Treadwell Gordon

Treadwell Gordon Lawyers delivering results since 1869. Your success is our success. The firm’s telephone number was 1 in Whanganui’s earliest telephone directory.

One of the Oldest...

In March 1869 CH Borlase arrived from Wellington to practice in Whanganui, before joining WH Barnicoat to form Borlase & Barnicoat. Meanwhile, W J Treadwell set up practice in 1892, and shortly after joined T Lloyd to form Treadwell & Lloyd. GS Gordon practised with C Burnett from 1904 to 1907.

1907 saw the firms come together and be known as Barnicoat Treadwell & Gordon. With Barnicoat passing away in 1909, the firm simply became Treadwell & Gordon. Three generations of Treadwells practised with the firm over 80 years. W J Treadwell was borough solicitor. His son C Treadwell joined in 1919 and practised until 1974, as City solicitor. His son J Treadwell joined in 1959, and carried on the family business until 1972. GS Gordon's career could be rightly described as the "Father of the Legal Profession in Whanganui". GS Gordon’s grandson Gordon Swan joined us in 1951 and is still here. His daughter Jeannie Warnock was appointed to the partnership in 1983, and now practises for a prominent Wellington firm. Three partners of Treadwell Gordon have been appointed as Judges. Bryan Haggitt was appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court in 1959, John Treadwell, a District Court Judge in 1972, and Michael Lance as a District Court Judge in 1988. In 1989 the firm widened its provincial links to merge with Coleman & Co, a long established Waverley firm. Jim Coleman has been practising in Whanganui with the firm since 2007. Since 2010 we’ve been growing in the region, merging with Flack Brown in 2014 and extending our offices to Taihape and Ohakune as well.

Land gets bought and sold, businesses get restructured, families grow and change, and wills don't always keep up.Our per...
06/09/2026

Land gets bought and sold, businesses get restructured, families grow and change, and wills don't always keep up.

Our personal law team works across wills, trusts, estates and conveyancing, and one of the most common things we come across is a will that suited someone's life years ago but no longer matches it.

If yours hasn't been looked at in years, now's a good time to check everything still works as intended.

Some estates are straightforward enough that families manage them without help.Frances says the estates that get complic...
31/08/2026

Some estates are straightforward enough that families manage them without help.

Frances says the estates that get complicated usually involve property, farming or business assets, family trusts, blended families, or beneficiaries who are hard to track down. Those are the situations where a wrong step early on causes real problems later, not because someone did something wrong on purpose, but because they didn't know what to look out for.

Her advice: if you're not sure which situation you're in, it's worth finding out before you start rather than after something's gone wrong.

Zeah joined Treadwell Gordon as a graduate still finding her feet. Now, she's built a career and a sense of belonging in...
26/08/2026

Zeah joined Treadwell Gordon as a graduate still finding her feet. Now, she's built a career and a sense of belonging in Whanganui.

24/08/2026

As a Replay - NZ Community Collection point, we're making it easier for our community to get involved.

When kids have access to the gear they need, they show up, participate, and local clubs stay alive. Replay helps make that happen, and so can you.

If you have gear gathering dust at home, drop it into your nearest Treadwell Gordon office before 31 August.

Probate is the High Court's formal confirmation that a will is valid and that the executor has authority to deal with th...
17/08/2026

Probate is the High Court's formal confirmation that a will is valid and that the executor has authority to deal with the estate.

Not every estate needs it. The threshold for when probate is required has recently increased from $15,000 to $40,000, so some smaller estates can be dealt with more simply. But whether it applies to a particular estate depends on the assets involved and what the banks or other institutions holding them require.

Stephanie says this is one area where people get caught out, often assuming probate isn't needed when it is, or the other way around. Getting advice early avoids the back and forth later.

Being an executor means someone has trusted you to carry out their wishes after they're gone.In practice, that's confirm...
10/08/2026

Being an executor means someone has trusted you to carry out their wishes after they're gone.

In practice, that's confirming the will, working out what the estate owns and owes, applying for probate if it's needed, paying off any debts, and distributing what's left according to the will. Along the way there are records to keep and beneficiaries to keep informed.

Rebecca says it sounds straightforward until you're the one doing it. She's seen executors get caught out distributing assets too early or missing a step they didn't know mattered, which is often the point where families come to her for help.

Behind every estate we handle is a person guiding the family through it. Meet Rebecca Corson, Frances Slight and Stephan...
05/08/2026

Behind every estate we handle is a person guiding the family through it.

Meet Rebecca Corson, Frances Slight and Stephanie Scott. They work alongside Director Brittany Gibson and the wider team on wills and estate work whenever a matter calls for it, across all six of our offices.

We’re a Replay - NZ Community Collection point. Treadwell Gordon is proud to support Replay, helping keep kids active i...
03/08/2026

We’re a Replay - NZ Community Collection point.

Treadwell Gordon is proud to support Replay, helping keep kids active in our community by passing on new and used sports gear.

From now until 31 August if you have clean, good-condition sports equipment at home that’s no longer being used, drop it into your nearest Treadwell Gordon office.

Boots, balls, racquets, sticks, protective gear, bags - if it still has life left in it, it could help give local kids the opportunity to play, be active and get involved in their sport.

Let’s help reconnect sports gear with the kids who need it.

Applications for the Treadwell Gordon Garry Spooner Scholarship are open for 2026/27.The scholarship supports law studen...
02/08/2026

Applications for the Treadwell Gordon Garry Spooner Scholarship are open for 2026/27.

The scholarship supports law students with a connection to the Whanganui region. Applications close 30 August 2026.

Full details and how to apply:
www.treadwellgordon.co.nz/scholarship

Treadwell Gordon recently acted for the Elliot family on the transaction involving Chanel's investment in Lammermoor Sta...
27/07/2026

Treadwell Gordon recently acted for the Elliot family on the transaction involving Chanel's investment in Lammermoor Station, one of New Zealand's leading fine wool properties.

The work grew out of an established relationship, and when specialist advice was needed, the Elliots turned to a team who already understood their business and the character of the property.

Read the full article here:
https://www.treadwellgordon.co.nz/articles/advising-the-elliot-family-on-chanels-investment-in-lammermoor-station

Lammermoor Distillery

Address

Cnr Bates Street And Somme Parade
Whanganui
4500

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+6463490555

Website

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