Engagement path
How a Legacy Path Advisory succession engagement unfolds—from first call to written roadmap—and what your family should prepare.
Succession counsel works best when families know the shape of the path before they commit fees. This page describes our usual engagement rhythm for New Zealand family firms. Exact steps flex for governance sessions or coaching, but the spirit stays the same.
The path
Discovery call
Forty-five minutes by phone or at Customs Street East. We listen for timing pressure, who must be in the room, and whether conflict is already open. No fee and no obligation.
Written proposal
Scope, participants, fee, and estimated months. You review it with whoever signs invoices—often a founder and a successor together.
Interviews
Individual conversations with owners and likely successors. We ask about loyalties, fears, and non-negotiables that never appear in board packs.
Options workshop
Facilitated session where the family weighs leadership-only handovers against combined ownership-and-role changes. We keep score of agreements and parking-lot items.
Draft plan & refinement
You receive a written roadmap or charter. One structured feedback round follows before we lock near-term actions.
Hand-off to your advisors
Open legal and tax questions go to your solicitor and accountant with a clear brief. We can join a joint session if useful.
What to prepare
- Current shareholder list and any trust deeds you are allowed to share
- Informal organisation chart (titles people actually use)
- Known retirement or step-back dates—even if approximate
- Names of advisors already involved so we do not duplicate their work
When to choose a shorter path
If the family only needs meeting rules, start with governance sessions. If a successor is named but untested, begin with readiness coaching. If share mechanics dominate, ownership transition counsel may be enough before a full roadmap.