The 5 Best Trust Lawyers in Hamilton Who Put Clients First
David Harris
| Last Updated: September 2025 Setting up a trust? That shouldn’t be complicated, right? All I need is a form, my signature, and every family member’s approval.
If only it were that easy. The moment you dive in, the questions pile up: Who should be the trustees? Should I include my properties? Does my car count as an asset?
Even God can’t answer all that, but you know who can? A trust lawyer!
If you’re in Hamilton, you’re in luck. The city has seasoned trust lawyers who can easily protect your assets and make you feel like you’re the only client in the world. And, of course, we’ve listed the best ones here!
How much does it cost to hire a trust lawyer in Hamilton?
1. Tompkins Wake
Location: Westpac House Level 8/430 Victoria Street, Hamilton Central
Contact: +6478394771
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tompkins Wake offers a wide range of services, including acquisition finance, trust deed amendments, and trust dispute resolution. With expertise in trust litigation, they can expertly handle complex cases under the Family Protection Act.
As we’ve gathered from clients, the firm was able to tailor their strategies based on their unique circumstances – even more important to us was how compassionate their lawyers are in the process.
This level of care translates into various factors too. For instance, there were plenty of applications that were filed and delivered within two days (even with extensive documentation). This shows us how they can manage urgent cases easily.
Paired with in-depth trust law expertise, their client service becomes a major strength. We love that they’re approachable and people-focused. And their demeanour throughout the stages always comes with genuine care, as clients noted.
Unfortunately, they may not be the best choice for families on a budget, as their services are relatively pricier than most. However, this still depends on the complexity of the matter, and consulting with their experts is still advised.
Can tackle unique situations
“I’ve used TW on business in New Zealand and would highly recommend their service.
Relationship focussed and outcome orientated. They’ve repeatedly impressed me with their willingness to tackle unique situations with reason and gusto.”
Sam Trethewey | Google Review
Professional, approachable, and efficient
“In my experience working with Tompkins Wake I have found them to be very professional, approachable and efficient at what they do. I would recommend them in the future to others.”
Chris Steffert | Google Review
2. Harkness Henry
Location: KPMG Centre Level 8/85 Alexandra Street, Hamilton Central
Contact: +6478382399
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Harkness Henry covers all the essential services we’re looking for in a reliable firm. Their offerings include family trusts, charitable trusts, and trust administrations.
With their range of experience, we can see them as a versatile choice for personal asset protection and community-focused initiatives. They’re one of the few firms in the city that specialise in both.
Their trust services alone are comprehensive. They cover trust setups, transferring in and out of assets, and amending gifts. For these, they maintain a practical approach, personalising solutions to achieve favourable outcomes.
On top of that, clients reported that the firm maintained clear communication, with regular updates and transparent explanations. Multiple clients also noted that they offer informal, unpaid advice during ongoing cases.
Plus, the law firm is conveniently accessible across the Waikato region. It has offices in Hamilton, Cambridge, Paeroa, and Matamata.
However, costs can sometimes exceed what’s initially expected. Their offerings may also be overwhelming for clients who seek simple and basic solutions only.
Made us feel very welcome
“Great friendly frontline staff and our solicitor made us feel very welcome and we were even allowed to hold our then 9 week old puppy in our arms during our appointment with him. Love being able to park in the same vincinity building..very convenient.”
Jo-Anne Jarvis| Google Review
Very knowledgeable and trustworthy
“Very knowledgeable, highly professional, fast and trustworthy. Highly recommend for all your legal needs.”
Marina Millar | Google Review
3. McCaw Lewis Lawyers
Location: Level 6/586 Victoria Street, Hamilton Central
Contact: +6478382079
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 8:15 AM – 5:15 PM
Being in service for over 100 years is one of McCaw’s biggest strengths. This is backed by their wide range of trust services that include family trusts, trading trusts, and resettlements.
