The 5 Best Trust Lawyers in the Bay of Plenty That Truly Care
David Harris
| Last Updated: September 2025 Life in the Bay of Plenty? Here’s what it looks like: family homes that host Christmas reunions, small businesses that are basically the owner’s entire life, little ones walking to school and making parents proud.
So much wealth, right? But how do you even protect these things? It’s not like you can put a padlock on your assets and call it a day. Believe me – trust law has a way of sneaking up on you.
For everything that matters in life, the right trust lawyer can make the difference. But when everybody seems to have bulletproof track records, the tie-breaker becomes genuine care, compassion, and just good-old friendliness.
Read on – you’ll want these lawyers by your side.
How much does it cost to hire a trust lawyer in the Bay of Plenty?
1. Lyon O’Neale Arnold (LOA Law)
Location: 40 Willow Street, Tauranga
Contact: +6479284422
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
LOA Law won our favour with their full-service approach, which simplifies processes for long-term needs, as there is no need to engage with multiple firms.
Supporting this is their wide-ranging expertise, specialising in areas such as discretionary, special, and trading trusts. Succession planning is comprehensive too, as they can accommodate both family and business clients.
Their responsiveness is one of their biggest strengths. Speaking with their clients, we noted multiple mentions of their constant communication – for example, calls and emails are returned quickly (whenever possible, within business hours).
We also liked their excellent track record. They’re among the very few firms that work well with first-time clients, especially those under complex circumstances.
With their approachable yet professional demeanour, they make interactions feel lighter, without any feelings of intimidation. Clients agreed with us on this – in fact, even their office was welcoming and warm.
It’s just important to note that the firm is big and handles a sheer volume of cases. This can make booking an initial consultation difficult. Senior lawyers, in general, may have longer wait times than associates.
Excellent service, very knowledgeable
“Recently used Caen Chapman-Taylor after being recommended by a friend, for the purchase of my first home. Excellent service, very knowledgeable; Caen provided sound advice during negotiations, helped me stand my ground and pointed out inaccuracies in the S&P agreement. He was helpful, clear & concise and very easy to work with. Caen tailored his service to me, never made me feel out of my depth and is incredibly kind. Having Caen in my support network during this time, made the whole experience very pleasant, straight forward and stress-free! I cannot recommend him enough.”
Hannah Wilkinson | Google Review
Went the extra mile
“Had a fantastic experience with Simon at Lyon O’Neal Arnold. He was very efficient, helpful and went the extra mile when creating terms and conditions for my business. Would highly recommend him for his responsiveness and professionalism.”
Kristy Whitchelo | Google Review
2. Holland Beckett Law
Location: 525 Cameron Road, Tauranga 3110
Contact: +6475782199
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Holland Beckett offers a wide range of services, including wills, enduring powers of attorney, family trusts, and succession planning. With over 80 staff across multiple offices, we’re confident in their scale and ability to handle complex cases.
Considering their offerings, we love how clients can easily access multiple legal needs under one roof.
Beyond this, the firm also offers little conveniences that just make the process seamless. For example, they have online tools like their confidential, obligation-free questionnaires, making wills and contracting accessible from home.
Their client-first mentality is commendable, starting off with their no-obligation initial guidance. And throughout the process, clients told us that they felt well supported, considering how thorough and efficient their team is.
Lawyers are friendly and their fees are favourable. Overall, working with them is generally easy for a wide range of needs.
If there’s a downside, their approach may not be the best for those who want a truly personalised approach. They’re a big firm, so you may have to sacrifice a few things that make things feel more corporate. Nonetheless, the services are solid.
Very professional, prompt support
“Appreciated the very professional , prompt support from Holland Beckett Associate Rebecca Steen. Always courteous and knowledgable. Would highly recommend this Law firm.”
John Barden | Google Review
Patient, concise, efficient
“After having so many problems with our last lawyers (Keam Standen) my first experience with Holland Beckett was a complete contrast. Professional, patient, concise and efficient. Cannot thank them (Sarah and Tereasa) enough and will be the top of the list for any additional work we need.”
Kel | Google Review
3. Sharp Tudhope
Location: 152 Devonport Road, Tauranga 3110
Contact: +6479282000
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
What we liked best about Sharp Tudhope is that they offer specialised services beyond the standard trust setup. These offerings include resettlement of assets, trust variations, dispute resolution, and trust wind-ups.
The firm also shines through when it comes to managing aspects of financial and estate planning in one place. This is because they cover various niche areas: independent trustee services, gifting advice, and debt forgiveness guidance.
Clients can rest assured that they can find a partner with the right level of expertise for their needs. This is thanks to the firm’s team, which includes both senior experts and associates. Of course, this also means plenty of options based on their budget.
