Collins & May Law

About Collins & May Law

Established in 1992, Collins & May Law is a general practice law firm based at 4/52 Queens Drive in Lower Hutt, with deep community ties across the Wellington region. The experienced team prides itself on providing practical legal advice tailored to each client's needs, whether you are a first home buyer, a business owner, or planning your family's future.

The firm has extensive experience in trusts, property, employment law, contracting out agreements, business and litigation. On the property side they act across the full journey — buying or selling a home (including KiwiSaver withdrawals, First Home Grant eligibility and cross lease questions), subdivisions, easements, boundary adjustments, commercial purchases and sales, lease renewals, and retirement village transactions, along with mortgage discharges and refinancing.

Trusts and estate work is an intricate part of the practice: the team specialises in family trusts, the Trusts Act 2019, making Wills, enduring powers of attorney, and administering estates including probate and letters of administration. Business clients are supported with buying or selling a business, company incorporation, shareholder agreements and franchising, and the firm maintains a dedicated, specialised employment law team.

Whatever the legal need, Collins & May offers a comprehensive and holistic service. You can visit the Lower Hutt office, or contact the friendly team by phone, email or Zoom.

Collins & May Law – Experienced Lower Hutt Lawyers Offering Practical Legal Solutions Since 1992

On Queens Drive in Lower Hutt, Collins & May Law has been a fixture of the local legal landscape since 1992. Over more than three decades, this general practice firm has forged deep community ties across the Wellington region, building its reputation on a simple promise captured in its tagline: practical legal solutions. The firm's experienced team of lawyers pride themselves on providing excellent, practical advice tailored to each client's varied needs.

A General Practice with Broad Expertise

Collins & May describes itself as a comprehensive, holistic legal service. Rather than specialising in a single niche, the firm's team is qualified and able to help with all kinds of legal issues: trusts, wills, disputes and litigation, business, property, plus a dedicated and specialised employment law team. Contracting out agreements are another area where the firm holds extensive experience.

That breadth matters for clients, because legal issues are often intricate and complicated. The firm's own guidance is to talk to a qualified and knowledgeable lawyer right from the start, so everything goes as smoothly as possible.

Property Law from First Home to Retirement Village

Property work is a cornerstone of the practice. For residential clients, Collins & May assists with buying and selling homes — whether you're a first home buyer, an existing trader, or an investor. The firm's first-home resources cover using KiwiSaver to purchase your first home and eligibility for the First Home Grant, along with what to know when buying a cross lease.

Beyond the standard purchase and sale, the residential team handles boundary adjustments, company share flats, cross lease to fee simple conversions, easements, subdivisions, joint tenancy versus tenancy in common questions, and transmission by survivorship. On the commercial side, the firm acts on buying and selling commercial property and commercial lease renewals. Property financing services include discharges of mortgage and refinancing, and the firm also assists with retirement village transactions.

Trusts, Wills and Estates

Collins & May specialises in family trusts — whether it's about owning your family home or investing in property or shares. Trust services include setting up a family trust, gifting, and advice under the Trusts Act 2019.

The estates and succession side of the practice is equally well developed. The team prepares Wills — described by the firm as an important document that shouldn't be overlooked — and advises on Enduring Powers of Attorney, capacity issues, and matters under the Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act. When a loved one passes, Collins & May can assist with administration of an estate, probate, and letters of administration, as well as estate planning for the future.

Business Law and Employment

For business owners, the firm helps navigate an increasingly complicated legal world. Services cover buying a business, selling a business, company incorporation, shareholder agreements, and franchising. A dedicated employment law team rounds out the commercial offering.

The Client Experience

What sets the firm apart, per its own messaging, is an experienced team that is professional and friendly, delivering advice that is genuinely practical. The office is conveniently located at 4/52 Queens Drive in Lower Hutt, and clients can also connect over the phone, via email, or over Zoom — so getting expert legal guidance doesn't require delaying until you can attend in person.

Beyond one-on-one advice, Collins & May invests in client education. The firm runs seminars, publishes information booklets, maintains an active blog, and offers a newsletter for those who want to stay informed on legal topics. A Fees page and Client Care Terms & Conditions provide transparency around how engagements work.

Whether you're buying your first home, setting up a trust, planning your estate, starting or selling a business, or dealing with a dispute, Collins & May Law invites you to get in touch: 'Whatever your legal needs are, we would love to chat with you about how we can provide the best solution.'

Signature items

• Family Trusts
• Buying a Home
• Making a Will
• Enduring Powers of Attorney
• Probate of an Estate
• Buying a Business

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Trusts

• Setting up a Family Trust — Establishing a trust for your family home or investments.
• Gifting — Legal support for gifting assets into your trust.
• Trusts Act 2019 — Bringing trusts into line with the Trusts Act 2019.

