Our History.

Thomas Bannatyne Gillies, a well-known lawyer and national politician, travelled on horseback from Otago to Auckland in 1865 and formed a legal practice with John Richmond. A bold character, Gillies gave his name to one of Auckland’s oldest streets, Gillies Avenue. He left the partnership in 1869 after being elected Superintendent of the Auckland Province, later becoming a Supreme Court judge. Edwin Hesketh joined in 1870, and the firm became Hesketh Richmond—when Auckland’s population was around 12,000.

The Hesketh family were deeply involved in the Anglican Church. Edwin served as St Mark’s Church organist and helped fundraise for a £90 pipe organ—destroyed in a 1935 fire. Two stained glass windows donated by the family in 1879, ‘Faith’ and ‘Hope’, miraculously survived and remain today. Hesketh Henry continues its close relationship with the Church.
 Edwin also rose to prominence for his sensational defence in a high-profile rape case, which led to national controversy and a rare judicial apology after public outcry.

Hesketh Richmond moved to the corner of Wyndham and Queen Streets, where the firm remained for 90 years. Over that time, the name evolved with changes in partnership but always retained the founding names—eventually returning to Hesketh Richmond.

George Paton (“G.P.”) Finlay moved from Te Kuiti to Auckland in 1924, starting a practice in the Gifford Building on Vulcan Lane and employing Alec Wilson as his clerk. Around the same time, Trevor Henry moved from Rotorua and later partnered with Fred McCarthy. After G.P.’s appointment as a Supreme (High) Court judge in 1943—he was knighted in 1955—Wilson joined Henry and McCarthy to form Wilson Henry & McCarthy.

With roots deep in Auckland, the firm’s connections extended widely. G.P. Finlay’s daughter, Mary, married Sir Thomas Harcourt Clarke Caughey—All Black and Managing Director of Smith & Caughey. In 1970, Richard Caughey joined Hesketh & Richmond as partner. The firm has proudly represented Smith & Caughey for decades and continues to do so today.

The Henry family became synonymous with legal excellence. Trevor Henry joined the judiciary in 1955 and was knighted in 1970, remaining active in law well into his 90s. His son, John Henry, became a partner in 1955, Queen’s Counsel in 1980, High Court judge in 1984, and Privy Councillor in 1996. In 2001 he was made a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, later converted to a knighthood.

After 90 years at Wyndham Street, Hesketh Richmond relocated to the Norwich Union Building. Sentiment travelled with them—including a bronze umbrella stand, a framed telephone exchange list, and letter books dating back to 1870. The New Zealand Herald captured it best: “That old bronze umbrella stand goes along too.

On 2 October 1986, Wilson Henry and Hesketh Richmond merged to become Hesketh Henry. The merger united strong litigation and commercial practices, and the chemistry worked—the firm grew quickly. After short stints at Kitchener Street and Shortland Street, Hesketh Henry moved to the HSBC Tower on Quay Street in 2013, where it remains today.

Today, Hesketh Henry brings together deep sector expertise and wide legal capability to help clients navigate the challenges and opportunities of a changing world. Evolving and adapting since our beginning, we continue to seek new ways to deliver clarity, insight, and excellence. That’s forward thinking.