The 5 Best Trust Lawyers in Christchurch Who Know Kiwi Families Best
Jessica McNamara
| Last Updated: September 2025 Setting up a trust is serious business – after all, nobody wants their assets to end up in ruins generation after generation. Planning takes a lot of time, but it all has to start on the right footing.
The first step, of course, is finding a Christchurch lawyer you can trust.
But how do you find one? The professional has to be highly experienced, with a level of compassion that your family can rely on at all times. Your parents have to like them at least – otherwise, it’s just not going to work!
Second, make things easy for yourself by scanning our list prepared by our team of researchers and legal guides. We’ll give you options, and maybe you can find the right trust lawyer in Christchurch who just gets you and your family.
How much does it cost to hire a trust lawyer in Christchurch?
1. Saunders & Co
Location: 131 Victoria Street, Christchurch Central City
Contact: +6433797690
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
We liked Saunders & Co.’s ability to handle everything, from initial formation of trusts to ongoing administration. In all these stages, clients told us that they felt truly supported, which is the kind of approach and client care we’re looking for.
In terms of services, we found them comprehensive and detailed. Their offerings include trust formation, professional trustee services, dispute resolution, and succession planning. They also provide advice on restructuring existing trusts.
That said, their all-inclusive range meant clients can access long-term support without needing to switch firms. And with a solutions-focused approach, the firm makes the process smooth with invaluable support.
The lawyers themselves are notable. The clients we interviewed highlighted that they’re approachable and incredibly responsive – one of the very few teams that quickly reply to urgent questions via email or phone.
We liked how attentive they are as well. They’re often calm in stressful situations, which is crucial in dispute resolutions.
We just have a bit of concern with administrative processes, as we’ve noted complaints of erroneous details encoded in papers. The issue isn’t widespread and hasn’t been seen recently, so we can see them dealing with the concerns.
Has great attention to detail
“Great law firm with outstanding service! Highly recommend. Thank you so much Jen Bensley for being the most pragmatic and highly knowledgeable lawyer for helping ud secure the Skilled Migrant Resident Visa. Her attention-to-detail and high approachability made us trust her and feel comfortable throughout our process. Special thanks to Rosie Fletcher for supporting us with the extra administrative tasks.”
– AakritiGanguli, Google Review
Efficient with great support
“I highly recommend Saunders & Co. I had my 3y work Visa approved and I would like to mention all the support, excellent communication and attention with all the documents required to support the visa. Cameron Derby was super efficient and guided me through all the moments with quick responses, trust, honesty and support. I really recommend him as a Immigration Adviser.”
– Rafael Argolo, Google Review
2. Cavell Leitch
Location: Level 3, BNZ Centre, 111 Cashel Mall
Contact: +6433799940
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Cavell Leitch offers comprehensive trust services. Unlike smaller firms that may only focus on formation, this team handles everything, from initial assessment to asset transfers.
They also liaised with tax, banking, and financial advisors to ensure structures are financially sound. This holistic approach is what makes them a good choice for clients who need well-rounded advice to remain legally compliant with asset protection.
Clients also told us that they loved the very specific processes in their trust services. This includes gifting and debt forgiveness implementation, asset protection risk assessments, and resettlement into new trusts.
The lawyers are professional and approachable. Clients often describe them as approachable and clear in communication. And with their warm attitude, they make clients feel reassured during stressful life events.
Their scale also makes it easy for clients to access available lawyers to handle any legal needs.
If there’s a drawback, it’s their size and strong reputation that sometimes makes the process feel more corporate than personal. It may be a dealbreaker for clients who want to enjoy a personalised experience for a long-term commitment.
Very professional and thorough
“Louise was very professional and thorough. She made the process of purchasing the property stress free. It was important to know we could trust her skills and expertise.
Thank you”
– Jackie Hancock, Google Review
Quick communication, efficient, and knowledgeable
“Thank you to Cavell Leitch , in particular Miranda Norrie , for their very professional assistance in regard to all legal matters of our Family Trust and Estate matters. At a very difficult time it was much appreciated to have assistance to deal with a continual bombardment of legal issues. Quick communication, efficient and knowledgeable, it was a relief to know our legal matters were being dealt with professionally and appropriately. Thank you. Denise Fuller.”
– Denise Fuller, Google Review
3. Wynn Williams
Location: 47 Hereford Street, Christchurch Central City
Contact: +6433797622
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
One of Wynn William’s strongest advantages is the depth of experience within their team. Their partners have over 25 years of experience in property disputes and contentious trusts, including over 100 successful mediations.
