Best Law Firms in Auckland
We assessed 23 law firms in Auckland and ranked the top 5 on public rating quality, review volume and how recent the reviews are. The businesses listed below hold 1,766 Google reviews between them. No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Last updated 5 September 2026. How we rank →
Before you hire
Whether you need a solicitor for a one-off matter or a law firm you can go back to, legal costs can escalate quickly if a matter is more complex than expected. Ask for a written fee estimate upfront, clarify how the firm charges (hourly rate, fixed fee, or hybrid), and confirm which lawyer will handle your matter day-to-day rather than just the partner who takes your first call.
Top 5 Law Firms in Auckland
The top 5 law firms in Auckland are #1 Jury Law, #2 NZ Legal, #3 Gateway Lawyers, #4 Stainton Chellew, and #5 MK Law, ranked by Top5 score. Scroll for our take on each, plus what to ask before you instruct.
-
1
Jury Law
★ 4.8 365 reviews +12 Top5 Score 183 +15★ 328 4★ 23 3★ 2 2★ 2 1★ 10Jury Law gets first-home buyers, repeat purchasers, and refinancing clients through settlement with paperwork handled and every step communicated clearly along the way. Named staff including Sabehah, Hana, and Frankie are singled out across separate transactions for being quick to respond to questions and for keeping clients calm through what can be an overwhelming process.
location_on Ste 6 Floor/1/72 Dominion Road, Mount Eden, Auckland
-
2
NZ Legal
★ 5.0 226 reviews +14 Top5 Score 182 +15★ 224 4★ 2NZ Legal takes on property conveyancing, refinancing, wills, and trust restructuring, including transactions that other firms have turned away as too complicated. Polina, Ruby, and Coleen are named across these matter types for explaining each step clearly, using e-signing and remote video meetings to keep things moving, and staying reachable through the entire process.
location_on Level 4/1 Kenwyn Street, Parnell, Auckland
-
3
Gateway Lawyers NZ
★ 4.9 333 reviews +5 Top5 Score 1815★ 322 4★ 5 1★ 6Gateway Lawyers gets first-home buyers, repeat purchasers, and investment property clients through settlement with every document and fee explained before signing. Sim, Param, and Rani are named across separate transactions for negotiating on clients' behalf, such as securing pre-settlement inspections when vendors pushed back, and for flagging legal risks that led buyers to walk away from flawed properties.
location_on 2 Bishop Dunn Place, Flat Bush, Auckland
-
4
Stainton Chellew
★ 5.0 103 reviews +7 Top5 Score 169 +35★ 101 4★ 1 1★ 1Stainton Chellew covers property purchases, refinancing, wills, estate disputes, and family separations, often acting as an ongoing family lawyer rather than a one-off service. Victor, Pamela, Samantha, and Ana are named across different matter types for translating legal complexity into plain language and flagging risks before they become problems at settlement.
location_on 2/6 Emily Place, Britomart, Auckland
-
5
MK Law Barristers and Solicitors
↑ 1★ 4.9 145 reviews +2 Top5 Score 166 +15★ 139 4★ 2 2★ 1 1★ 3MK Law resolves complex immigration matters including work visas, residence applications, partnership visas, and cases involving character issues or errors already submitted to INZ. Michael and Sharing are named across many separate matters for staying reachable through every stage, including during the holiday period, and for intervening directly with INZ to prevent visa expiry before approvals came through.
location_on Huawei Centre Level 12/120 Albert Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland
Browse by suburb
Before you instruct a law firm in Auckland
Drawn from 200 customer reviews collected for this page. The first answer is what it costs.
What do lawyers typically charge in New Zealand? expand_more
Junior solicitors at smaller Auckland firms charge roughly $150 to $250 per hour, while experienced partners at larger commercial firms often charge $400 to $600 or more. Fixed fees are available for standard work like conveyancing, wills, and refinancing, which gives you cost certainty upfront.
