Junior Lawyer

Ministry Of Justice - 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 and proactive networks

Job summary

The Public Defence Service Christchurch is looking for a motivated junior lawyer who wants to advance in criminal advocacy. You must be admitted to the NZ Bar or be within two months of admission and join a team famed for its comprehensive professional development in criminal litigation.

Based in Christchurch, this role offers a robust training environment and the chance to grow within Te Tāhū o te Ture – the Ministry of Justice, supporting access to justice for clients.

Qualifications

• 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.

Responsibilities

• Develop credibility with judges, peers and others in the legal community.
• As part of a close-knit team, contribute ideas and collaborate to deliver strong advocacy.

Skills

NZ Bar admission within 2 months

Criminal justice passion

Team player

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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