Immigration Lawyer New Zealand | Australia | Wellington | Auckland | Brisbane | Gold Coast | Queensland

2018 - Year In Review

Kia ora koutou,

With another incredibly busy and productive year coming to a close, I would like to take a moment to thank all of my clients and support staff from my two serviced offices in Wellington and Auckland who have contributed immensely to my business during the year!

I’ve always thought the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is a perfect time for entrepreneurs to reflect on how good or bad they have conducted their businesses over the year.

Since I started my law practice, I have served clients nationwide – from Cape Reinga to Bluff, from east coast to west coast, and now across the oceans.

In the last 12 months 12,572 internet users from 81 countries performed 16,526 sessions on our website, www.irlegal.lawyer, out of which 2,160 users contacted IR Legal. On average, users have spent 1.27 minutes on our website (source: Google Analytics, data retrieved at 7:59 am on 26 Dec 2018).

Back in the day, corporate images were built on a foundation of individual strength covered with proclamations of how great a company was at creating economic value. The business world is finally beginning to realise what the “social” in social media means—and can do—for every organisation. Social media is no longer an isolated marketing channel used primarily to sell their products or services. It is now an ‘exchange space’ where information is exchanged, brand awareness can be created, and business intelligence can be shared. On that note, I’m happy to share publicly IR Legal’s “2018 Year in Review” with my readers and followers.

During 2018, I was able to serve many clients with some difficult issues when others could not help. I successfully appealed two cases to Immigration and Protection Tribunal (two other cases are pending judgment) and made an application to the Supreme Court seeking leave to appeal a case to the Court of Appeal on a procedural matter. A dozen of immigration visa decisions was overturned by Immigration New Zealand on my request for reconsideration on administrative law grounds. Other immigration advisers have been referring their clients to me on extremely difficult legal issues. On a matter of wider importance, a policy change was also made this year in an area where I have been battling with Immigration New Zealand for some time.

During the year, I also saved three businesses from liquidations initiated by the Inland Revenue. In each of those cases, there was a possibility of criminal prosecution for knowledge offences such as tax evasion. I was able to settle those cases out of court and reduce my clients’ penalties from 150% to 40% and discount that by a further 50% for reasons mandated by the law.

Those are the types of tricky issues I have been dealing with this year in addition to the usual day to day legal advice on immigration and tax law matters. I’ve always said that every now and then you get a chance to help someone who is in desperate need and it feels good to be that person.

One of the highlights of the year for me was that IR Legal was nominated as a finalist in the Professional Services Category and for the Mayoral Award at the Wellington Region’s Business Excellence Awards. Mayoral Award is a prestigious nomination that recognises the sustained contribution by a business or individual that has benefited the business sector or community. It feels good to be in that position. Also, it was a privilege being nominated as a finalist in the Professional Services Category amongst other well-established, high profile, long serving and high growth businesses.

In the last month, I was very proud that the New Zealand Law Society was extremely happy to publish to the law profession in the Law Talk, my 5-page article on Emerging Practical Issues of AML/CFT Compliance (https://www.lawsociety.org.nz/practice-resources/practice-areas/aml-cft/amlcft-compliance-emerging-practical-issues). That is Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism Law that IR Legal has recently started practicing as another specialist area of law. We expanded our business to that area of law.

It’s been quite a year for us all! I hope that 2018 has been just as memorable for you, your colleagues and your loved ones. I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the trust you have placed in us.

I wish you peace, prosperity and good health this Holiday Season and throughout 2019. I look forward to working with you in the years to come.

Heoi anō tāku mō nāiane, Kia ora rawa atu, Ka kite (anō)

Ismail Rasheed, Principal Solicitor and Director, IR Legal Limited.

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