Judicial Support Advisor | Christchurch

Job Description

Judicial Support Advisor – High Court, Christchurch

12 Month Fixed-Term Part Time

Te Haeata/The Opportunity

The Christchurch Earthquake List was set up in May 2012 to manage litigation arising out of the Canterbury earthquakes. The High Court is committed to justly disposing of these cases as efficiently as possible. The Earthquake List is overseen by three High Court Judges.

Upon filing, earthquake-related cases are referred to the Judicial Support Advisor for classification and whether they should be entered on the Earthquake List.

The Judicial Support Advisor will work under the supervision of the Judges to manage the Earthquake List on a day-to-day basis. This will involve engaging closely with counsel on related litigation, undertaking legal research and providing detailed analysis and advice to the Judge and other key stakeholders.

Please note this is a 12-month fixed term part time role at 20 hours per week.

Ō pūkenga/Skills and Experience

No candidate will meet every single desired qualification. If your experience looks a little different from what we have outlined and believe you can bring value to the role, we'd love to hear from you!

• Excellent attention to detail and observant – the court has many different processes and case information needs to be accurate;
• Self-aware – you will understand our customers and will be confident working across a range of situations;
• Multi-task – you will understand that some of our processes are repetitive, but you'll be able to manage conflicting priorities and move from one task to another quickly;
• Willing to learn – legislation and processes in the courts is always changing and you will be able to adapt and respond to feedback;
• Resilience – there are times when working in the courts, you will be working on sensitive cases and sometimes at high volume;
• Strong written and verbal communication skills – ability to communicate with a wide range of audiences on complex issues
• Strong skills in legal research and analysis – you understand and can discuss with counsel and the Judge complex legal and factual issues that can arise in earthquake litigation.
• Extensive knowledge of High Court processes and procedures.

 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.

The High Court is New Zealand's only court of general jurisdiction. ‘General jurisdiction' means there are no limits on the cases the High Court can hear, either in terms of the kind of criminal offences it can hear, or the amount of money being claimed in a civil case. The High Court is the highest court in New Zealand that can hear cases at ‘first instance', before any appeals. This means that decisions of the High Court are binding on all lower courts until overruled by the Court of Appeal or Supreme Court. The High Court also hears appeals from a number of other courts and tribunals, such as the District Court and Family Court.

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. 

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.

Utu ā-tau/Salary

 Salary Range: $74,634-$95,591 pro rata. Appointment at which step of the band will be dependent on skills and experience.

Tono mai/Apply

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 12 June 2026; however, we will be reviewing CVs 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

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