary, and redundancy matters; personal grievances; and all associated matters.

Alan Knowsley leads a team comprised of some of the best employment lawyers Wellington has to offer. We have many years' experience in employment law and helping people like you get the best result for them.

We can help you with preparing or defending a claim and during the mediation process. In the unlikely event that the claim is unresolved we can assist you in the Employment Relations Authority.

Call us now for a relaxed chat about your employment problem on 04 473 6850.

The firm has experience in representing clients regarding employment disputes NZ wide in the Employment Authority and Employment Court. We are able to assist with the Employment Relations Act 2000, designing and drafting employment agreements, Personal Grievances and dispute resolution relating to any aspect of the employer/employee relationship.

Family

Rainey Collins is a family law specialist with extensive experience in a wide range of family legal issues including adoption, caring for child, divorce and domestic violence. For the family lawyers Wellington can trust, look no further.

Relationship Property

Whether you are entering into a new relationship, making arrangements in a current relationship or dealing with a former partner you may need to put into place agreements that will comply with the law and protect your property.

We can advise you as to your rights and/or obligations and what you need to know to put valid arrangements in place.

Separation

If you are going through a separation, it is not just your property rights you need to consider. We can assist you with the separation process ensuring you are fully informed in order to make the best decisions for you and your family. You will also need to know about potential maintenance obligations or entitlements and if you have children you may need advice in respect of child care, guardianship and child support.

Contested Estates

If you have been left out of a Will or not adequately provided for, we can advise as to your options. We also assist Executors of Estates manage challenges to a Will, as well as beneficiaries of Estates whose entitlements may be challenged. 

Adoption

There are five general types of adoption - by a stranger, a step parent, a foster family, a family member or an inter-country adoption.  Arranging an adoption can be done through Child Youth and Family Services (CYFS) or a private organization. A private adoption however, still requires approval by CYFS. There can be lots of hurdles to overcome and we can assist with the legal process.

Caring for children or having contact with children

If you are a parent, or have children in your family that you would like to care for or have contact with, then you may need to know what options are available.  Day-to-day care and contact were previously called custody and access.

You may be wondering if you can make informal arrangements with the parent(s) of the child or do you need to make an application to the Family Court?  We can advise you as to the options available.

Dissolution of Marriage (Divorce)

You may have been married, but for whatever reason, things have not worked out and you have separated.  If you have been living apart for at least two years and you or your former partner are living in New Zealand, then you can apply for a dissolution (divorce). We can assist with the process to get your dissolution through the Court.

Domestic Violence

If you have a close personal relationship with someone (a partner, flatmate, family member, etc) and they are being physically, sexually or mentally abusive to you, then you may have grounds to apply for a Protection Order. A Protection Order lets you control what, if any, contact you have with the abusive person. It can also protect your children or other people you know. We can advise you about these Orders.

If you have had a Protection Order applied for, or granted against you, we can help with the legal process, advise you on your rights and what to do.

Our Firm

See and hear about how we look after our clients and delight them with our service, as we celebrate our 100th anniversary. A captioned video is also available below.

Current Position

This three partner, thirteen lawyer firm is organised into three broad teams supervised by the partners.  Business, Property & Personal Legal Services (Claire Tyler), Māori Legal Issues (Peter Johnston) and Dispute Resolution & Litigation (Alan Knowsley).  You can find out more on our people 

History

The origins of Rainey Collins can be traced to 1919 when Mr R. Collins commenced practice.  He took Mr W. Rainey into partnership shortly thereafter.  Since those times the firm has undergone three mergers and its name has changed to accommodate these developments and the appointment of partners to the High Court Bench.  In 1957 Mr McCarthy (later Sir Thaddeus McCarthy, President of the Court of Appeal) was appointed to the then Supreme Court.

The name was changed in 1961 to Rainey Collins Armour and Boock when Mr W. Leicester followed Mr McCarthy onto the bench.  In 1986 the firm merged to become Rainey Collins & Olphert and in 1991 the practice merged with Wright & Co of Auckland.

The name was changed to Rainey Collins in 2003.