History
Arthur Henry Churton
Andrie Hart
Les Divers
John Morrison Melville
Harold Brainsby
| 1903 | The firm was established by John Morrison Melville who practised on his own account for many years. |
| 1920’s | John Melville took in two partners and the firm became known as Melville Ferner & Brown. Ray Ferner was subsequently appointed a stipendiary magistrate and the firm reverted to a sole practice under the name J M Melville. |
| 1935 | John Melville formed a company called New Zealand Forest Products. |
| 1937 | Arthur Henry Churton admitted to the partnership and the firms name changed to Melville Churton. |
| 1938 | John Melville and Arthur Churton were joined by Jock Cairns in partnership. At that time Jock Cairns was a resident partner at a branch office in Mangataroto. After the end of World War II, Jock Cairns resigned and later was a senior partner of the firm Cairns Slane in Auckland. |
| 1952 | Harold Brainsby joined the practice. Harold had a background as a journalist for the Auckland Star and had represented New Zealand at the 1934 Empire Games in London. |
| 1959 | John Melville died, working in the firm until his death. |
| 1962 | The firm became known as Churton Brainsby & Hart upon the admission to the partnership of Andrie Hart. |
| 1975 | Upon the death of Harold Brainsby, Les Divers joined the partnership as the partner responsible for litigation. |
| 1979 | The firm was expanded by the addition of Phillip Wong as a principal. |
| 1987 | Arthur Churton died, working until the day he died. |
| 1999 | Phillip Wong resigned from the partnership, Andrie Hart became a consultant and the firm name was changed back to Churton Hart & Divers. At the same time the practice became based in Highland Park after occupying premises in the General Buildings in Shortland Street for the previous 60 years. |
| 2014 | Incorporated to trade as Churton Hart & Divers Limited and Ross Sly and Michele Lu joined Les Divers as directors. |
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