Junior Lawyer

Public Defence Service - New Zealand; Christchurch; On-site; NZD 67,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

4.4 weeks holiday leave

Flexible work hours where possible

Online professional development portal

Inclusive networks

Job summary

Public Defence Service - New Zealand in Christchurch is seeking a motivated junior lawyer to progress their career in criminal advocacy within a supportive, training-focused environment.

You must be admitted to the NZ Bar (or be within two months of admission). The role offers exposure to high-quality cases, strong mentorship, and teamwork in a close-knit public service team.

Qualifications

• Must be admitted to NZ Bar or within two months of application.
• Passionate about criminal justice issues.
• Enjoys working in a team.

Responsibilities

• Develop advocacy skills in criminal litigation within a supportive team.
• Contribute to high-quality legal representation in a public defence setting.
• Collaborate with colleagues to prepare cases and learn from mentors.

Skills

NZ Bar admission

Criminal justice passion

Team collaboration

Education

NZ law degree

Job description

Job Description

Public Defence Service Christchurch

Junior lawyer

Te Haeata/The Opportunity

Have been admitted to the NZ Bar? Eligible for a NZ Law Society practising certificate? Have a strong desire to develop your career in the specialist area of criminal advocacy? Want to learn from the best? This is a truly exciting opportunity.

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

The Public Defence Service (PDS) is looking for a motivated junior lawyer who wants to progress their career to the next level. 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.

Ō Pūkenga/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.
• Love working in a team environment.

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.

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 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 Public Defence Service (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.

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

Benefits

• 4.4 weeks holiday leave
• flexible work hours where possible
• an online professional development portal
• access to a variety of inclusive and proactive networks

Utu ā-tau/Salary

The appointing salary for this role is $67,015 to $85,498 – while the appointing salary will be based on skills and experience, we are willing to pay higher in the band to attract strong candidates into this role.

Applications close on 16 September 2026; however, we will be reviewing CVs as they come in and inviting successful candidates to interview before the close date.

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