Trust Administration Best Practice
Published on 21/09/2010
Elise Connor, legal executive and one of our experts on the day-to-day mechanics of trust administration, attended a seminar on trust administration presented by Dean Purdue. Dean, who is based in Gisborne, has been presenting on issues around trust administration and farm succession for many years...
New Book on Succession Planning
Published on 05/09/2010
Ian Blackman has completed the final draft of a book written for farmers on the complex and problematic topic of succession planning.
Emissions Trading Scheme and Trees
Published on 03/09/2010
It is important for farmers to understand how the Emissions Trading Scheme may affect them. The Emissions Trading Scheme draws a distinction between woodlots prior to 1990 and woodlots after 1989. Any farmer who owns a pre-1990 woodlot has the opportunity to apply to the...
Two new lawyers in the rural sector
Published on 01/09/2010
Chris and Ian are delighted that long-time employees Sandy Van Den Heuvel and Rachel Petterson have been admitted to the bar and are now practising solicitors with the firm. Sandy and Rachel have spent the last four years commuting to Hamilton whilst working for BlackmanSpargo...
Fonterra Capital Restructure
Published on 03/03/2010
As a result of last years Fonterra restructure, the old payout is now broken down into the milk price and the dividend. Because sharemilkers had been paid a percentage of the payout, the issue arose between owners and sharemilkers as to whether the sharemilker should...
Succession Planning for Dairy Farmers
Published on 03/02/2010
My experience of succession planning is almost exclusively limited to the rural sector, and particularly the dairy industry. In the rural sector, the term succession planning refers to the process by which farm assets transfer to the next generation...