✨Lexy Twomey
★★★★★
in the last week · via Google
Purnell Creighton (incorporating Ralph Thompson Shaw & Thompson)
Family • Administrative/Public • Arbitration Law Firm
Canterbury, New Zealand
3 lawyers on our register data
3.9
Based on 23 Google reviews. View on Google Maps
About Purnell Creighton (incorporating Ralph Thompson Shaw & Thompson)
Purnell Creighton (incorporating Ralph Thompson Shaw & Thompson) is a New Zealand law firm operating in Canterbury. The firm has 3 lawyers registered with the New Zealand Law Society and practises in family, administrative/public, arbitration and other areas.
Each lawyer's NZ Law Society registration can be verified via the lawyer's profile below. LawyerFinder NZ is a directory; we do not provide legal advice. Contact the firm directly to discuss your matter.
Review summary
Purnell Creighton has received mixed feedback across its recent reviews. Multiple recent reviewers reported significant dissatisfaction, citing delays in completing work, difficulty following client instructions, and concerns about how staff engaged with clients—notably in family law matters. One reviewer reported that a staff member named Sally dismissed a client's prospects early in a custody case without adequate fact-gathering, which the reviewer felt was unprofessional and judgmental. Overall, the firm's responsiveness and client communication approach appear to be recurring concerns among those who have given low ratings.
Generated from 5 Google reviews and NZ Law Society register data. Synthesised by Claude Haiku — not legal advice or our editorial judgement. View source reviews on Google Maps.
Why consider Purnell Creighton (incorporating Ralph Thompson Shaw & Thompson)?
Rated 3.9 on Google
Based on 23 reviews via Google
15 areas listed
Listed by its lawyers on the register, including Family, Administrative/Public, Arbitration
Based in Canterbury
Canterbury
Areas of Practice
Family
Administrative/Public
Arbitration
Bank/Finance
Civil Litigation
Company/Commercial
Criminal
Employment
Insurance
Lending Activities
Media Law
Mediation
Privacy Law
Property
Trusts and Estates
Recent client reviews
Showing the 5 most-recent reviews for Purnell Creighton (incorporating Ralph Thompson Shaw & Thompson) sourced from Google. View all on Google Maps.
Tania Thornicroft
★★★★★
2 weeks ago · via Google
Jamie Chinnery
★★★★★
a month ago · via Google
Pretty much the same experience as the last few reviews. Thanks forever to do anything ad cant follow clients instructions
Jason hoper
★★★★★
a year ago · via Google
Adele Millane
★★★★★
a year ago · via Google
Woooooow, my brother is currently in a custody battle and has found a great lawyer after being completely dismissed by these lawyers. Sally from this law firm rung my brother to let him know he doesn’t stand a chance which I find unprofessional because they hardly got to know him, he made his own incentive to start parenting courses and start the removal of his face tattoos to prove in the face of JUDGEMENTAL people like Sally that he can be a good father as he’s already been that’s why he gets his child for the entire holidays! Absolutely atrocious behaviour. The person my brother is fighting…
Frequently asked questions
How much does a family lawyer cost at Purnell Creighton (incorporating Ralph Thompson Shaw & Thompson)? ▾
Hourly rates typically run $250 – $500. Uncontested dissolution is commonly handled on a fixed fee of $1,500 – $3,000. Contested parenting or relationship-property matters move to hourly billing and can exceed $10,000 over the life of the matter. For Purnell Creighton (incorporating Ralph Thompson Shaw & Thompson) specifically, request a written engagement letter — fees vary by lawyer seniority and matter complexity. Use the contact details above to ask for a quote.
How much does a business lawyer cost at Purnell Creighton (incorporating Ralph Thompson Shaw & Thompson)? ▾
Hourly rates run $300 – $700, with senior commercial partners higher. Standard company formation is $800 – $1,500. Small-business sale and purchase transactions typically run $3,000 – $10,000 in legal fees per side. For Purnell Creighton (incorporating Ralph Thompson Shaw & Thompson) specifically, request a written engagement letter — fees vary by lawyer seniority and matter complexity. Use the contact details above to ask for a quote.
How much does a criminal lawyer cost at Purnell Creighton (incorporating Ralph Thompson Shaw & Thompson)? ▾
A guilty plea on a minor matter is commonly $1,500 – $3,500. A defended District Court hearing runs $5,000 – $15,000. Category 3 jury trials start at $15,000 and can exceed $50,000. The duty lawyer scheme covers first appearances at no cost. For Purnell Creighton (incorporating Ralph Thompson Shaw & Thompson) specifically, request a written engagement letter — fees vary by lawyer seniority and matter complexity. Use the contact details above to ask for a quote.
How much does an employment lawyer cost at Purnell Creighton (incorporating Ralph Thompson Shaw & Thompson)? ▾
Hourly rates run $250 – $500. Raising a personal grievance is commonly a $600 – $1,500 fixed fee. Mediation representation is $1,500 – $4,000. An ERA hearing typically runs $5,000 – $15,000 depending on complexity. For Purnell Creighton (incorporating Ralph Thompson Shaw & Thompson) specifically, request a written engagement letter — fees vary by lawyer seniority and matter complexity. Use the contact details above to ask for a quote.
Our Legal Team
Timothy John Twomey
15 SpecializationsCanterbury, Christchurch
Practice Areas:
Administrative/Public Arbitration Bank/Finance Company/Commercial +11 more
Roger Shaw Simes
1 SpecializationCanterbury, Christchurch
Practice Areas:
Family
Sally Ruth Buckenham
1 SpecializationCanterbury, Christchurch
Practice Areas:
Family
Firm Information
📍 Office Locations
- • Canterbury, New Zealand
👥 Legal Team
3 lawyers listed
⚖️ Practice Areas
15 Areas of Legal Expertise
📞 Contact Information
3 of 3 held a practising certificate on the register on 19 September 2026.
Contact Purnell Creighton (incorporating Ralph Thompson Shaw & Thompson)
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We hold 3 NZ Law Society register entries for Purnell Creighton (incorporating Ralph Thompson Shaw & Thompson), in Canterbury. Its lawyers list Family, Administrative/Public, Arbitration among their areas of practice.
Areas of practice on the register are self-selected and the Law Society does not accredit them. When choosing a firm, ask who will handle your matter, how many similar matters they have handled, and for a written fee estimate.
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Source & machine-readable surface
Data sourced from the New Zealand Law Society register . LawyerFinder NZ is a directory and lead-generation service; we do not provide legal advice.