Legal Assistant – Civil / Disputes Resolution

Tompkins Wake; Hamilton; On-site; NZD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Tompkins Wake is seeking an experienced Legal Assistant to join the Hamilton-based Civil & Disputes Resolution team. You will provide high-quality administrative and litigation support across a diverse range of matters, ensuring smooth operations and timely filings.

In this role you will manage documents, diaries, and client liaison, while supporting billing and appropriate compliance. A proactive, team‑focused approach and strong organisation are essential for success.

Qualifications

• Previous experience as a Legal Assistant in civil litigation or disputes resolution.
• Sound knowledge of court processes and filing requirements.
• Strong technical skills with legal software, MS365 and Acrobat.
• Excellent organisation and time management, handling competing priorities.
• Attention to detail and accuracy, plus professional client communication.
• Proactive, adaptable and team-focused approach.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, format, and file court documents and legal correspondence.
• Assist with discovery, document management, and court bundles.
• Manage files, workflows, matter administration and compliance.
• Coordinate diaries, meetings and important deadlines.
• Liaise with clients, courts, counsel and external parties.
• Support billing, trust accounting, and general practice administration.
• Contribute to a positive, collaborative team environment.

Skills

Legal Assistant experience

Civil litigation knowledge

Microsoft 365

Adobe Acrobat

Organisational skills

Tools

Legal practice management systems

Microsoft 365

Adobe Acrobat

Job description

Join a team where your expertise is valued, your contribution is recognised, and your professional growth is supported.

At Tompkins Wake, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We're a full-service national law firm with offices in Hamilton, Auckland, Tauranga and Rotorua, combining the capability and resources of a large firm with the connection, flexibility, and culture of a regional practice.

We are looking for an experienced Legal Assistant to join our Hamilton-based Civil & Disputes Resolution team. This is an opportunity to work alongside respected legal professionals on a diverse range of litigation and disputes matters while being part of a collaborative and supportive team.

About the Role

As a key member of our disputes team, you'll provide high-quality administrative and litigation support, helping ensure matters run smoothly and efficiently.Your responsibilities will include:

• Preparing, formatting, and filing court documents and legal correspondence
• Assisting with discovery, document management, and court bundles
• Managing files, workflows, matter administration and compliance
• Coordinating diaries, meetings, and important deadlines
• Liaising with clients, courts, counsel, and other external parties
• Supporting billing, trust accounting, and general practice administration
• Contributing to a positive, collaborative team environment

About You

To be successful in this role, you'll bring:

• Previous experience as a Legal Assistant, ideally within civil litigation or disputes resolution
• Sound knowledge of court processes, filing requirements, and litigation support
• Strong technical skills, including experience with legal practice management systems, Microsoft 365, and Adobe Acrobat
• Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities
• Exceptional attention to detail and a high standard of accuracy
• Professional communication skills and confidence building relationships with clients and colleagues
• A proactive, adaptable, and team-focused approach

Why Join Tompkins Wake?

At Tompkins Wake, we recognise that great legal outcomes are supported by great people. Our Legal Assistants are trusted members of our teams and play a vital role in delivering exceptional client service.We offer a supportive, professional environment where experience is respected, workloads are managed thoughtfully, and teamwork is genuinely encouraged.

You’ll join a firm that values continuity, invests in its people, and understands the importance of sustainable workloads and high-quality support.You’ll gain exposure to complex and interesting civil litigation work in a supportive and collaborative team environment.