Short Story Series: 100 Years of Legal Practice - What Actually Builds Client Trust in Law Firms

Karunn Shahani

Principal Lawyer and Managing Director

It’s Always About People

100 years of client files teaches you something.

Turns out, it’s always about people.

Learning From a Century of Practice

When we acquired Miller Noyce Lawyers in 2024, we took a close look at what made a firm last 100 years.

The traits that built strong client relationships in 1924 are the same ones that matter today.

What Hasn’t Changed Since 1924

  • Responsiveness

  • Plain language

  • Accountability

No one in 1924 wanted a lawyer who disappeared for two weeks and sent back a letter full of Latin.

Nothing has changed.

How the Legal Industry Has Changed

The legal industry looks completely different now.

AI and technology, specialisation, fee structures, the way matters are run. All of it has shifted.

But clients still remember how you made them feel, not the file number or the clause reference.

What Clients Actually Remember

They remember whether you picked up the phone.

Whether you explained things clearly.

Whether you owned a mistake.

Reputation Is Built Over Time

Reputation in a specialist area compounds over time.

When a firm has been trusted with significant property and estate matters across multiple generations of the same family, that’s not marketing.

That’s the result of doing the work properly, consistently, for a very long time.

What a Century of Practice Teaches You

Running a firm with that kind of history sharpens your thinking.

You stop chasing shortcuts.

You focus on the things that actually hold up:

  • Being available

  • Being direct

  • Being accountable for the outcome

Consistency over 100 years.

That’s the whole practice.

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What our customers say

The best! Amanda and Andy were a wonderful source of professional advice from start to finish regarding the sale of my property. Super responsive and proactively managed every step of the process, which was so important as this was my first property sale. My estate agent also commented on how efficiently the contract for sale was provided, along with Amanda and Andy's responsiven...

KB

Google

7 months ago

Alan was amazing! He guided us through buying our first property with such care and expertise. He knew exactly what requests and changes to make in the contracts to best protect and benefit us. We couldn’t recommend him highly enough!

Keeley May

Google

7 months ago

I had an excellent experience with Alan and Pamela during my recent property purchase. They were always available to answer questions, very clear in their communication, and incredibly helpful throughout the entire process. Their professionalism and attention to detail made everything smooth and stress-free. I’d highly recommend them to anyone looking for reliable and friendly so...

Manny Paulo

Google

8 months ago

My recent down-sizing involves the selling of a property and the buying of a new one at the same time. The whole process was a smooth and pleasant one, thanks to the help of Thornton + King Law Services. In particular I wish to thank Amanda Chik, my Solicitor for her detailed explanations of the contracts, and Andy Habib, the Conveyancing Manager, for his prompt and professional ...

Chiu Keung Ng

Google

8 months ago

Vanessa and Andy are both highly experienced, professional and extremely helpful. They made the process of selling my property seamless. I have no hesitation recommending or using them again in the future.

Brooke Tesoriero

Google

9 months ago

I wanted to express my sincere gratitude for all the hard work, time, and expertise that Amanda and her team put into our property settlement. Their attention to detail, clear communication, and persistence made what could have been a stressful process so much smoother and less daunting for us. We truly appreciate the extra effort you went to on our behalf — it didn’t go unnotic...

Lena Wang

Google

10 months ago

Vanessa and Andy made the process of buying my first home extremely easy and simple to understand. They were always available to answer any questions I had and to help me troubleshoot any problems I had. Can highly recommend them whether it is your first home or you’ve done it all before.

Niall Oates

Google

10 months ago

I cannot thank Sarah Newman, and Andy, at Thornton and King enough for their incredible support over the past six months. The settlement of my property was long, drawn-out, and at times quite tedious—but throughout the entire process, they were consistently professional, prompt, and reassuring. Sarah and Andy were always available to answer my questions, explain things clearly, a...

Shelley Robertson

Google

11 months ago

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