We provide our clients with a full range of legal services, relating not only to franchising, but also complementary business and asset protection services.
- The Franchise Agreement – This agreement is the most important legal document in your new venture. We can assist you with preparing, understanding, and negotiating this agreement to your best advantage, and with understanding your rights and obligations in the franchise system.
- Your business structure - Whether you are a franchisor or franchisee, we can advise you on how to legally structure your business and will work with your tax and accounting professionals to ensure the best structure for you.
- Other commercial agreements - Your new venture is also likely to involve arranging finance, leases, contracts with suppliers and/or new customers, and employment contracts. We can assist you with negotiating and documenting these agreements.
- Protecting yourself and your family - With any business venture, it is important to consider the risks to your personal assets and how to protect them, now and in the future. We provide a full asset protection and estate planning service which a large number of our business clients have found invaluable.
Qualifications
and experience
Hamish Walker is the principal of Walker & Co (previously called Martin Wilson Law) and has specialised in the area of franchising since early 2002. Martin Wilson Law has been working with franchisors and franchisees since the early 90’s. Prior to this, Hamish worked at one of Wellington’s largest commercial law firms, and at Telecom. Hamish has a strong business and commercial law knowledge.
Our clients include a significant number of franchisors and franchisees. Many of our clients are Wellington-based. However, we also work with people from outside of the Wellington region. We have drafted Franchise Agreements for, and advised on, a wide range of franchising and licensing systems including food and beverage outlets, restaurants, convenience stores, retail stores, trade, beauty and health services, service stations, mortgage broking, property services, and hotel and accommodation.
Additional
Information
Walker & Co is a small, progressive law firm. We work predominantly with small and medium-sized businesses, and individuals. We assist our business clients by providing business legal services, as well as ensuring their personal assets and interests are protected. We help individuals, couples and families to structure their personal affairs, and feel privileged to assist people during some of the most important times in their lives – buying homes, setting up Trusts for children and grandchildren and, sadly, taking care of matters when dealing with the loss of loved ones.
Working with us
When you ask us to do work for you, you will receive a letter of engagement from us. This will outline the work that we will be doing for you, and include an estimate of our fee for that work. We keep you informed of progress, and if the scope of that work changes, together we decide how to proceed and what changes there may be to our fee. Most people who come to us are referred by their friends or family who already work with us. Our clients appreciate the high level of personal service and attention they receive at Walker & Co. We take the time to understand their business and personal objectives. We enjoy getting to know our clients as individuals, understanding what drives them, what is important to them, and how they like to work. We pride ourselves on treating clients how we would expect to be treated. |
