Legal Team Manager PAL2

Ministry of Justice - New Zealand; Auckland; On-site; NZD 113,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

22 days holiday leave

Flexible work hours

Online professional development portal

Inclusive networks

Job summary

Ministry of Justice - New Zealand is seeking an experienced criminal litigator to lead the Public Defence ServiceWaitakere. The Legal Team Manager will oversee a busy docket, mentor a small team of lawyers and appear in higher courts when required, ensuring top quality defence for legally aided clients.

We value collaboration, professional integrity and a commitment to development, with opportunities to progress junior lawyers while handling high‑stakes cases in a supportive environment.

Qualifications

• Must hold a PAL2 level listing and be qualified to practice law in New Zealand.
• Proven credibility with judges, peers and others in the legal community.
• Comfortable being part of a team that supports and relies on one another.
• Enjoys sharing legal expertise, exchanging ideas and managing a small team of lawyers.
• Has empathy and the ability to relate to a wide range of people.

Responsibilities

• Deliver high quality defence representation to legally aided clients.
• Manage a varied caseload of criminal matters, including high profile cases.
• Appear in High Court and Court of Appeals when required.
• Manage, mentor and supervise junior lawyers.

Skills

Criminal litigation

Team management

Legal practice in NZ

Court appearances

Education

PAL2 qualified to practice law in NZ

Job description

Job Description

Public Defence Service Waitakere

Legal Team Manager - PAL 2

Are you an experienced criminal litigator? Do you have team management experience? Are you looking for a challenge along with a varied caseload? Do you enjoy working in a collaborative and supportive environment and relish the opportunity to help more junior lawyers progress their careers? This is a truly exciting opportunity.

Role

The Public Defence Service (PDS) is looking for a motivated and experienced criminal litigator, with people management experience, to take up the role of Legal team Manager at our busy Waitakere office. You will:

• Deliver high quality defence representation to legally aided clients.
• Manage a varied caseload of criminal matters, including high profile cases,
• Appear on High court and court of appeals when required,
• Manage, mentor and supervise junior lawyers.

He Pūkenga Tou/Skills And Experience

To be successful you must be passionate about criminal justice issues and:

• have a PAL 2 level listing and be qualified to practice law in New Zealand.
• have proven credibility with judges, peers and others in the legal community.
• be comfortable to be part of a team who support and rely on one-another.
• enjoy sharing legal expertise, exchanging ideas and managing a small team of lawyers.
• have empathy and the ability to relate to a wide range of people.

This is a challenging but truly satisfying role.

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

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

• 22 days holiday leave
• flexible work hours where possible
• 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

The appointing salary range for this role is $112,766 to $145,388 (PAL2) - 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 Thursday 08 October

If you have any questions, please contact [e-mail] and include "MOJ/1949704" (job number) in your subject line.