Marlborough’s legal work runs from viticulture supply contracts and water permits through to family matters and estates, so the best lawyers in Blenheim are firms with genuine depth in the sectors that drive the region. These five are all full service practices with barristers and solicitors on the team, several tracing their lineage back more than a century. Gascoigne Wicks and Wisheart Macnab & Partners are two of the longest established names in the district.
1Gascoigne Wicks
Gascoigne Wicks is a High Street firm acting for commercial and private clients across the top of the South Island and further afield. It is built around two teams: commercial and conveyancing under partners Paul Gibson and Scott Wight, and a specialised litigation team under partner Quentin Davies. The viticulture and aquaculture expertise is the differentiator here, in a region producing the bulk of New Zealand’s grape harvest.
Services
- Property and commercial law, including conveyancing
- Litigation and dispute resolution
- Resource management, plan changes and consents
- Wine industry and viticulture law
- Estate planning, asset protection and general practice
Highlights
- Commercial and property team led by partners Paul Gibson and Scott Wight with specialist viticulture industry knowledge
- Litigation team led by partner Quentin Davies, with particular expertise in aquaculture
- Member of Lawlink, the nationwide network of independent legal practices
- Describes itself as one of the largest providers of conveyancing services in the region
- Attends the Kaikōura Civic Centre every alternate Friday for appointments
Location & Contact
Name: Gascoigne Wicks
Address: 77 High Street, Blenheim
Phone: 03 578 4229
Website: gascoignewicks.co.nz
2Wisheart Macnab & Partners
Wisheart Macnab & Partners has advised Marlborough businesses, trusts and families for close to 150 years, from a practice line running back to 1873. The team pairs barristers and solicitors with registered legal executives under partners David Clark and Charles Murdoch, with John Leggett as consultant. Its alumni give some sense of the firm’s standing in the district.
Services
- Commercial law
- Civil litigation and dispute resolution
- Employment law
- Resource management
- Conveyancing, relationship property, wills, trusts and estates
Highlights
- Practice lineage running nearly 150 years, back to John Barleyman’s Blenheim practice in 1873
- Former partner Sir Doug Kidd was MP for Marlborough and Speaker of the House of Representatives
- Former partners include a current Environment Court judge and a current District Court judge
- Two current partners, David Clark and Charles Murdoch, plus consultant John Leggett
Location & Contact
Name: Wisheart Macnab & Partners
Address: 73 Alfred Street, Blenheim 7240
Phone: 03 578 7269
Website: wisheartmacnab.co.nz
3Wain & Naysmith
Wain & Naysmith is a full service firm working from Parsonage Chambers on High Street, with a second office in Picton attended by appointment at least one day a week. The practice line runs back to 1932 and it is led by directors Martyn Wilson, Angela Stafford and Kate Weaver, with nine lawyers plus registered legal executives and an estates administrator. It has a specific wine industry practice alongside family, property and elder law.
Services
- Property law and conveyancing
- Business and commercial law, including specialist wine industry advice
- Family law
- Estates and family trusts
- Elder law
Highlights
- Practice traces back to 1932, with the Wain and Naysmith name dating from 1981
- Based in Parsonage Chambers, built in 1911 and a registered historic building, owned by the firm since 1974
- Nine lawyers led by three directors
- Second office in Picton, attended by appointment
- Former partner Fergus Paterson was the last Blenheim resident Crown Solicitor and later Chief District Court Judge
Location & Contact
Name: Wain & Naysmith
Address: 125 High Street, Blenheim
Phone: 03 520 6103
Website: wainlaw.co.nz
4Hardy-Jones Clark
Hardy-Jones Clark traces its origin to 1865, making it the oldest practice line in Marlborough, and now works from Level 2 of Youell House on Hutcheson Street. The team is led by partners Stephanie Ginders, Jodi Harris and Campbell Lauder, supported by consultants, solicitors and three legal executives. It also holds a Notary Public appointment, which matters for documents intended for use overseas.
