Resolve Legal Employment Law is a specialist employment law practice based at 350 Jackson Street in Petone, Wellington, serving employees, employers and contractors across the Hutt Valley and greater Wellington. The firm's approach is captured in its own words: "We don't do drama. We do resolution." Rather than escalating conflict, the team focuses on resolving workplace disputes quickly, affordably and with as little stress as possible — an approach it describes as cheaper, quicker and less stressful for everyone involved.
Led by Viv d'Or, who graduated from Waikato University Law School with honours in 2010 and has specialised in employment law for more than 15 years, Resolve Legal has successfully negotiated over $4 million in grievance settlements and entitlements for clients. The firm resolves 99% of matters through negotiation, and on the rare occasion a case proceeds to the Employment Relations Authority, it has won all but one — which was then won on appeal.
For employees, services cover bullying, unjustified dismissal, personal grievances, redundancy, disciplinary meetings, sexual and racial harassment, and good faith and fair treatment. Employers are supported with bullying complaints, disciplinary procedures, redeployment and redundancy guidance, and defence of personal grievance and unfair dismissal claims, with help available for contractors too. Every engagement begins with a complimentary 15-minute consultation, backed by transparent fees with no hidden surprises and a structured Probe, Prepare, Protect process.
Clients describe the service as professional, responsive and supportive — one Google reviewer calls Resolve "by far the best employment lawyer in the Hutt Valley", while another praises the support received during a low point in their life (and the office cat). The firm is also recommended by the CEO of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Most people never plan on needing an employment lawyer. It usually starts with something small — a meeting invite with no agenda, a change to your role announced without warning, or a conversation at work that leaves you wondering whether what just happened was allowed. For employees, employers and contractors across Petone, the Hutt Valley and greater Wellington, Resolve Legal Employment Law exists for exactly those moments.
The firm's philosophy is stated plainly on its website: "We don't do drama. We do resolution." That is more than a tagline. Employment disputes are stressful enough without a lawyer fanning the flames, so Resolve Legal deliberately takes a resolution-focused approach it describes as cheaper, quicker and less stressful for everyone involved. The goal is to get clients the best outcome with the least amount of stress — and, as reviews repeatedly note, with discretion assured.
Resolve Legal is not a general practice that dabbles in employment matters. Employment law is the speciality, led by principal Viv d'Or, who graduated from Waikato University Law School with honours in 2010 and has pursued employment law ever since — more than 15 years in the field.
The results speak for themselves. The firm has successfully negotiated more than $4 million in grievance settlements and entitlements for its clients. It resolves 99% of matters through negotiation, sparing clients the stress and cost of court, and on the rare occasion a case does proceed to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA), Resolve Legal has won all but one — which was subsequently won on appeal.
That record has not gone unnoticed locally. The firm is recommended by the CEO of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, and its Google reviews are consistently warm: clients describe professional, helpful and timely service, with one calling Resolve "by far the best employment lawyer in the Hutt Valley". Another reviewer, who came in during a low point in their life, praised the team for providing the right support at the right time — and made a point of mentioning the office cat, an apparently well-loved fixture of the practice.
For employees, Resolve Legal advises on bullying in the workplace, unjustified dismissal, personal grievances, redundancy, disciplinary meetings, sexual harassment and racial harassment, along with good faith and fair treatment disputes. Each is a defined area of expertise, and the firm's website explains the relevant rights in plain language — including what good faith actually requires of employers under New Zealand law: honesty, openness, consultation and a fair process before decisions that affect your job.
Employers get the same specialist attention from the other side of the table: handling bullying complaints, running fair disciplinary procedures, navigating redeployment and redundancy, and defending personal grievance and unfair dismissal claims. One employer reviewer notes using Viv repeatedly for hiring new staff and dealing with employment issues, each time with great advice that was timely, available and led to a positive result. Contractors have a dedicated pathway too.
Engagements follow a clear three-step process. First comes **Probe**: establishing the facts, identifying the issue and explaining the legal side, so clients have peace of mind from the beginning. Then **Prepare**: discussing expectations and risks, evaluating all the evidence, and building an action plan so you know what is coming. Finally, **Protect**: preparing you for any meetings — such as a disciplinary — and completing the outcome as cleanly and quickly as possible.
Fees are handled with the same clarity. Everything starts with a complimentary 15-minute consultation to identify your issues and outline a clear way forward. After that, fees are described as transparent, fair and reasonable, with no hidden surprises and clear communication about costs from the start — an openness the firm says sets it apart from many others.
When it comes to timing, Resolve Legal is candid. An ERA case can take nine to fifteen months from start to finish. That is one reason the firm steers clients toward MBIE mediation where possible: mediation is free, confidential and cost-effective, with success rates in New Zealand often exceeding 80% and outcomes usually reached within six to ten weeks. Most parties are directed to mediation anyway — and Resolve Legal's negotiation-first approach is built to make the most of it.
The firm works from 350 Jackson Street in Petone, and its promise of local representation reflects an understanding of the real impact an employment issue can have on your life. Whether you are an employee who suspects something at work isn't right, an employer wanting to get a process right the first time, or a contractor unsure of your position, the first step is the same: a free 15-minute chat to find out where you stand — by phone, email, or in person in Petone.