Meet W.E.L.
Do W.E.L.
We’re not just legal experts. We’ve been there. We get you.
Our Difference: Dual-Expertise. W.E.L blends the legal expertise of a senior legal advisor, with the creative battle scars and understanding that only come from being a seasoned screen worker. Two perspectives, for the price of one. W.E.L's founder, Watterson, is not only a legal superstar. He's a seasoned screen worker himself, just like many of the clients W.E.L serves. Watterson has tens-of-thousands of hours of working in creative capacities: on film sets & stages, in writing rooms, workshops, ADR studios, editing suites, and more. We profoundly understand the people, processes, policies, & pitfalls of screen work in Aotearoa New Zealand.
This Dual-Expertise is what sets W.E.L apart. We’re not just legal experts.
We’ve been there. We get you.
Meet your new legal champion.
Our Goal: True accessibility for all creatives in the screen sector. That includes participants traditionally excluded from legal services or the negotiating seat: the emerging practitioners, the self-employed screen workers making ends meet, the voices of minorities with stories to share and mana to recognise. W.E.L provide a legal service that is not only technically excellent. Not only tailored to your specific needs. But accessible to every maker.
Our Unique Commitment: Our deep commitment is one that only comes from striving in the creative trenches. Seeing your struggles. Sharing them. Our passion goes beyond clever legal solutions, thought up at a desk. We’ve put our own spirit into the creative industry; not just our legal noggins. We’re in it with you. And like you, we want good things for New Zealand's screen industry. Not just ‘growth’, but goodness, maturity, respect, sustainability, and fairness.
is our simple promise of profound understanding, with thoughtful, robust, & comprehensive legal services.
Better legal is going beyond legal services
The W.E.L touch:
Dual-Expertise
accessible to all
supporting:
- your storytelling
- your empowerment & education
problem-solving through creative thinking
facilitative and collaborative solutions - which prioritise your relationships as well as your projects
effective & clear communication