The Best
Commercial & Business
Lawyers In Christchurch

Saunders & Co Lawyers

Our Christchurch law firm office is divided into teams.

The Property and Commercial teams deal with residential and commercial land transactions, family trusts, wills and estate planning, tax law, company law, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, commercial financing, and complex land development projects.

Our Litigation team deals with proceedings in all Courts and Tribunals, including insolvency, employment law, insurance law, criminal and family law, traffic offences, complex contractual and liability litigation. We also have specialists in family law, relationship property, and immigration.

Our main CBD office is situated at 131 Victoria Street, Christchurch and we also have fully staffed offices at Bishopdale, Ferrymead and Wigram In August 2017 the Ferrymead office relocated to 987 Ferry Road. The majority of the partners practise from the main office and partners are also located at each of the branches.

Saunders & Co has a broad range of clients, ranging from private individuals and families through to large companies, statutory bodies and local iwi.

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Darcy Thomson Law Ltd

For over a decade, D’Arcy Thomson Law has been serving clients both Christchurch & New Zealand-wide. As a boutique law firm with a strong grass-roots focus on property law, we are especially well-versed and established in the Canterbury community, and all the intricacies our wonderful region has to offer.

Over recent years our team and service offering have continued to expand, which has resulted in attracting several key and talented members to the firm. With our expertise now spread across a broad range of legal practices, we are proudly in the position to offer high-level, full comprehensive support and advice to our clients.

Our legal specialists offer a unique and personal approach to law, and pride themselves on a collaborative approach. Our focus is on helping our clients achieve the best possible outcome, every time. This not only includes drawing on expertise within the firm, but also on a large number of external experts in a variety of fields, ensuring that you have the right team on your side at all times. ​

​Relationships are at our core.

​At D’Arcy Thomson Law, we understand that just as each of our client’s journeys is unique, so too is our advice.

Whether it be a property purchase, estate planning, employment advice, or dispute resolution, we spend time getting to know our clients and their businesses personally, so that we can form long-term relationships and can offer the support that you need at all times of life.

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Canterbury Legal

Fern Law was established by Chris Fernando in 2015. We are a Christchurch-based boutique law firm that specialises in helping clients in immigration, conveyancing, employment, and wills & estates.

Our firm is built on trust, integrity and client confidence. We take great pride in maintaining strong client relationships; ensuring our clients’ best interests are at the heart of everything we do.

Our mission is to provide quality legal services backed by respect for all involved parties. We strive to create a stress-free environment where no matter how complex an issue may be, our clients can always count on us to get them through it successfully.

We look forward to assisting you where possible.

Where we came from…
Clive Cousins founded the firm back in 1991, right here in Christchurch. Clive had a lot of experience around the country, in particular with commercial property and subdivisions. (Remember the famous Victoria Square-adjacent Farmers building, and Christchurch’s tallest building, the Price Waterhouse Centre? Those were Clive projects.)

Through the 1990s and 2000s, we made a lot of commercial developments happen, including the Gloucester, Edward Fitzgerald and St. Mary’s apartment complexes, high-rise buildings in Cranmer and Latimer Squares. We acted and advised in relation to SOL Square (where we took up office space), and we were also involved with the redevelopment of Spotlight Plaza into The Colombo. The team grew, too – Grant Smith joined the firm in 1998, and became a partner in May 2005.

And though “”Canterbury”” is in our name, it’s not the only place we work. We take our expertise to projects around the country, including major subdivisions in Ohau, Te Anau, Gibbston Valley and Taipa Bay; and refurbishment of buildings in central Auckland, Dunedin and Invercargill.

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Lane Neave

We Make the Complex Simple Lane Neave is committed to solving problems and realising opportunities for our clients.

We tap into more than 150 years of experience and provide our hugely talented pool of emerging and current legal experts with the opportunity to make the complex simple.

We provide clear, decisive legal advice that gives real value and advantage to our clients, who range from multi-national corporates to small business owners and individuals.

Most of our lawyers specialise in specific areas of the law and many have become recognised experts in their chosen fields. However, everyone embraces a ‘team’ approach, which gives us a strength and depth across the whole spectrum of the law.

Our Partners work directly with our clients on a day-to-day basis. The insight we get from getting to know you and your business means that we’re better able to help you when it counts, and that we will be there for you through thick and thin.

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Saunders Robinson Brown

Your Success. Our Focus.

Putting our clients first is the foundation of our firm and has always been reflected in our values over the years. We understand that our clients come to see us for a variety of different reasons but ultimately our focus is the same for everyone – working alongside you to achieve the best result.

Located in Christchurch City and Rangiora we are a mid-sized firm with strong capabilities and expertise – this combination of our size and expertise allows our team to focus on building authentic connections and long-term relationships, while providing personalised service and market leading expertise.

Our business is organised across the core practice group areas of: Commercial, Property, Trusts & Estates, Dispute Resolution and Family. Within these groups we have various specialty areas.

Our People offer a diverse array of backgrounds, cultures, experiences and skills all of which means we approach issues and challenges with a unique perspective when developing solutions for you.

Our diversity leads us to support a wide range of charities, social enterprises and community groups through our sponsorship and pro bono activity.

Irrespective of why you are working with us, we aim to provide strategic advice to add value to your future, helping you to progress with peace of mind. Your success is our focus.

Your Future. Our Focus.

Our People are the heart of our business.

As an employer we are a values-based, principles driven organisation. We pride ourselves on our commitment to professional growth, flexible work and other people oriented practices built around our core values which are linked to Clients, Commitment, Capability and Character.

We understand creating a supportive, collaborative and vibrant work environment for everyone is important not only for wellbeing but also for growth and development.

