A highly respected east Auckland legal firm that’s practiced for 122 years is becoming a large “jewel” in the branches of quickly expanding Shortall Lawyers.
Aspirational managing director Andrew Shortall, who started his practice in 2018, now has four offices in the Howick ward with the recent acquisition of the renowned firm, Churton Hart and Divers, in Aviemore Drive, Highland Park.
Shortall is an east Auckland local by origin, having grown up in the area attending Howick schools, and going on to study law at the University of Auckland.
He says growing the business into east Auckland has been an “ambition” and he’s “always admired Les and Michele’s firm Churton Hart and Divers”, referring to its longstanding leadership, Les Divers and Michele Lu.
Shortall describes CHD as “a real jewel” legal firm in east Auckland.
“What spoke volumes was, Les is renowned for his ethics and values, and Michele too. We have equivalent values.
“That’s what made the difference, both in terms of client base and how we treat each other. That’s what’s been critical and special,” he says.
Divers says: “Our business has had a presence in this area since the 1970s. The firm itself has been going since 1903.
“We have a very large and loyal local client base. We wish to continue a presence in the area and that’s one of the advantages of the arrangement we’ve reached with Shortall Lawyers.
“Our team here remains intact, we remain practicing from our Highland Park premises, and I will be around for the foreseeable future.”
Shortall says: “We can really benefit from Les and Michele and the team’s skills, experience and contacts.”
Head office for Shortall Lawyers is in Ormiston Road, and there are offices near Ormiston Hospital at Botany Junction, on Ti Rakau Drive, and now Aviemore Drive.
“We intend to continue with those four offices because it gives us maximum visibility, exposure and footprint across the area.
“It comes down to our ethics, values, efficiency and service. We take that time to build that relationship with our clients. To have their trust,” Shortall says.
“We want to be there for the long-term. My mantra is ‘clients for life’. We want to look after the client, their children and their grandchildren.
“That will only happen if they’re satisfied and we understand where they’re coming from, what they want to achieve, and we add value to them ultimately.
“I take a very personal interest in my clients. We’re not just transactional.
“Hopefully, the clients will see the firm is having sufficient weight and structure that we’re not a small operation, that we have the benefit of size and scale – knowledge and expertise, resources – and that gives them confidence.”
Shortall Lawyers are experts in all legal matters, specialising in general practice.
“We want to offer the full spectrum of services to our clients.”
Divers says: “One of the things we’re increasingly engaged with is trusts – family trusts, charitable trusts. We act for a significant number of local organisations, clubs and charities and enjoy that engagement with the community.
“There’s satisfaction out of acting for successive generations of families.
“In the last two months I’ve been dealing with family members from two different families where this firm has acted for successive generations of each of those families for more than 120 years – in one case six generations.”
