Bell Gully vs Buddle Findlay:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, Buddle Findlay had more branded searches than Bell Gully among large commercial law firms in New Zealand. Buddle Findlay was estimated to have 3.5K branded searches compared to Bell Gully’s 3K, and held a 15.1% Share of Search versus Bell Gully’s 13%.
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Which is more popular in search, Bell Gully or Buddle Findlay?
Compare the largest commercial law firms advising businesses and government in New Zealand, using branded searches made in New Zealand. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for Buddle Findlay, Bell Gully. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Russell McVeagh | Buddle Findlay | Chapman Tripp | Simpson Grierson | Bell Gully | MinterEllisonRuddWatts | Dentons | DLA Piper |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 15.3% | 13.2% | 13.8% | 15.4% | 13.3% | 12.5% | 11.2% | 5.2% |
| Nov 2025 | 18.1% | 12.7% | 14.9% | 14.7% | 12.9% | 11.2% | 10.3% | 5% |
| Dec 2025 | 15.7% | 13.6% | 15.8% | 15.9% | 12.8% | 12.1% | 10.1% | 4.1% |
| Jan 2026 | 16.4% | 13.8% | 12.9% | 15.9% | 16.5% | 10.6% | 9% | 5% |
| Feb 2026 | 16.6% | 13.9% | 13.6% | 13.6% | 13.6% | 12.7% | 10.3% | 5.7% |
| Mar 2026 | 13.9% | 13.8% | 13.6% | 13.9% | 14.4% | 11% | 9.9% | 9.3% |
| Apr 2026 | 15.1% | 12.6% | 14.6% | 14.6% | 15.4% | 11.6% | 9.8% | 6.4% |
| May 2026 | 14.2% | 12.4% | 14% | 14.2% | 17.8% | 11.6% | 10.5% | 5.3% |
| Jun 2026 | 15.5% | 13.8% | 13% | 15.4% | 14.5% | 11.6% | 10.2% | 6% |
| Jul 2026 | 16.7% | 14.1% | 13.6% | 16.3% | 14.3% | 10.6% | 7.8% | 6.5% |
| Aug 2026 | 15.7% | 15.1% | 15.1% | 14.9% | 13% | 11.7% | 8.7% | 6% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Bell Gully and Buddle Findlay comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- The lead changed hands 5 times in the 11 months ending August 2026: Buddle Findlay took it in December 2025, Bell Gully took it in January 2026, Buddle Findlay took it in February 2026, Bell Gully took it in March 2026, Buddle Findlay took it in August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Bell Gully’s estimated Share of Search among large commercial law firms in New Zealand moved from 13.3% to 13%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 3K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Buddle Findlay’s estimated Share of Search among large commercial law firms in New Zealand moved from 13.2% to 15.1%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 2.9K to 3.5K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand large commercial law firms in August 2026?
3 changes

In August 2026, Buddle Findlay overtook Bell Gully to rank 2nd among large commercial law firms in New Zealand, at 15.1%.

In August 2026, Chapman Tripp overtook Bell Gully to rank 3rd among large commercial law firms in New Zealand, at 15.1%.

In August 2026, Bell Gully lost estimated Share of Search among large commercial law firms in New Zealand, from 14.3% to 13%.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Bell Gully’s and Buddle Findlay’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Bell Gully
7 branded search terms
- Bell Gully
- bell gully auckland
- bell gully christchurch
- bell gully law firm
- bell gully lawyers
- bell gully nz
- bell gully wellington
Buddle Findlay
6 branded search terms
- Buddle Findlay
- buddle findlay auckland
- buddle findlay chch
- buddle findlay christchurch
- buddle findlay lawyers
- buddle findlay wellington

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