
Our history
Harkness Henry has a proud history of providing excellent relationships and high quality legal advice, since 1875.
When the practices of the late Phillip Harkness and Clive Henry merged in 1945, we took on the firm’s current name. From our early beginnings in Hamilton, we added conveniently located offices in Paeroa (since 1978) and more recently in Cambridge.
Today, Harkness Henry has become one of New Zealand’s best known mid-sized law firms and a great place to build a career in law.
- Former Governor General, Justice Dame Silvia Cartwright, was a partner before her appointment to the bench.
- Her successor in the firm was the Hon. Justice Christine Grice, a judge of the High Court of New Zealand. Christine is a past president and also Executive Director of the New Zealand Law Society.
- Members of our team have consistently been elected to Waikato/Bay of Plenty and New Zealand Law Society committees.
Remarkable women have featured across our proud history and they continue to be a proud feature of our team today. You can find out more about our people here.
We enjoy an exceptional reputation throughout New Zealand, here at Harkness Henry, because of our team’s ability to meet our client’s legal needs with prompt, pragmatic and specialist advice.
Practice areas
Business
Commercial law
Our specialist commercial lawyers act for a large number of new and established Waikato and New Zealand businesses. Our focus is on relationship and getting to grips with our clients’ business so we can provide practical and tailored legal advice for their particular circumstances.
Our specialist team provides expert legal advice on a wide range of commercial issues, including:
- The sale and purchase of businesses and property
- Competition law
- Commercial and business contracts including distribution and franchise agreements
- Limited and general partnerships
- Joint ventures
- Public offerings of securities
- Corporate governance
- Insolvency
- Leasing
Employment & Labor
Employment law
Our employment lawyers provide constructive advice and pragmatic solutions for all employment, health and safety, and education law issues. We have advised and represented both employers and employees in workplace conflict and dispute resolution.
We provide cost effective specialist advice on the following matters:
- Disciplinary processes and performance management
- Personal grievances for unjustified dismissal, disadvantage and suspension
- Redundancy and restructuring
- Employment agreements and workplace policies
- Collective bargaining and disputes
- Minimum employment standards including Holidays Act
- Workplace bullying and investigations
- Health and safety
- Restraints of trade, confidentiality and intellectual property
- Privacy issues
- Holidays Act compliance
- Human rights and discrimination
- Representation at Mediation, Employment Relations Authority, Employment Court and the Human Rights Commission
- Education law and Education Council investigations
Real Estate
Property law
Most New Zealanders buy or sell property at some point in their lives. The decisions involved are often the most significant financial decisions we make.
Whether you’re purchasing your first home or you are an experienced property developer, we can provide you with the legal advice you need to protect your property interests. Our aim is to help you achieve your property goals by providing personal service and specialist legal advice about:
- Buying and selling residential, farm and commercial properties
- Leasing
- Subdivisions
- Building contracts
- Refinancing
- Licences
- Easements
- Fencing issues
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