Turner Hopkins Law

10/09/2026

Introducing our new legal ”Before You Google it … Ask a Lawyer” series.

we’re putting the questions you are asking Chat GPT or google to our team.

From whether suits is an accurate representation of lawyer life, to whether you can leave your inheritance to your pet, what to do about your bad boyfriend, to whether you actually need a Will… we are putting them to our staff and giving you simple, straightforward answers.

No legal lecture… just the things you actually want to know.

Watch this space! 👀

(General information only, not legal advice)

10/09/2026

Election year immigration debate has a familiar rhythm. Politicians warn that immigration is too high, too loose, too risky or too poorly managed.

Employers say they still cannot find enough skilled people. Migrants wonder whether the rules are about to be rewritten underneath them.

Then, usually, reality intervenes.

New Zealand still needs skilled workers, investors, graduates and people who can fill genuine economic gaps. The argument is rarely about whether we want migrants at all. It is about which migrants, on what terms, and how loudly that can be discussed before polling day.

The latest article from the Turner Hopkins Immigration Specialists team looks at the 2026 announcements, the same patterns in previous election cycles, and why the substance of New Zealand immigration policy is often more stable than the politics around it.

A useful reminder that campaign rhetoric and actual immigration settings are not the same thing.

Article: https://www.turnerhopkinsimmigration.co.nz/news/elections-immigration

Election years are not especially relaxing, especially if your future depends on immigration policy and whether a change in Government might influence that. A politician gives a speech about immigration being too high, another warns that the country needs to protect its social cohesion, someone else

09/09/2026

Obtaining a judgment overseas is one thing. Actually recovering the money in New Zealand can be another.

If a debtor is living, operating a business or holding assets in New Zealand, an overseas judgment may be capable of recognition and enforcement here - but the process will depend on where the judgment was obtained and the circumstances involved.

Just as importantly, successful enforcement is not simply a legal exercise. Before significant costs are incurred, it is worth understanding what assets may be available, the debtor’s financial position and which recovery strategy is likely to produce the best commercial outcome.

Our Partner Michael Robinson and Senior Solicitor Luis Paulo Santana De Mattos regularly assist overseas lawyers, judgment creditors and those facing enforcement proceedings in New Zealand, with particular experience involving Chinese judgments.

Our latest article explains the key issues and the practical steps involved in enforcing overseas judgments in New Zealand.

Read the full article here: https://www.turnerhopkins.co.nz/news/enforcing-overseas-judgements

Obtaining a court judgment overseas is often not the end of the recovery process. If the person or company that owes you money is in New Zealand or holds assets here, further steps may be needed before the judgment can be enforced and the money recovered. Likewise, if an overseas judgment is being

08/09/2026

Turner Hopkins was proud to serve as partner for the Business North Harbour - Men at Breakfast event with guest speaker Graham Lowe.

Graham's experiences, challenges and wisdom were a fantastic reminder that sometimes traditional, old-fashioned values are so important and often overlooked. "Please" and "Thank You" - two things Graham referred to quite a bit during his discussion, that can make all the difference.

Graham's work with with the corrections system, and introducing the language or sport as a different way for people to engage with the world, were inspiring and he is a brilliant example of someone giving back in a really powerful and life-changing way.

The team were fortunate enough to be able to share the stage briefly, introducing our involvement with Business North Harbour and then leaving it up to Graham to bring the inspiration.

Many thanks to Samuel Ames, Luis Paulo Santana De Mattos and Phil Shannon for their involvement on the day and for supporting the event.

06/09/2026

What happens when your cross lease neighbour wants to build up?

In Vol. 2 of our Cross Lease Series, Kate Chivers looks at who actually owns the airspace above a cross lease property, when consent is required, and what the recent Court of Appeal decision in Liow v Martelli means for both owners.

A useful read before the plans - or the scaffolding - go up.

Full article here: https://www.turnerhopkins.co.nz/news/cross-lease-vol-two

Cross lease ownership can feel much like owning an ordinary house until somebody wants to change the building. Legally, however, a cross lease is quite different from owning a separate fee simple lot. Each owner usually owns a share of the underlying land together with the other owners, while sepa

04/09/2026

With Father’s Day coming up this Sunday, we wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the fathers of Turner Hopkins and beyond.

We also want to recognise those who have taken on the role of both parents. Alongside some of the incredible dads in our team, we have women at Turner Hopkins who have filled both parental roles in their children’s lives.

Behind our green walls is a group of people who understand the importance, responsibility, and privilege of parenthood. We think that understanding naturally shapes the care and effort we bring to our work, particularly when helping other parents and families through important moments in their lives.

So, Happy Father’s Day to everyone this day may hold meaning for.

We hope you have a good Sunday; however, you’re spending it. 💚

04/09/2026

ACT’s latest immigration proposal wants to make permanent residence a lot less permanent.

On the surface, it sounds tidy. In practice, it risks fixing a problem that does not really exist, while making New Zealand less attractive to skilled migrants, families and investors.

In this article, the Turner Hopkins Immigration Specialists team look at how permanent residence actually works, what ACT is proposing, and why “other countries do it” is not, by itself, a particularly compelling reason to follow suit.

Sometimes being different is a competitive advantage.

https://www.turnerhopkinsimmigration.co.nz/news/permanent-in-permanent-residence

Earlier this week, the ACT party announced that it wants to fundamentally reshape New Zealand’s residence system by removing the Permanent Resident Visa and replacing it with an ongoing requirement for residents to keep proving their connection to New Zealand. At first glance, there is a certain n...

31/08/2026

Buying or selling a cross-lease property and discovered that a garage or other structure isn’t shown on the flats plan?

It doesn’t automatically mean the flats plan is defective.

A recent Court of Appeal decision has provided useful guidance on the distinction between changes to the leased building and separate structures located within an exclusive use area.

The key is to separate three different questions: has the leased building changed, was consent required under the cross lease, and were the necessary Council approvals obtained?

Before assuming an expensive cross-lease update is required, it pays to identify exactly what the issue is.

We explain what property owners, buyers and sellers should look for in our latest article (credit: Kate Chivers)

Article link: https://www.turnerhopkins.co.nz/news/cross-lease-vol-one

27/08/2026

Dolly Parton, the musical legend we lost this week, made “9 to 5” famous. New Zealand immigration has managed to make it considerably more complicated.

For salaried workers, the annual figure on the employment agreement is not always the number that matters most. Immigration New Zealand may need to convert that salary into an hourly rate, and depending on the contracted hours, the result can look very different.

Same salary. Same job. Different immigration outcome.

In our latest article, we look at why hourly wage thresholds can create real problems for salaried professionals, and why employers and migrants should be checking the hours clause as carefully as the salary itself.

Article: https://www.turnerhopkinsimmigration.co.nz/news/working-9-to-5

This week the world farewelled a music legend - Dolly Parton, who died on 25 August at the age of 80. Much has rightly been said about her extraordinary career, her philanthropy, her humour and her ability to remain unmistakably herself through decades in an industry that is not always especially fo

19/08/2026

Auckland has changed dramatically over the past century - but the importance of clear, honest advice has not.

Since 1923, Turner Hopkins has helped generations of clients navigate important decisions. Today, our legal specialists continue that tradition, combining extensive experience with strong policy knowledge and a genuinely client-focused approach.

Learn more: https://www.turnerhopkins.co.nz/