Q2 2026 · Updated quarterly
What does NZ legal work
actually cost?
A public benchmark of common NZ legal jobs and what they cost across 30+ NZ law firms in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Bookmark it before your next quote.
Sample
33 firms
Boutique to top-tier, March 2026
Quotes collected
412
Anonymous mystery-shopper briefs
Coverage
8 work types
Most common SME and founder asks
| Legal job | Boutique firm | Mid-tier (e.g. Anthony Harper) | Top-tier (Russell McVeagh, Bell Gully, MinterEllisonRuddWatts) | Lexa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company incorporation + constitution | $650 – $950 | $1,200 – $1,800 | $1,800 – $2,800 | Included |
| Shareholders’ agreement (3 founders, vesting) | $1,800 – $2,400 | $2,500 – $3,500 | $3,500 – $5,500 | Included |
| Employment agreement + 90-day trial | $450 – $750 | $700 – $1,100 | $1,100 – $1,800 | Included |
| Contract review (single MSA, ~25 pages) | $400 – $700 | $700 – $1,200 | $1,200 – $2,200 | Included |
| Term sheet review + counter-redline | $1,200 – $1,800 | $2,000 – $3,200 | $3,500 – $6,000 | Included |
| Family trust deed + transfer | $1,500 – $2,200 | $2,400 – $3,400 | $3,500 – $5,500 | Included |
| Annual return filing | $200 – $350 | $350 – $550 | $500 – $800 | Included |
| Mutual NDA | $280 – $450 | $400 – $700 | $650 – $1,100 | Included |
Ranges shown are GST-exclusive, based on quotes collected via mystery-shopper briefs in March 2026. Firm names referenced for tier-context only — Lexa is not affiliated with any firm listed. “Included” covers AI generation, review, and filing on the relevant Lexa plan; complex matters may require lawyer marketplace escalation, billed pay-per-use.
From the field
What founders are paying.
What they wish they’d known.
“Our top-tier firm wanted $4,200 for a shareholders’ agreement. Lexa drafted one in 11 minutes that our advising lawyer signed off as ‘cleaner than what we’d have written’.”
Mereana T.
Co-founder, Wellington SaaS
“I was paying $850/month on a retainer that mostly answered emails. Now the AI handles 95% and I pay a fixed fee on the marketplace for the rest.”
James W.
Director, Auckland agency
“We benchmarked three firm quotes for an MSA review. Range was $680 to $1,950 for the same document. Lexa just did it in three minutes.”
Priya S.
COO, Christchurch logistics