Senior Solicitor | Wellington Region

Job Description

Senior Solicitor – Office of Legal Counsel

NZ Ministry of Justice,

Wellington City

Te Haeata/The Opportunity

We are seeking a Senior Solicitor to join our Legal Advice Team in the Office of Legal Counsel at the Ministry of Justice, Te Tāhū o te Ture. We are particularly interested to hear from applicants with commercial law experience.

We provide a broad range of specialist public law and commercial law advice across all areas of Ministry of Justice operations. 

We give legal advice about functions, powers, and duties relating to the Ministry's administration and support services for courts and tribunals, and other legal services provided by the Ministry. We advise on the Ministry's procurement, contracting, property, ICT, and other commercial activities. We oversee litigation and disputes that involve the Ministry or judicial officers. Our work often touches on constitutional and administrative law, information law, employment law, Crown-Māori legal issues, and civil and criminal procedure. Our team is responsible for advising Ministers on compensation claims for wrongful conviction and imprisonment, extradition requests, and the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act. Team members can typically expect to work across many of our subject areas.

We are a collegial and supportive team. The position is full-time, but we also welcome applications from people who may wish to work part-time. Our team supports flexible working. We are committed to building knowledge in te ao Māori and te reo Māori.

Ō pūkenga/Skills and Experience

To be successful in the roles you will:

• be eligible to hold a practising certificate,
• have experience providing legal advice of a high quality to internal and external clients, and
• demonstrate well developed communication and relationship management skills.

Mō mātou/About us

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.

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. 

Utu ā-tau/Salary

The appointing salary for this role will be between $111,766 and $144,388 based on skills and experience.

Ngā painga o tēnei wāhi mahi/What's great about working here

We offer you a range of benefits to support your wellbeing and help make the Ministry a great place to be. These include:

• 4 weeks holiday leave
• an online professional development portal
• access to a variety of inclusive and proactive networks

See our full range of benefits here.

With a wide range of jobs, you also get the chance to gain a variety of skills and experience while developing your career.

Tono mai/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: Monday 1 September 2025

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

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