Dunedin Lawyers
Genuine, Invested, Effective
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Pono, Ngākaunui, Whaihua
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Genuine, Invested, Effective • Pono, Ngākaunui, Whaihua •
Staley Cardoza is a boutique law firm located in the heart of Dunedin, in the lower Octagon.
Genuine, Invested, Effective
•
Pono, Ngākaunui, Whaihua
•
Genuine, Invested, Effective • Pono, Ngākaunui, Whaihua •
We believe that being a great lawyer begins with making clients feel comfortable and understanding what matters most to you.
We prioritise putting you and good results at the heart of everything we do.
Staley Cardoza has been a trusted team of lawyers Dunedin locals turn to since 1998, when Susie Staley and Rachel Cardoza unwittingly founded what became Otago's first all-women legal partnership. We have built a reputation for trusted legal advice, strong client relationships, and effective outcomes for clients throughout Dunedin, Otago and Aotearoa.
Nearly three decades on, our values remain the same and the firm continues to offer pragmatic and effective advice, and we're pleased to welcome new faces to the team.
Our New Partners
Staley Cardoza welcomes Julie Mander and Matthew Joyce as new Partners to the Firm.
Julie has a background in estates, trusts, charity, governance, property, asset protection, elder law, and alternative dispute resolution.
Previous roles include managing a busy Trusts and Estates Team and managing the legal services unit as the senior lawyer at Trustees Executors Limited (since acquired by Perpetual Guardian).
Matt has worked in a number of different practice areas and has learnt that all clients value good communication and “to the point” advice. He is known for cutting through irrelevant detail and will quickly get to the heart of an issue and explain what matters, what doesn’t, and what needs to happen next. Matt is a people person and will treat your job with efficiency and care, no matter how big or small it is.
Julie and Matt join a team of experienced solicitors Dunedin clients have relied on for estate planning, property and commercial matters for more than 25 years. We are pleased to demonstrate strong succession planning in our own business, but we are not seeking to become a big firm. Being a smaller firm enables us to know and understand what matters most to our clients and helps us to achieve great results.
Our Services
Our experienced team provides effective, high-quality legal services across commercial and property law, trusts and estates, family law, dispute resolution, and more, supporting businesses and individuals across all sectors.
Whether you’re expanding a business, managing property matters, planning your estate, working through family changes, or needing legal advice, let’s talk.
Finding the right law firm Dunedin offers is about more than convenience. You want a team that understands your circumstances and provides practical, straightforward advice. At Staley Cardoza, we help individuals, families, and businesses across Otago with residential and commercial property, wills, trusts, relationship property matters, and a wide range of other legal services. We've built a strong reputation as one of the law firms Dunedin clients return to.
Our office has been based in the lower Octagon for more than 25 years, making us easy to visit if you're in central Dunedin. We also offer remote consultations for clients throughout Otago. We understand discretion and we are regularly engaged by clients outside of Dunedin who need assistance in relation to sensitive or difficult matters. Whether you need trusted Dunedin lawyers for a one-off matter or ongoing legal support, our experienced team is here to help.
Our friendly team welcomes enquiries.
We value the client relationships we build.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Staley Cardoza combines nearly three decades of local experience with a genuinely personal approach. We’re known for clear communication, practical advice, and specialist experience in estates, trusts and dispute resolution.
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Connection and understanding: Our reputation has been built on lasting relationships, practical advice, and consistent service. We have come to understand our clients and what matters to them.
Technical knowledge combined with pragmatic advice: We know the law. If we don’t operate effectively in any area of law, we will say so and work with you to find the right expertise. We are also practical and we understand most clients are interested in outcomes. This shapes our advice.
Longevity and consistency: Staley Cardoza was founded in 1998, and the firm has built its reputation over more than 25 years in the same part of the city. As a law firm Dunedin has trusted through changes in ownership, staff and even the legal industry itself, we’ve kept the same focus: understand what the client actually needs, then give direct advice on how to get there.
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If you need to find a lawyer in Dunedin, it helps to check a few things first:
Whether lawyers are invested in the outcome
Whether you are comfortable with lawyers and with their approach
How clearly they communicate and how quickly they respond to questions
Whether you can get a straightforward answer to any questions you have
Whether the firm has genuine experience with matters in your specific region, not just a general practice
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The team includes lawyers in Dunedin working across commercial and property law, family law, and dispute resolution.
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Word of mouth and a track record in the specific area you need are the two best signs. Julie is a lawyer Dunedin residents turn to for wills, trusts and asset protection, having previously managed the Trusts and Estates team and legal services unit at Trustees Executors Limited before it was acquired by Perpetual Guardian. That background matters more than a generic search result when you’re planning something as important as your estate.
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The firm covers most of what individuals and businesses in Otago are likely to need, including:
Commercial and property law, including conveyancing and business transactions
Company law
Property law
Trusts law
Estate planning and asset protection
Estate administration
Family law, including relationship property and care of children arrangements
Elder law
Alternative Dispute Resolution, negotiation, and mediation
Most matters can be managed without needing to bring in an outside firm.
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Our office is located in the lower Octagon in the heart of Dunedin, making it convenient for clients across the city.
We also regularly work with clients throughout Otago and across Aotearoa by phone and video, so distance doesn't have to get in the way of good legal advice