FAQ

We specialise in all aspects of trust and estate law, relationship property, cross border estate planning and elder law. 

We are a boutique private client advisory.   We stick to our areas of expertise, which ensures we provide top quality specialist advice at competitive cost.  We embrace flexibility and remote working, which ensures that we can work around our clients’ needs.  

PK Law was founded by its director, Polina Kozlova, in September 2024.   After having practiced law for close to eight years in specialised private client firms, Polina has realised it was time to establish a private client advisory of her own.   

We endeavour to work on a fixed fee basis and are proud that we can provide a fixed fee structure for most matters we are engaged to work on.   

We confirm the price with our clients soon after the initial client inquiry/engagement.   We have set price for matters like enduring powers of attorney, Wills, trust establishment and management, prenups and postnups (contracting out agreement).  

For more complex and involved matters like division of relationship property or dispute work, we can provide a staged fixed fee pricing after gaining a solid understanding of the client’s matter. 

For example, when it comes to a separation matter, we are usually able to confirm the price of drafting of the separation agreement and the disclosure of the information (as required under the Property (Relationships) Act) after the initial discovery consultation. The initial discovery consultation is a meeting which is used to gather relevant information from you about your separation and your assets.   The first meeting allows us to understand the complexity of your matter, so that we can confirm our cost and strategize the next steps. 

The duration of the initial discovery meeting is 60 to 90 minutes and the cost is $700 (GST inclusive).  

We offer a free 15 minute call (telephone or teams meting).  The purpose of this free call is to understand what your inquiry is about, whether we can assist and if we can, what the process would be and how much it would cost you.    If we cannot assist you with your matter, we will suggest another firm that can.  

The purpose of the free call is not to provide you with legal advice specific to your matter as this can only be done after our firm is formally engaged to act for you (this is not our rules, it is the rules set by the New Zealand Law Society).    

It would be unprofessional on our part to provide you with advice prior to fully understanding your situation and as specialists in the areas that we practice in, we are keen on upholding the high standard of our service.  We are confident that our clients understand this and appreciate us fully delving into their matter, before providing any conclusions. 

All this means is that when it comes to complex matters, such as relationship property or contentious matters (dispute), after you free consultation (and, of course, provided we are a good fit for you!), you would need to book an initial discovery meeting. 

We work remotely from all over New Zealand (and sometimes, the world). We meet our clients at central Auckland offices on set days of the weeks or, when it suits them.  

We also meet our clients at their homes or offices.  

We work a lot with elderly clients and are well aware of how difficult it is for them to use online technology or to commute to an office.  We are always happy to see them at the comfort of their own home.  We also find that elderly clients find the engagement with a lawyer less stressful when it takes place at a place familiar to them.

Our founder and director, Polina, is originally from Russia and is fluent in Russian language.  Polina services Russian speaking clients daily and is well equipped to assist you with your matter.

Polina often advises Russian clients who reside outside of New Zealand in respect of trust structures, assets they own in New Zealand and similar. 

Polina’s relationship property law (and to a lesser extent) family law expertise makes her a go-to advisor to Russian speaking clients.  Polina appreciates how complex the relationship property law is and takes great care in guiding the clients (even more so those for whom English is a second language) through the concepts and the process.

We accept a limited number of appointments for clients with whom we have an established relationship.   

Polina is open to accepting appointments as an executor or an administrator of estates for clients who need guidance in Russian language.   

Polina has previously been appointed to such roles and worked closely with relatives (estate beneficiaries) located in Russia.   Polina is specialised in the estate planning and administration and appreciates all the intricacies of such matters.   She takes the time and care to guide her clients through this difficult process.   

Dividing relationship property can be complex. It is not a process that can simply be agreed upon privately and finalised by lawyers without proper inquiries. Lawyers certifying separation or contracting out agreements are bound by obligations under the Property (Relationships) Act, which cannot be bypassed.

The requirements of  the Property (Relationships) Act include proper disclosure of assets, valuations, and thorough inquiries before certifying an agreement. This can make the process longer, frustrating some clients who are eager to finalise matters quickly.

As specialist relationship property lawyers, we endeavour to maintain high standard when it comes to advising on contracting out and settlement agreements, to ensure our clients’ interests are protected as much as possible.  

Our focus is on providing sound legal advice, ensuring that agreements are not vulnerable to being overturned in the future.

During the initial meeting, we explain the process, our obligations, and what is required from both the client and us. We do not cut corners, and while we respect a client’s decision to seek faster or cheaper advice elsewhere, we prioritise quality and accuracy.

Agreements between de facto partners and spouses to opt out of the Property (Relationships) Act 1976 are very common. While often referred to as "pre-nups" (and also, contracting out agreements), these agreements aren't just for married couples and can be established at any stage in a relationship. It is always  best practice to consider a contracting out agreement before reaching the three year cohabitation mark (commencement of a de facto relationship) or before marriage.

A postnup is an agreement entered into by the parties after they have been living together for a period over three years (ie de facto relationship has commenced) or are married. Postnuptial agreement require a more extensive advice, due to the fact that the parties’ entitlements to relationship property are likely to have already arisen.   These are commonly more involved and more costly due to the level of advice required to be given to the parties before the agreement can be safely certified. 

Contracting out agreements offer reassurance to those who are building businesses, bringing different assets into the relationship, or managing blended families with distinct needs. They also help ensure that, in the event of separation, property can be divided with minimal stress and expense.

We have extensive experience in preparing contracting out agreements. We understand how to draft agreements that are robust and less prone to challenge.  Our goal is to create agreements that stand the test of time and remain enforceable if the relationship ends.

There is no set timeframe. The rule is that it should be reviewed every time there is a “significant” change in circumstances in the parties’ relationship to ensure the agreement remains fair, notwithstanding the new circumstances. 

We normally recommend clients to discuss their agreement with a lawyer every three or five years to ensure that no changes are required to the agreement.

If you have more than $15,000 worth of assets and are over the age of 18, you should have a Will. 

Without a Will, who gets your assets is decided by the provisions of the Administration Act. It may not reflect what you have intended. 

It also costs at least two times more and takes twice longer to get a grant to administer the estate when the person dies without a valid Will, as opposed to obtaining a grant when the deceased died leaving a Will.

Yes.  The assets owned by a trust do not include your personal assets such as your bank account, KiwiSaver, car etc.