Estates

• Administration of an Estate — Assistance with the full administration of an estate.
• Probate of an Estate — Applying for probate where there is a Will.
• Letters of Administration — Authority to administer an estate when there is no Will.

Business

• Buying a Business — Due diligence and legal steps when acquiring a business.
• Selling a Business — Contracts and legal steps when selling your business.
• Company Incorporation — Setting up a new company correctly from day one.
• Shareholder Agreements — Clear agreements covering the rights between shareholders.
• Franchise — Advice on franchise arrangements for buyers and franchisors.

Other Areas Of Law

• Employment Law — A dedicated, specialised employment law team.
• Litigation & Disputes — Practical help resolving disputes and litigation.
• Contracting Out Agreements — Relationship property agreements, often called prenups.

Property Financing

• Discharge of Mortgage — Removing a satisfied mortgage from your property title.
• Refinancing — Legal work involved when switching home loan lenders.
• Retirement Villages — Advice on retirement village contracts and occupation agreements.

Wills & Succession

• Making a Will — Preparation of a Will so your wishes are carried out.
• Enduring Powers of Attorney — Appointing attorneys for property and care decisions.
• Capacity — Advice where a person's capacity is in question.
• Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act — PPPR Act applications to protect loved ones' welfare and property.

Commercial Property

• Buying Commercial Property — Legal support for commercial property purchases.
• Selling Commercial Property — Legal support for commercial property sales.
• Commercial Lease Renewals — Renewal and variation of commercial leases.

Residential Property

• Buying a Home — Guidance on purchases, cross leases, KiwiSaver and First Home Grants.
• Selling Your Home — Legal support through the sale of your property.
• Boundary Adjustment — Legal help to adjust the boundaries of your property.
• Company Share Flats — Advice on buying or owning company share flat titles.
• Cross Lease to Fee Simple — Convert a cross lease title to fee simple ownership.
• Easements — Establish or resolve rights of way and service easements.
• Joint Tenants or Tenants in Common — Advice on how to hold title with a co-owner.
• Subdivisions — Legal work for subdividing land.
• Transmission by Survivorship — Transferring a deceased co-owner's share to the survivor.
• Using KiwiSaver to Purchase Your First Home — Withdrawing KiwiSaver funds towards a first-home purchase.
• First Home Grant Eligibility — Help working out whether you qualify for a First Home Grant.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Collins & May Law located?

The firm's office is at 4/52 Queens Drive, Lower Hutt, New Zealand — in the Wellington region.

What areas of law does Collins & May practice?

It is a general practice firm with extensive experience in trusts, property, employment, contracting out agreements, business and litigation, as well as wills, estates and dispute resolution.

How can I contact Collins & May Law?

You can phone 04 566-5775, email [email protected], visit the Lower Hutt office, or arrange to talk over Zoom.

Can Collins & May help first home buyers?

Yes. The firm advises on buying a home, using KiwiSaver to purchase your first home, eligibility for the First Home Grant, and what to know when buying a cross lease.

Do they help with wills and estates?

Yes. The team prepares Wills and Enduring Powers of Attorney, and assists with estate administration, probate and letters of administration, plus estate planning for the future.

Is Collins & May experienced with family trusts?

Yes — the firm specialises in family trusts, including setting up a trust, gifting, and advice under the Trusts Act 2019, whether for owning a family home or investing in property or shares.

Does the firm assist businesses?

Yes. Services include buying or selling a business, company incorporation, shareholder agreements, franchising, commercial property transactions and lease renewals, with a dedicated employment law team.

Tips

• {"body":"The firm offers contact over the phone, via email or over Zoom as well as in person at the Queens Drive office, so you can get legal guidance without travelling.","title":"Ask about a Zoom consultation"}
• {"body":"Collins & May publishes information booklets, a blog and guides on topics like KiwiSaver purchases, cross leases and the First Home Grant — useful background reading before your appointment.","title":"Browse the free resources before you call"}
• {"body":"The firm has dedicated guidance on using KiwiSaver to buy your first home and on First Home Grant eligibility — ask about both when you first get in touch.","title":"First home buyers should raise grants and KiwiSaver early"}
• {"body":"The firm stresses that a Will is an important document that shouldn't be overlooked; Enduring Powers of Attorney can be arranged by the same experienced team.","title":"Don't put off your Will or EPA"}
• {"body":"Collins & May provides a Fees page and Client Care Terms & Conditions on its website, so review these to understand how an engagement works before instructing the firm.","title":"Check the Fees page and Client Care terms"}