Our specialist industries
Lawyers who understand your industry and add value to your business
At Ford Sumner we have special expertise and experience in some critical New Zealand industries and sectors, including aviation, construction, property, and the government sector. We support clients in those sectors with a close understanding of both the regulatory context and the commercial realities.
Whether clients need advice in commercial or corporate law, or are dealing with an employment issue, or need expertise in resolving disputes, our team provides clear, practical advice that safeguards the client’s interests and furthers their business goals.
Our specialist industries
Ford Sumner are trusted advisers to 20 New Zealand airports, some of them servicing small communities, others fast-growing cities. We provide them and our other aviation clients with the full circle of legal support – from regulatory compliance, to corporate governance and finance, to employment law and dispute resolution.
Whether you need guidance on complex new CAA requirements, or you want a carefully crafted lease, Ford Sumner are the specialist aviation lawyers you need. We are experienced and responsive, and we always have a strategic eye on your business goals.
As an AoG panel member, Ford Sumner provides government agencies with smart, cost-effective legal counsel. We untangle procurement rules for you, draft watertight contracts, manage your employment and privacy risks, and defend your decisions against challenges.
We have a deep understanding of not only the public-law frameworks that govern our public sector but also the commercial realities agencies have to grapple with. Our tight-knit, responsive team will help your agency achieve better results for New Zealanders, while ensuring you’re fully accountable as a government organisation.
We provide developers, builders, contractors and other construction clients with clear, practical advice on contracts, legal and regulatory risks, health and safety issues, and disputes. We understand your industry, and we will support you and your business goals with clear, practical legal advice, so you can focus on the job at hand.
Whether we are drafting an NZS agreement, helping you navigate a payment claim, or resolving a disagreement through adjudication or negotiation, we will supply the pragmatic support you need to keep your project moving.
Through our Tradie Law website, we also offer ready-made templates and compliance checks for quick, day-to-day support.
Our seasoned property lawyers bring hard-earned experience to every deal. We guide owners, investors, and developers on purchases, finance, leases, and subdivisions. We also help individual clients secure their assets through trusts, wills, and enduring powers of attorney.
You might be managing a complex property portfolio or you might be buying your first home – whatever your legal needs, we will provide the expertise and support you need so you can move ahead with confidence and a clear direction.
We advise clients across a wide range of industries and sectors – from technology and energy, to manufacturing and agribusiness, to healthcare and professional services. We bring legal expertise in contracts, governance, employment, and dispute resolution, along with an astute sense of commercial realities.
Our team will quickly understand your operational context and business goals, and translate complicated regulatory requirements into a clear compliance strategy for your organisation. We will clear the legal landmines for you and provide the pragmatic advice you need to keep your organisation moving and succeeding.
Aviation
Precision fuels aviation—and our advice. Ford Sumner Lawyers guides airlines, airports and service providers nationwide, blending deep sector insight with expertise in regulation, governance, finance and employment. Trusted by 12 NZ airports, we anticipate risk, ensure Civil Aviation Authority compliance and craft robust contracts from leases to incident response. One agile team, keeping your operation airborne with confidence.
Government & Public Sector
As AoG panel members, we provide agencies fast access to sharp, cost-effective counsel. We untangle procurement rules, draft watertight contracts, manage employment and privacy risks, and defend decisions when challenged. With deep knowledge of public-law frameworks and commercial realities, our agile team safeguards accountability so you can deliver better outcomes.
Construction
Our team provides clear, practical advice on contracts, risk, health-and-safety, and disputes, so builders, contractors and developers can focus on the job at hand. Whether drafting NZS agreements, navigating payment claims or resolving disagreements through adjudication or negotiation, we supply the insights that keep projects moving. Through Tradie Law, we also offer ready-made templates and compliance checks for swift, day-to-day support.
Property
Other Industries
We advise a wide range of sectors—from technology, energy and manufacturing to healthcare, agribusiness and professional services. Whatever the industry, we combine commercial insight with deep legal expertise in contracts, governance, employment and dispute resolution. Our team learns your operational realities quickly, translates complex regulations into clear actions, and delivers timely, pragmatic advice that keeps your organisation moving.
Related expertise
Search our expertise
Recently searched : Dispute Resolution Residential Property Employment Law Expert