We aim to help all our people thrive and be their best. Your future is our focus.

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Dallison & Co Solicitors

Dallison & Co was founded in 2023 when John Dallison made the move from the Dallison Stone partnership to sole practice.

Our History
John Dallison commenced practice in 1987 working alongside his father Gerald when the firm was known as Harold Smith & Dallison.

Following Gerald’s retirement in 2008 Bevan Stone joined the partnership and the firm became Dallison Stone.

In 2023, John Dallison left the partnership and established Dallison & Co, continuing the work of the previous firms.
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Dallison & Co is an established law firm with deep roots in the community. We are proud to act for a diverse clientele ranging from major developers to first home buyers together with everything in between.
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Our goal is to provide effective, tailored, and straight forward advice that achieves the best outcomes possible for our clients. We understand that no two client’s situations are the same and ensure that we take the time to get to know you and businesses first.

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Harmans Lawyers

Richard James Strachan Harman arrived in New Zealand on one of the first four ships, the Sir George Seymour, on 17 December 1850. In doing so, he brought to Canterbury a name that was to become synonymous with the law. 11 years later, Richard’s son Thomas DeRenzy Harman was born.

DeRenzy was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in the Supreme Court at Christchurch on 31 October 1884, and four years later set up a practice on his own account. He was subsequently joined in partnership by Heinrich Frederick Von Haast in the 1890’s, however the partnership later dissolved and Mr Von Haast went to Wellington. At one stage DeRenzy Harman was in partnership with Mr Thomas Hanmer, for whom Hanmer Springs is named.

DeRenzy Harman and Thomas Maude (brother of Nurse Maude) then formed a partnership in the 1900’s practising from premises at 194 Hereford Street and also at Ashburton. When this partnership dissolved in 1909, DeRenzy Harman carried on the business until 18 July 1924. It was then that his second son, Annesley DeRenzy Harman, joined him in partnership. The firm became known as T.D. Harman & Son. Annesley Harman retired as a partner on 31 March 1973, continuing as a consultant until his death on 10 June 1977.

Between 1956 and 1962 three of Annesley Harman’s sons joined the practice – Brian Harman in 1956 (retired 2007); Colin Harman in 1961 (retired 2008); and Peter Harman in 1962 (retired 1992).

The firm has enjoyed rapid expansion since the late 1960’s. In 1980 the firm moved to new premises in the Guardian Royal Exchange building at 79-83 Hereford Street. And in 1990 the firm moved again, this time to premises on levels 18 and 19 of the Pricewaterhouse Coopers building in Armagh Street.

In 2003 the firm purchased Papanui Law, and merged that firm with its Papanui branch operating from premises at Blair Avenue, subsequently moving to premises at 485 Papanui Road.

The devastating earthquake of 22 February 2011 rendered our central offices in the PriceWaterhouseCoopers building uninhabitable. Fortunately the firm was able to quickly re-establish in the Papanui building which housed our branch office and continue its services for our clients.

On 30 September 2019, Harmans finally returned to the Central City at 79-81 Cashel Street (Westpac Building) and the firm operated from two locations – City and Papanui.

On 12 June 2021, Harmans made the decision to bring the firm all back together in the Central City office. Having had a Central City office since 1888 when the firm was first established (until the earthquakes occurred) it is great to reconnect with the city centre and re-establish our presence in Christchurch’s developing heart.

If there’s one feature of our business which has contributed to our longevity and continued success more than anything else, it’s been our willingness to adapt. With such a long and proud history, it is little wonder that Harmans have become one of New Zealand’s leading and more successful law firms.

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White Fox & Jones

We are a Canterbury based law firm focused on delivering specialist, high quality and practical legal advice.

We are experts in our specialist areas of the law which are:

Business Law
Litigation and Dispute Resolution
Commercial Property
Residential Property
Property Development and Subdivision
Insurance
Insolvency
Employment
Personal Law
Agribusiness

We understand that delivering legal advice is not just about knowing the law. It is about knowing each of our clients, and knowing what they need. For that reason, we pride ourselves in getting to know you and working with you to understand what you need from your lawyer, and then delivering results.

We work for large, medium and small businesses, individuals, property owners and developers, entrepreneurs, and other professionals, including accountants and other lawyers.

We are widely respected within Canterbury and nationally for the quality of the work that we do. If you think we might be able to assist you, please get in touch.

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Trollope & Co Lawyers

Through its wide network Trollope & Co offers clients the unique opportunity to access a full range of specialist legal services to meet all of their needs. Our office in Peterborough Street, Christchurch, is an inclusive space where clients feel at ease and welcomed.

Where it started
The drummer boy that features in our brand is a contemporary representation of Tim’s interest in drumming and history. The drummer boy’s first beat was when Tim started his own practice in 2015 with a supportive team of four and a band of loyal and supportive clients.

Trollope & Co has incorporated both Maurice Walker and his team followed by Amy Hutton and her team.

Who we are
Maurice, Amy and Tim have taken similar but separate pathways in legal practise until their successful merger to become partners at Trollope & Co. Collectively, they have gathered significant experience, wisdom and insight resulting in Trollope & Co being a strong and cohesive partnership. Trust is a key value to the partners. To earn the trust that clients place in us we listen, understand and in return provide legal solutions that are unique, effective, manageable and cost effective. We respect that every client is seeking legal advice on a specific problem unique to his or her circumstances. We therefore provide each client with individualised personalised legal solutions.

Our office space has character and warmth. A place that both our team and our clients enjoy. An added bonus is that the office opens out onto a lush courtyard and shared edible garden.

Our door is always open.

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