Our History

Our History

Cruickshank Pryde has a proud history of operating as a leading law firm servicing the southern region.

In 1926 Thomas Rewi Pryde commenced practice in Invercargill as a sole practitioner. In 1932 his close friend George Cooper Cruickshank also commenced practice in Invercargill on his own account.

In 1939 on the outbreak of World War II, Tom Pryde and George Cruickshank formed a partnership that endured for over 60 years until their respective retirements from active practice in the 1980s.

For a number of years the firm was known as Cruickshank Pryde and Hay until the departure in 1970 of Ian Hay when the original name of Cruickshank Pryde was resumed.

In 1970 the founders were joined by Tom Pryde Junior, now a senior partner. Subsequently the old established Invercargill firm of Hall-Jones and Sons merged with the firm in 1985 and Gerard Hall-Jones became a partner of Cruickshank Pryde and his older brother Geoff a consultant to the firm.

Other partners and staff have joined through the years as the firm has grown and the practice has continued to expand, making it now one of the largest provincial firms in New Zealand.

On the 1st April 2016, John Bannerman, based in Gore joined the partnership, taking the current partners in the firm to 9, and increasing our presence in Eastern Southland.