Talk through employee share scheme options with our legal team

The consult usually covers the type of scheme you are considering, who it is intended for, what rights or incentives may be offered, and what legal issues are likely to matter before you proceed. We can also discuss the documents commonly involved, how the arrangement may interact with employment terms, and where businesses often need more detailed drafting later. This is not a full implementation service, but it is a useful first step if you want to test options and understand the legal landscape before spending more on setup work.

It is often useful for founders, directors and leadership teams who want to reward or retain staff with an equity-linked incentive but are not yet sure what structure makes sense. It can also help if you have seen another business use a scheme and want to understand whether that approach is suitable for your own company. The main value is early clarity. Rather than assuming one model will fit, you can discuss your goals, workforce setup and current documents with a lawyer before moving into drafting.

A common issue is treating the scheme as a commercial idea only, without checking how it fits with your company structure, employment arrangements and supporting documents. Problems can arise if eligibility is unclear, vesting or exit events are poorly described, or staff expectations are not aligned with the legal terms. The practical working model can be just as important as the contract wording. This consultation helps identify those pressure points early, but it does not replace the separate drafting work that may be needed to properly implement a scheme.

No, this service is for advice rather than document production. You will receive a one-off consultation and guidance on the legal issues, likely next steps and whether further drafting is recommended. If you decide to proceed, we can separately scope work such as scheme rules, offer documents, board resolutions or related employment document updates. Keeping this service limited to advice makes it a lower-commitment option for businesses that are still deciding whether an employee share scheme is the right move.

No. The fixed-fee covers the legal consultation described on this page, not tax structuring, accounting advice, filings, dispute work or ongoing support after the call. It also does not include managing the entire launch process with staff communications and implementation steps. If your proposed scheme raises issues outside the consult scope, we will flag that so you know what other advice may be worth obtaining. That way, you get a clearer picture of the legal work involved without assuming the consult covers every part of the project.

Submit an enquiry on this page or click 'Get started'. One of our legal consultants will review it within 1 business day and get in touch to understand what you need.

Your consultant will then email you a fixed-fee quote setting out the cost, scope and timing. If you're happy with it, you can accept the quote and sign our engagement letter online.

Once you've accepted, one of our Australian-qualified lawyers will work with you to complete your project. They'll contact you by email or phone if they need anything.

Sprintlaw works on fixed-fee pricing wherever possible, so you can review the scope and cost before you decide whether to proceed. For the Employee share scheme legal advice service, pricing starts from $200.00.

After you enquire, a legal consultant will confirm what is included, the expected timing and whether any extra work is needed before you engage us.

We work online, so we can help wherever you are in New Zealand. Our team works remotely, mainly from Australia.

Your work is done by our Australian-qualified lawyers, who hold Australian practising certificates and specialise in business law. None of them are New Zealand lawyers or hold a New Zealand practising certificate.

Sprintlaw NZ Limited is a legal consultancy, not a law firm, and is not regulated by the New Zealand Law Society. We don't act in court or tribunal matters, conveyancing (including leases and business sales) or other reserved areas of work. Communications with Sprintlaw are unlikely to be protected by legal professional privilege. We still keep everything confidential under our engagement letter.