Services
- Commercial law
- Litigation and dispute resolution
- Employment law
- Property law and relationship property
- Rural law, trusts, wills and estates
Highlights
- Firm origin dated to 1865, when founder Edward Tennyson-Connolly began practising after arriving in Picton
- Its founder was the first president of the Marlborough District Law Society, later Attorney-General and a Supreme Court judge
- Three current partners plus two consultants, across lawyers and legal executives
- Holds a Notary Public appointment alongside the barrister and solicitor practice
Location & Contact
Name: Hardy-Jones Clark
Address: Level 2, Youell House, 1 Hutcheson Street, Blenheim 7201
Phone: 03 578 5339
Website: hjc.co.nz
5Lundons Law
Lundons Law was founded in 1991 by solicitor John Lundon and now covers Marlborough and Kaikōura under directors Steve Riley and Simon Gaines. It has a strong viticulture practice covering grape supply contracts, land development and subdivision, and resource management for water permits and discharge consents. Simon Gaines has appeared everywhere from the Family Court through to the Court of Appeal and the Environment Court.
Services
- Property law and conveyancing
- Separation, divorce and relationship property
- Trusts, wills and estates
- Commercial and business law, including viticulture
- Resource management, environmental law and employment
Highlights
- Founded in 1991, with Steve Riley taking over the firm in 2007
- Director Simon Gaines is an Associate Member of the Arbitrators and Mediators Institute of New Zealand
- Dedicated viticulture practice covering supply contracts, subdivision and water permit consents
- Simon Gaines is a past board member of Community Law Marlborough and Marlborough REAP Aotearoa
Location & Contact
Name: Lundons Law
Address: 33 Queen Street, Blenheim
Phone: 03 578 9988
Website: lundonslaw.com
How to Choose the Right Lawyer in Blenheim
- Match the firm to the matter, because a conveyancing purchase, a relationship property split and an Environment Court appearance call for quite different experience.
- Ask about viticulture or aquaculture experience if your matter touches either, since both are specialised and Marlborough firms differ considerably in how much of it they do.
- Ask who will actually handle your file, as the partner you meet is not always the person doing the work, and that is fine as long as you know.
- Get the fee basis in writing before instructing, whether hourly, fixed or estimated, along with what happens if the matter becomes more complex.
- Check whether you need a Notary Public if documents are going overseas, because not every firm holds the appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Blenheim Lawyers
Is anyone allowed to call themselves a lawyer?
No. Lawyer, barrister and solicitor are restricted titles under the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act 2006, and only people holding a current practising certificate may use them. You can check whether someone is entitled to practise through the New Zealand Law Society, which maintains the register and handles complaints.
What does a lawyer cost in Blenheim?
Fees are usually hourly, fixed for defined work such as a conveyance or a will, or estimated for a larger matter. Firms must give you information about fees in writing at the outset under the client care rules. Ask for the estimate and what would cause it to change, because that is where surprises come from.
Do I need a lawyer to buy a house?
Effectively yes. Conveyancing involves checking title, reviewing the sale and purchase agreement, handling the deposit and settling the transaction, and mistakes are expensive and difficult to unwind. Several Blenheim firms describe conveyancing as a core part of their practice.
What is a Notary Public and do I need one?
A Notary Public certifies documents for use in other countries, which is different from an ordinary witnessing or a Justice of the Peace certification. If you are dealing with overseas property, immigration or foreign court documents, you may need one. At least one Blenheim firm holds the appointment.
Can a firm act for both sides?
Generally not where there is a conflict of interest, which is common in family, relationship property and commercial matters. Firms are required to check for conflicts before taking instructions. In a small district this comes up more than you might expect, so raise it early if the other party has local connections.
What if I have a complaint about my lawyer?
Raise it with the firm first, since every practice must have a complaints procedure. If that does not resolve it, the Lawyers Complaints Service run by the New Zealand Law Society investigates independently and it is free to complain.
Is legal aid available in Marlborough?
Yes, for some criminal, family and civil matters, subject to a means test and to the lawyer holding a legal aid approval. Not every firm takes legal aid work, so ask when you first make contact. Eligibility and the application process are explained by the Ministry of Justice.
How long does a straightforward matter take?
A simple will can be a couple of weeks including the drafting appointment. A conveyance runs to the settlement date agreed in the contract. Litigation and Environment Court matters take months or longer, and anyone promising you speed in those is best treated with caution.