Supervised Provider

Te āhuatunga a te tūranga/About the Role

The Public Defence Service (PDS) is looking a criminal lawyer who has a strong desire to develop their career in the specialist area of criminal advocacy. The successful candidate will join our Manukau PDS team.

You will need to be eligible for a practising certificate and interested in criminal law.

To be considered for this position, a copy of your academic transcript must accompany your application

This role would suit civil lawyers looking for a change, or those with previous experience as a registrar, police prosecutor, working for a barrister, community law centre, government department etc.

You will find challenge and satisfaction with a varied caseload, including trials and appearances. You will have expert and talented colleagues around who will mentor you and support your development to the next level of your career. The PDS is well known for its comprehensive professional development programme in criminal litigation and is considered an excellent training ground and full of opportunities for a successful legal career.

He pūkenga tou/Skills and Experience

To be successful you must:

• Be admitted to the New Zealand Bar, or will be within two months of application.
• Be passionate about criminal justice issues.
• Be qualified to practice law in New Zealand.

You will be developing an ability to build credibility with judges, peers and others in the legal community. As an important member of a close-knit team you will enjoy exchanging ideas and brainstorming. You will have empathy and the ability to relate to a wide range of people. This is a challenging but truly satisfying job, and our lawyers love what they do.

Mō te tīma/About our Team

At Te Tāhū o te Ture - the Ministry of Justice, we're committed to strengthening people's trust in the law of Aotearoa, New Zealand.

The Public Defence Service (PDS) is part of the Ministry of Justice and the wider justice sector. The Ministry provides centralised business services, infrastructure, and support to the work of the PDS.

The PDS provides high quality legal advice and representation in a full range of criminal cases. Aimed at helping people access justice, the PDS promotes the values of respect, integrity, service and the delivery of excellent service to its clients.

Joining Te Tāhū o te Ture means you will become part of an organisation that welcomes and supports people of all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, disabilities, and religions.

He aha ngā painga o tēnei mahi mōu/Why you will enjoy working here

We will provide you with:

• Access to a well-designed and embedded national training programme,
• Professional development and opportunities to attend conferences
• A professional supervision programme
• A laptop and mobile phone

See our full range of benefits here.

Utu ā-tau/Salary

The appointing salary for this role will be between $65,015 and $89,934 based on skills and experience.

Tono mai/How to Apply

To apply, click the Apply button below to be directed to our Careers Website. You can view a detailed position description here, as well as complete an online application form by attaching your CV and cover letter.

Applications close on 21 January, however we will be reviewing CV's as they come in and inviting successful candidates to interview before the close date.

If you have any questions, please contact recruitment@justice.govt.nz