Disbursements, such as title search fees and registration costs, are charged on top of the legal fee and should be itemised in your quote. Under the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006, the New Zealand Law Society requires lawyers to give you clear fee information before work begins, and you can request a formal bill review if you believe you have been overcharged.
How do I know if a law firm actually specialises in what I need? expand_more
Check the firm's website for published practice areas and look for lawyers whose profiles list relevant qualifications or years of experience in that specific field. Ask directly how many matters of this type the firm handles per year, since a firm doing dozens of conveyances monthly will have sharper processes than one that does a handful.
Membership of relevant bodies, such as the Property Law Section of the New Zealand Law Society, signals active engagement with a practice area rather than a passing familiarity. Reviews that name the type of matter handled, whether immigration, criminal defence, or property, are a reliable signal that the firm regularly takes on that kind of work.
Who will actually handle my matter: a senior lawyer or a junior? expand_more
In many firms, a senior lawyer oversees the matter while a legal executive or junior solicitor handles the day-to-day work, including drafting documents and managing communication. Reviews across several Auckland firms show clients naming specific legal executives and assistants as their main points of contact, which means the person you meet at the initial consultation may not be the one doing the bulk of the work. Ask at the outset who your day-to-day contact will be, what their experience level is, and how often the supervising lawyer will personally review your file.
What are the warning signs of a law firm you shouldn't use? expand_more
- –Emails or calls go unanswered for days, or promised callbacks never arrive, as reported against at least two firms in these reviews.
- –The firm confirms it will take on your matter and then reverses that decision without explanation, leaving you to start over.
- –Fee estimates are vague or absent, and additional charges appear later without prior warning or justification.
- –You are told a matter is complex only after the bill arrives, with no earlier discussion about what might increase the cost.
- –The firm is difficult to reach at critical moments, such as the days before settlement, when timely decisions matter most.
- –A formal complaint has been lodged with the New Zealand Law Society against the firm, which is worth checking before you engage.
What should you ask before hiring a lawyer? expand_more
- –Ask who will handle your matter day-to-day and who the supervising lawyer is, so you know exactly who is responsible for your file.
- –Request a written fee estimate that includes disbursements, and ask under what circumstances that estimate could change.
- –Ask how often you will receive updates without needing to chase, since proactive communication is one of the most cited positive factors in reviews.
- –Find out what documents or information the lawyer needs from you at the start, to avoid delays that push out your timeline.
- –Ask how the firm handles unexpected complications, such as a settlement being brought forward or a title issue emerging late in the process.
Also recommended law firms in Auckland
Ranked 6 to 10 on the same public review record.
-
6
Evolution Lawyers
↓ 1★ 4.8 150 reviews +2 Top5 Score 1665★ 141 4★ 1 3★ 1 1★ 7Evolution Lawyers covers wills and powers of attorney, estate administration and disputes, debt recovery, and property transactions, with named staff across all of these matter types praised for keeping clients clear on each step. Reviewers dealing with emotionally difficult situations, including contested family estates and debt collection, specifically note that the team balanced legal rigour with an awareness of the personal toll involved.
location_on Ste 2A/109 Dominion Road, Mount Eden, Auckland
-
7
Johnson Paul Lawyers - Property Conveyancing Lawyers In Auckland
★ 4.8 124 reviews +2 Top5 Score 1645★ 113 4★ 5 3★ 1 2★ 1 1★ 4Johnson Paul Lawyers guides first-home buyers, repeat purchasers, and refinancing clients through settlement with each step explained in plain language from start to finish. Liza, Lianne, and Johnson are named across multiple transactions for answering questions promptly and keeping clients updated without needing to be chased, which buyers describe as taking the stress out of an otherwise daunting process.
