About us

We’ve been East Auckland’s local law firm since the 1960s — three generations of families, homeowners, and business owners have trusted us with the decisions that matter.

Most people don’t call a lawyer often. When they do, it’s usually a turning point: buying a first home, sorting a will, growing a business, or working through a separation. Our job is to make that moment feel manageable — plain-English advice, straight answers on cost, and someone who picks up the phone.

We work from two offices — Kohimarama and East Tamaki — both with on-site parking, ground-floor access, and a disability park at the door. In 2023 we welcomed the clients of Willis & Co, and we’ve looked after them the same way we look after everyone: personally.

No jargon. No bill shock. Just good advice from people who live and work where you do.

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Dawsons Lawyers is the trading name of the incorporated law firm Dawsons Lawyers Limited, a limited liability company registered in New Zealand (incorporation number 8125116)

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Good company and great conversation at the Law Association East Auckland lawyers' lunch. Always a pleasure to connect with our fellow legal professionals across East Auckland. Pictured (left to right): Chris Chak, Parisa Feyz, Sammie Harris, Claire
The legal side of retiring is the part people forget, and it is far easier to sort while life is calm than in the middle of a health scare. Claire's new piece for Verve is a five-point checklist: review your will, set up enduring powers of attorney,
Myth: assets in a trust are automatically safe. Not quite. A trust only protects what it holds if it is run properly. One that is never reviewed, with no meetings and no records, can be looked through if it is ever challenged. That is only one reas
What a morning at the Bays Kids Market. Our team loved meeting so many local families, spinning the prize wheel, and chatting about how we help protect what matters most. A special mention to all the young entrepreneurs who ran their own stalls with
"Should we put the house in a trust?" We get asked this every week. The Trusts Act changed the rules. Trustees now have legal duties they can't opt out of, beneficiaries have a right to information, and running a trust properly takes work
Did you know getting married can cancel your existing will? It's one of five life events that quietly change what your will actually does, and most people miss at least one. New article on the blog covers all five, including the separation trap that
MYTH: "My partner automatically gets everything." Not if you have children, and possibly not at all if you've been together less than three years. The rules surprise almost everyone. Our guide explains it all - link in bio.
MYTH: "Wills are for wealthy people." A will isn't about how much you have. It's about who raises your children, who makes decisions, and keeping your family out of court. If you're an adult, you need one.
"We'll sort it out when the time comes" is not an estate plan. If you die without a will in NZ, a legal formula decides who inherits, and it may not be who you think. Our updated guide explains it in plain English (no jargon, promise). Link