Another noteworthy quality is how quickly they can adapt to regional requirements, even outside Tauranga. For property transactions that occur outside of the Bay of Plenty, this may be advantageous.
If your circumstance requires urgent, last-minute services, this firm may not be the best for you as booking with their lawyers can take time. The structure also feels less personal, which may not work for most clients looking into long-term partnerships.
Excellent to deal with
“Benji was the owner’s solicitor for a property I was selling in Christchurch. He was excellent to deal with. Strong communication, thorough engagement and solution-focused. Christchurch can be a challenging market for out-of-town lawyers to wrap their heads around but Benji and the team were right across every aspect of the property. I would happily recommend him to any potential client. He’s also a genuinely nice guy which makes the whole process enjoyable. Thanks team!”
Shar Davis | Google Review
Incredible services
“Ended up not being the firm I was looking for as I’m based in Auckland and my elderly mum who was Tauranga based thought she was a client for her will. But I cannot fault the incredible service I received from Heather over the phone. I may have bent her ear with our current issues for longer than I needed to, but she was warm, friendly and even helped me locate the correct lawyer and where are they based. Saved me hours while trying to help my mother negotiate things. Absolutely delightful to chat with and rather funny too. Wonderful first impression for your business. Thank you again.”
Adele Paul Smyth | Google Review
4. Burley Castle Hawkins
Location: Monmouth House, First Floor/41 Monmouth Street, Tauranga 3110
Contact: +6479289000
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Burley Castle Hawkings offers a holistic approach to estate planning, assisting clients on how to protect their assets from creditors, relationship property claims, and estate challenges.
Their range of trust services is also comprehensive, covering all the fundamentals we’re looking for. Offerings include family trusts, deeds of distribution, trustee changes, resettlements, and wind-ups.
They also assist in business law and relationship property agreements, making them a versatile choice for families managing multiple legal needs.
What makes their approach solid is their professional and client-first culture. Clients often highlight how supported they were throughout the legal processes. Additionally, they’re responsive to queries and provide timely updates on transactions.
Flexibility is also among their best offerings. Not only are they available after hours, but clients can also reach out to them for in-person meetings and online consultations.
With remote offering, they’re an ideal partner for busy clients that prefer flexible working hours.
Fees are relatively higher than most companies, so it’s best to budget accordingly if you want to work with them. Also take note, they have limited availability for new clients – booking an appointment early can help deal with this issue.
Quick to respond
“Samantha Messenger remotely handled our latest residential house purchase and did a fantastic job. She was quick to respond to emails and helped make the whole purchase process a breeze. We will definitely be using BCHL Ltd. again.”
Marshall Palmer | Google Review
Incredibly supportive
“Michelle Carey is an exceptional Solicitor —professional, knowledgeable, and truly dedicated to her clients. She provided clear guidance, was incredibly supportive, and handled our complex situation with patience and care. Throughout the process, we felt heard and valued. I highly recommend her services!”
Ellen Scott | Google Review
5. Beach Law Papamoa
Location: 94 Parton Road, Papamoa Beach
Contact: +6472811459
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Upon speaking to clients, it’s their approachability that makes Beach Law Papamoa a solid choice. They make the experience less intimidating than traditional law offices, reducing the stress in demanding legal matters.
As for services, offerings are well-rounded. For trust law, they cover trust formation, gifting programmes, trust reviews, and resettlements.
Beyond this, clients also benefit from their specialised offerings. In particular, clients benefit from probate applications, estate administration, and deeds of family agreement.
Strategies are tailored to each, which is a valuable prospect for us. The client experience is personalised, whether it’s simple document preparation or full-service guidance.
The firm also offers both in-person and remote services, giving flexibility to client preferences. Beyond this versatility, we also love their fair and competitive pricing.
In fact, many clients revealed to us that they paid less than at larger firms, while still receiving high-quality services.
The only downside is that their size makes it difficult for them to take on large or highly complex cases. They also have a limited nationwide reach compared to large firms, which may be a downside for clients seeking high-profile legal services.
Pleasant to deal with
“We were very satisfied with Beach Law. The whole team was most helpful and pleasant to deal with. Carly in particular was very clear in her explanations and advice and prompt in her replies to our questions. We appreciated her professionalism. We recommend her services and will definitely contact her again if necessary.”
Lynn Fiorese et Guillaume Aubry | Google Review
So much support and advice
“We contacted beach law to act on our behalf in our conveyancing for sale of our property and purchase of our new home. Rochelle is just fantastic so friendly and down to earth. We could not have asked for a better service. She gave us so much support and advice. Her communication was great and we really felt like she was representing our best interests so thank you so much Rochelle. We would definitely recommend her services to anyone.”
Michael Dunn | Google Review