location_on 655 Mount Albert Road, Royal Oak, Auckland
-
8
Emma Priest Barrister
verifiedVerified★ 4.9 96 reviews Top5 Score 1635★ 92 4★ 2 1★ 2Emma Priest Barrister fights criminal defence cases, parole board hearings, and bail applications for clients facing some of the most serious charges in the New Zealand courts. Reviewers across multiple cases point to her straight-talking approach, same-day responsiveness, and a track record of sentence reductions and bail outcomes clients had been told were unlikely.
location_on Level 9/115 Queen Street, Auckland CBD, Auckland schedule Mon–Fri 8am–6pm · Sat–Sun Closed
-
9
Henderson Reeves Lawyers Auckland
↓ 1★ 4.9 99 reviews Top5 Score 1625★ 97 3★ 1 1★ 1Henderson Reeves walks clients through residential purchases, commercial property transactions, construction contracts, and wills, with specific lawyers like Pierre, Sandra, Amie, and Julie named repeatedly across different matter types. First-home buyers in particular describe complex issues such as difficult encumbrances and new build contracts being worked through clearly, with clients reporting they felt genuinely supported rather than processed.
location_on 703 Rosebank Road, Avondale, Auckland
-
10
Queen City Law
↓ 1★ 4.8 125 reviews -1 Top5 Score 161 -15★ 115 4★ 4 2★ 2 1★ 4Queen City Law converts visitor visas, student visas, partnership visas, and residence applications into approvals, including a case where a father was brought back to New Zealand during MIQ restrictions. Clients across many separate matters describe being walked through document preparation step by step, with staff reaching out to immigration agencies directly when outcomes were at risk.
location_on Level 8/19 Victoria Street West, Auckland CBD, Auckland
About this ranking
What the 10 law firms listed above hold, at the 5 September 2026 check.
We first assessed law firms in Auckland in March 2026 and have rechecked the ranking four times since. Four different businesses have held first place; Jury Law has held it since August 2026. Across the 14 locations we assess law firms in, the 140 businesses listed have a median rating of 4.8, and one-star reviews are 3.2% of their total.
What has changed since March 2026? expand_more
- Sep 2026
MK Law returned to the top 5, up from #6. Evolution Lawyers left the top 5, down to #6. Emma Priest Barrister returned to the list at #8.
- Aug 2026
Scoring method updated. New first place: Jury Law. Stainton Chellew entered the top 5, up from #9. MK Law left the top 5, down to #6. Johnson Paul Lawyers entered the list at #7.
- Jun 2026
Stainton Chellew returned to the list at #9.
- Apr 2026
Scoring method updated. Evolution Lawyers entered the top 5, up from #7. Henderson Reeves left the top 5, down to #6. Emma Priest Barrister entered the list at #9.
- Mar 2026
First check.
How are the top law firms in Auckland chosen? expand_more
We build this page from Google Maps results for law firms in Auckland. Each one is scored on its public rating and review record. Businesses outside the area, or whose reviews describe a different line of work, are left out, and a business whose main Google category is a different trade is held back until a person has checked what it does. A business whose website no longer resolves and that has had no Google review for six months is treated as dormant and left off the page until either changes. Every category and city is rechecked on a rolling cycle, about every two to three months. A location with a subscribing business is rechecked every month, and the whole page updates with it. See how we rank for the full method.
What does a business subscription offer? expand_more
No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Claiming and verifying a listing is free. It adds a phone number to the card and a small trust bonus (+3 points) to its score, for confirming a real operator stands behind the listing. The owner also gets a dashboard showing how their score is made up. A paid subscription provides an enhanced card with more ways to reach the business, including a website link and a detailed profile page. It also refreshes this page monthly and adds ranking history and competitor analysis to the owner's dashboard. The subscription adds nothing to the score. Claim your listing or see what a subscription includes.
Why isn't my business listed? expand_more
We build this page from Google Maps results for law firms in Auckland. The usual reasons for missing out are a Google Business category that does not match, too few reviews to score near the top, or an address outside the area we cover. Sometimes we miss a business that should be here. Check where you rank first. If you are not there and think you should be, get in touch.