A full-service Law Firm

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.

Experience

We have the optimal experience mix to suit your requirements – senior lawyers offering wisdom and know-how, matched with younger lawyers accustomed to innovation and a can-do attitude.

Practical Advice

Theory can often be a far cry from commercial reality. We are real-world lawyers offering practical solutions that will work for you.

Excellence

We insist on professional excellence across the firm. Simply put, we know our stuff and embrace a “learning for life” philosophy.

There are a number of ways you can assist us in providing you with value in a cost effective manner:

Flexibility

If you are prepared to let a range of our staff manage your affairs we can ensure your requirements are met by the right level of qualifications, experience and availability to do the job.  We welcome your preference for a particular lawyer and you will never be sent “down the hall” against your wishes.  However, a different lawyer from time to time may save you money and get the job done more quickly in some circumstances. This also gives you an opportunity to meet a variety of lawyers and see what style and personality best suits you.

Timing

The old adage of the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff rings no truer than in law. Timing can be everything and it is essential you contact your lawyer as soon as a problem or opportunity arises. This can often save you additional expense, and worry.

Preparation

Depending on the nature of your instructions to us, there may be many documents and pieces of information you have collected prior to our involvement. The more you can arrange these in a logical and complete order, the easier it is for us to assess your requirements or situation.

Nurse Maude Association
Christchurch Football Club Inc
Waimari Tennis Club Inc
Bowel & Liver Trust
Repertory Theatre Society
Malthouse Theatre Trust
Christchurch Music Theatre Education Trust
Christchurch Early Intervention Trust

Saunders & Co was founded by Robert Louis (R L) Saunders who was originally a licensed land broker. Mr Saunders later became qualified as a Barrister and Solicitor and commenced practice in 1923 with a staff of two.

The practice was first housed in Hereford Court, on Hereford Street between Colombo Street and Oxford Terrace. The staff numbers grew as the practice expanded until, in the late 1920s, Mr Saunders employed 13 staff. One particular employee, by the name and title of Baron de Montalk apparently found the hurly burly of legal practice in the colonies not to his liking, so returned to England to become, in later life, a poet of some note.

The firm was then guided through the depression years of the 1930s by Robert Childers (Bob) Saunders, son of the founder. In due course, the number of partners grew, and by the end of the 1950s the firm comprised three partners. During this time there was an emphasis on conveyancing, estates and involvement with large residential developments. In the mid 1970s the firm took the decision to increase its common law and litigation expertise, an area now forming an integral part of the practice.  It was at this stage that - now retired partners – Cran Bull, Robin McSporran, and Phil James commenced their enduring legal careers with the firm.  Geoff Saunders, son of Bob Saunders also formed an integral part of this defining alumni, joining in 1976 and becoming the third generation of Saunders to practise here. In the late 90s Geoff proceeded to form his own successful law firm currently known as Saunders Robinson Brown.

In the volatile economic years of the 1980s the firm continued to grow and, while continuing to offer the broadest range of services, specialised in many areas with an emphasis on commercial and corporate advice, civil litigation, insurance work, insolvency and property law.  This period also saw the addition of two long standing and influential partners in the form of David Lang and Ben Frampton, the latter retiring from practice in 2022.

The next major step for the firm involved broadening its service access base with the introduction of suburban offices in Ferrymead and Hornby (now based at Wigram), and most recently Papanui. This was a common strategy of the day and, although many firms have since retrenched from direct suburban involvement, it continues to be one of the defining aspects of Saunders & Co, while still maintaining a strong inner city presence.