Andrew & Juenith McIntosh, Barristers & Solicitors (registered as Sydenham Law Ltd) is a long-established Christchurch law firm operating from 52 Battersea Street in Sydenham since the late 1980s, having begun practising in February 1985 from the former Westpac Bank premises in the same suburb. Founded by husband-and-wife team Andrew and Juenith McIntosh, the firm has remained in the same Sydenham location for decades.
The firm focuses on residential property transactions (conveyancing), commercial transactions, wills and estate administration, and enduring powers of attorney. It describes itself as small in size, allowing for tailored and personalised legal service without sacrificing expertise, and says it deliberately avoids heavy advertising, relying instead on client satisfaction.
Despite significant setbacks from the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes and the passing of co-founder Andrew McIntosh, the firm has continued serving both new and long-standing clients. Juenith McIntosh remains principal solicitor, supported by solicitor Nikita McIntosh, Registered Legal Executive Suzanne Coumbe, and Legal Assistant and Trust Accountant Heydon McIntosh. Clients based outside Christchurch, or who prefer not to visit in person, can arrange remote appointments by Zoom, FaceTime or Skype, with most legal paperwork now able to be signed remotely.
Few Christchurch law firms can trace their history back as far as Andrew & Juenith McIntosh, Barristers & Solicitors. The firm began in February 1985, when husband-and-wife team Andrew and Juenith McIntosh started practising law from the premises of the former Westpac Bank in Sydenham. By the late 1980s they had shifted across the street to 52 Battersea Street, which remains the firm's home today.
Over more than thirty years, the firm — registered as Sydenham Law Ltd — has built a substantial client base while overseeing significant changes to both the legal sector and the New Zealand property market. The firm says its philosophy has stayed constant throughout: honest legal services at a fair price, delivered with an easygoing atmosphere rather than stuffy formality.
The firm's core areas are residential property transactions, commercial transactions, wills and estate administration, and enduring powers of attorney. On the residential side, the team assists with every step of a purchase or sale, including reviewing auction particulars before a client bids, preparing agreements for private sales, and handling mortgage refinancing. On the commercial side, they help clients setting up, buying or selling a business, as well as commercial property sales, purchases and leases.
Wills and estate work is treated as a priority area, with the firm aiming to make creating or updating a will, and handling the requirements of an estate, as stress-free as possible. Enduring powers of attorney are also a significant part of the practice, something the firm notes is now required when moving into a retirement village, as well as providing peace of mind that the right decisions will be made if a person becomes legally incapable of making them.
The firm has not been without its challenges. The 2011 Christchurch earthquakes brought significant losses, and the firm also navigated the passing of co-founder Andrew McIntosh. Despite this, it has continued to serve both new and long-standing clients from the same Sydenham office.
Juenith McIntosh remains principal solicitor, handling the majority of client appointments after more than 30 years in the profession. She is joined by solicitor Nikita McIntosh, who has practised with the firm since 2014 and focuses on powers of attorney, estate administration and conveyancing. Suzanne Coumbe, a Registered Legal Executive who joined in 2013, is highly experienced in conveyancing transactions and assists with settlements. Heydon McIntosh works as Legal Assistant and Trust Accountant, managing the firm's trust account, client deeds and IT systems.
Clients don't need to be based in Christchurch to work with the firm — remote appointments are available via Zoom, FaceTime or Skype, and most legal paperwork can now be signed remotely. For those visiting in person, the Battersea Street office has on-street parking nearby, and staff can assist clients with mobility needs if notified ahead of an appointment.