The firm also impressed us with the breadth of services it provides in trust law. Their offerings include trust formation and family succession planning. They also handle disputes involving multiple trusts, companies, and partnerships.
Additionally, they advise on asset protection and estate administration, providing long-term support to families and navigating intergenerational wealth. We liked the wide scope of services, as this ensures clients can commit to them for long-term needs.
Clients we interviewed consistently praised the professionalism and responsiveness of the team. Many describe them as approachable, clear in their explanations, and reliable when handling property transactions.
On the rough side, we found isolated reports of legal lapses, which led to issues being overlooked. These are, however, minor issues. It also appears that the firm is taking initiatives to deal with these concerns.
Professional and knowledgeable
“We’ve used Andrew Logie and the wider team for multiple property transactions, they are always professional, super knowledgeable and complete great work.”
– Harry Sinclair, Google Review
Solid advice
“Solid legal advice from a great team”
– Richard Hayes, Google Review
4. Lane Neave
Location: 141 Cambridge Terrace, Christchurch Central City
Contact: +6433793720
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
Lane Neave is one of the largest specialist trust advisory teams in the South Island. With this scale, they have the capacity to deliver detailed advice and in-depth experience in every case.
Their services are solid, covering trust formation, restructuring, and asset protection. They’re also experienced in succession planning and day-to-day administration.
They also work with businesses for wealth management solutions, making them a reliable choice for personal and business-related legal matters.
We particularly liked the firm’s emphasis on building long-term relationships. Lawyers invest time fully understanding the client’s circumstances, allowing them to deliver tailored advice at all times.
The clients we interviewed found this valuable, as it helped them navigate succession planning across generations.
Accessibility is a strong suit as well, considering that the firm has offices in Auckland, Wellington, and Queenstown. This allows them to better serve clients on a nationwide scale, ideal for inter-regional needs.
A number of clients have told us that the fees are pretty expensive, and that communication can sometimes be a hassle during ongoing cases.
On the good side, most agreed that the quality of service remains one of the best they have had.
Made everything clear and simple
“Elizabeth Giles was amazing! She made sure that everything was clear and simple for us and always answered our questions efficiently. Thank you so much Elizabeth and Lane Neave for your assitance and not making this process too stressfull. Highly reccomend!”
– Unknown Unknown, Google Review
Positive and professional service
“I can’t thank Elisabeth Giles and Lane Neave enough for their professional services in supporting me with my employment relations issues, resulting in positive outcome for me and my whanau. I highly recommend their services. Nga mihi – Keri Waretini”
– Keri Werentini, Google Review
5. Pier Law
Location: 1 Radcliffe Road, Northwood, Christchurch 8051
Contact: +6433665540
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Pier Law has offices in Northwood, New Brighton, and Kaiapoi. It has built a strong reputation for helping individuals, families, and businesses protect their assets.
To deliver this, they have a comprehensive range of trust services. Their team assists with trust structuring, asset transfers, estate planning, and administration.
They also guide clients on specialist matters such as gifting, debt forgiveness, and protecting assets from relationship property claims. This range of services makes them a solid choice for long-term and niche needs.
We particularly liked how the firm invests time in education and transparency. Their lawyers are easy to communicate with, making legal terms accessible to help clients understand their options better.
According to the clients we spoke with, this approach made them feel more certain in the process, even in overwhelming cases.
On top of this, lawyers also followed up consistently. They replied to emails quickly and scheduled one-on-one meetings to keep matters going.
Unfortunately, the firm reportedly has the tendency to accept urgent cases even though it can’t handle the workload. This may cause issues down the line, especially for matters that are time-sensitive and require specialised attention.
Demonstrated exceptional professionalism
“Outstanding service! Muhammad demonstrated exceptional professionalism in handling a complex and sensitive visa situation for my employee. He managed every detail with care, provided timely updates, and guided us step-by-step to ensure the process moved forward smoothly and efficiently. His proactive follow-ups and clear communication made a real difference. Highly recommended!”
– Habib Ali, Google Review
Presented clear options
“We had an extremely positive experience working with Pier Law and Muhammad in particular. We had a slightly unusual visa requirements and Muhammad was extremely fast, efficient and professional. He presented us with clear options, talked us through the different processes and then worked with us throughout the entire process. In the end our entire family received our visas much sooner than we had anticipated and the entire process was smooth and easy. We highly recommend Pier Law and Muhammad to anyone in need of effective visa advice and help!”
– Nelson Coelho, Google Review