What’s more noteworthy is that they specialise in complex issues, including sham trusts, trust-busting, and beneficiary rights. With a solid history in these areas, we find them to be a solid choice for difficult cases.
To help make things easier on the clients, they provide clear, accessible legal advice. Many clients also noted that they’re compassionate and easy to work with.
We can connect this to their manaakitanga (hospitality) and kotahitanga (unity) approaches. This allows them to balance Māori tikanga with mainstream laws, offering culturally authentic services for a diverse client base.
Clients also agreed that the team is efficient and responsive, with the majority noting that responses are fast and “flawless.” Thanks to their professional and knowledgeable team, processes are completed efficiently.
The only downside is that the quality of services varies greatly, depending largely on the lawyers assigned to the case. Minor things too, like difficult parking, may affect your experience.
Excellent services
“Excellent efficient service. Flawless transaction. Highly competent staff”
Roland Langworthy | Google Review
A great team
“Extreamly knowledgeble, great team of legal advisors. Happy client🙂👍”
Sudbury Court | Google Review
4. Gallie Miles
Location: 380 Alexandra Street, Te Awamutu 3800
Contact: +6478720560
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Gallie Miles is a trusted law firm in the city, offering a comprehensive scope of trust law and asset planning services. This includes trust formation, administration, succession planning, trustee advice, and restructuring.
Their one-step structure is their strength. Through this approach, clients can easily manage every stage of asset protection and trust management. There’s no need to reach out to multiple providers, which can help clients save on service fees.
When asked about the transactions, clients remarked on how smooth and efficient the process is. For instance, they handle questions quickly and thoroughly, even for urgent concerns.
One of the best things we appreciate about the firms is that they’re transparent with their prices. And while fees vary depending on the complexity of the case and the lawyer assigned, clients said the charges were fair and that billing was fair and flexible.
The overall customer service experience isn’t the most perfect – during an in-office visit, we felt that the reception staff was unwelcoming, which can make clients feel intimidated and anxious. Everything else is on the good side with us.
Informative and hassle-free
“Couldn’t recommend Tabatha enough!! She made the purchase of our first home so easy and any questions I had I could go to her and it didn’t seem like a hassle. All the information was laid out in a way that was super easy to understand and she was friendly and professional during the entire process.”
Samantha Devlin | Google Review
Straightforward and stress-free process
“We recently used Gallie Miles for the sale of our house and couldn’t be happier with the service. Kathryn was fantastic, she made the whole process super straightforward and stress-free. Great communication, highly recommend.”
Maria Hilhorst | Google Review
5. DTS Law
Location: Level 6/127 Alexandra Street, Hamilton Central
Contact: +6472820174
Opening Hours: Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
DTS Law is an award-winning firm that has a strong reputation across Hamilton, Raglan, and the wider Waikato region. They serve both personal and business trust clients, making them a flexible choice for various needs.
In particular, they provide services across all stages of trust law. This includes establishing, administering, resettling, varying, and terminating trusts. Solutions are tailored, especially for complex asset protection strategies.
For the lawyers themselves, we’re happy to note that clients love how professional and responsive they are. In general, we noted instances of stressful situations wherein their lawyers responded quickly and efficiently to urgent concerns.
The pricing structure is transparent, and they open upfront conversations on fees to ensure no hidden surprises. And since they’re flexible in providing services beyond standard hours, clients feel like they’re maximizing their investment.
The only thing we didn’t favour very much is that when lawyers aren’t available for general questions, the firm relies on its reception staff to relay information. We definitely prefer their lawyers to be more accessible for ongoing needs.
Seamless process
“My legal needs were recently transferred to DTI by my lawyer who closed his practice, and I am pleased to note that the transition has been absolutely seamless. The help and dedication that the team have shown through this process and also with my latest legal requirements has been very professional and I cannot thank them more. I highly recommend DTI to anyone that may be looking for a Law firm.”
Israel McDean | Google Review
Good work
“Great team highly recommend nick very good to work with and knows what he’s doing.”
Jessie Jay| Google Review
