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Standard Terms & Client Information

These Standard Terms of Engagement (“Terms”) apply in respect of all work carried out by Orb360 Legal Services for you, except to the extent that we otherwise agree with you in writing.

Fees

  • The fees we will charge or the manner in which they will be determined are set out in our engagement letter.
  • If the engagement letter specifies a fixed fee, we will charge this for the agreed scope of our services. Work that falls outside the agreed scope will be charged at an hourly rate. We will advise you as soon as reasonably practicable if it becomes necessary for us to provide services outside the agreed scope, and, if requested, provide you with an estimate of the likely additional costs.
  • Where our fees are calculated on an hourly basis, the hourly rates are set out in our engagement letter. The variations in these rates reflect the experience and specialization of our professional staff. Time spent is recorded in 6-minute units, with time rounded up to the next unit of 6 minutes.
  • We do not maintain a trust account. Consequently, no funds will be held in trust, and we will invoice you directly for all services rendered.

Disbursements and Expenses

  • In providing services, we may incur disbursements or make payments to third parties on your behalf. We will advise you of any such third-party costs and include them in our invoice to you as they are incurred.
  • You are responsible for paying any third-party costs directly to the relevant party as they become due.

Security

  • We do not require advance payments for fees or expenses. You are responsible for paying all fees, disbursements, and expenses as they are invoiced.

Invoices and Payment

  • The invoice will be emailed to you after the work is completed or at the time of the application being submitted. Payment is due within 7 days of the invoice date.
  • Invoices are payable within 7 days of the invoice date, unless alternative arrangements have been made with us.
  • We may charge interest on any amount overdue after 7 days. Interest will be calculated at 2% above our firm’s main trading bank’s 90-day bank bill buy rate as at the close of business on the date payment became due.

Confidentiality

  • We will hold in confidence all information concerning you or your affairs that we acquire during the course of acting for you. We will not disclose any of this information to any other person except:
    • To the extent necessary or desirable to enable us to carry out your instructions; or
    • To the extent required by law or by the Law Society’s Rules of Conduct and Client Care for Lawyers.

Termination

  • You may terminate our retainer at any time.
  • 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.

Retention of Files and Documents

  • You authorize us (without further reference to you) to destroy all files and documents for this matter (other than any documents that we hold in safe custody for you) 7 years after our engagement ends or earlier if we have converted those files and documents to an electronic format.

Conflicts of Interest

  • We have procedures in place to identify and respond to conflicts of interest. If a conflict of interest arises, we will advise you of this and follow the requirements and procedures set out in the Law Society’s Rules of Conduct and Client Care for Lawyers.

Professional Indemnity Insurance

  • We hold professional indemnity insurance that meets or exceeds the minimum standards specified by the Law Society. We will provide you with particulars of the minimum standards upon request.

Duty of Care

  • Our duty of care is to you and not to any other person. Before any other person may rely on our advice, we must expressly agree to this.

GST (If Any)

  • GST is payable by you on our fees and charges.

Complaints

  • If you have any concerns or complaints about the services we have provided, please contact Gia at Orb360 Legal Services. You can reach her by phone at 022 493 6108 or by email at gia@orb360.co.nz. We are committed to addressing any complaints promptly and professionally. If the issue is not resolved, we may get an independent person or another professional to try and resolve. 
  • If you are not satisfied with the Principal’s response, you may contact The New Zealand Law Society, which operates the Lawyers Complaints Service. Complaint forms may be submitted electronically or sent to complaints@lawsociety.org.nz.