Clients
Why our clients trust us
Our clients trust us not just to come up with the right legal strategy but also to know how to work successfully alongside them and their people. Because we always deliver on that promise, many of our clients have been with us since we first opened our doors 20 years ago.
Whether you’re a large corporation, an SME, a government agency, or an individual needing help with family or other personal law issues, Ford Sumner has experience with clients like you. We have proven expertise in corporate, commercial, and employment law, including seasoned dispute-resolution skills.
We are a tight, responsive team with big capability, and we’ll provide you with expert service that’s focused on you and your needs. We’ll bring a can-do attitude and always our A game.
Our values
We are genuine and authentic
What you see is what you get.
We act with integrity
We’re reliable and principled; you can trust us with your business.
We care and collaborate
We work with you to achieve your goals.
We embrace the future
We create and innovate, and are always open to new ideas and approaches.
We bring our 'A' game
We deliver the highest
quality solutions.
Careers
Joining the Ford Sumner team
At Ford Sumner we are a tight team who love the work we do, helping clients in critical New Zealand industries to achieve more. We care about our clients and our communities, and about each other.
If that sounds like you, we’d like to hear from you. We’re always looking for passionate, driven lawyers to join our team.
"I couldn't be happier with the service Ford Sumner Lawyers provided during a period that was full of legal land mines.
I dealt with a number of members of their team and was always impressed with their level of professionalism, as well as their pleasant and empathetic attitude."
Glen Sharah, Body Corp Chairman (former)
Working with us as our client
As lawyers we are governed by various legal and professional rules when we act for you.
Here is some information about the most important ones.
Our standard Terms of Engagement sets out our expectations of how we work together – both what you can expect from us and what we expect from you.
We are required by the New Zealand Law Society to provide this to you. Once you’ve agreed to these terms through signing a letter of engagement, we can begin working on your behalf.
Anti-Money Laundering (AML)
New Zealand’s anti-money laundering laws require us to verify personal information and do other due diligence about our clients – similar to what you’d expect at a bank. Depending on the situation, we may also need to document information about funds used to settle financial transactions.
Those requirements are in the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Act 2009 – often just called the AML/CFT Act. The Act’s aim is to protect New Zealand against criminal activity, and enhance the country’s reputation as a safe place to do business.
To find out about the information we’ll need to get from you to meet the AML requirements, click here for individuals and here for companies, partnerships, trusts, and other bodies.
Complaints
At Ford Sumner we’re all about solving our clients’ problems and enabling them to move ahead confidently. If you’re unhappy with the service you’ve received from us, we’d like to know as soon as possible, so please get in touch and tell us.
Our complaints policy explains how you can expect us to handle any complaints, including the specific process we will follow.