Principal Solicitor

Ministry of Justice - New Zealand; Wellington; On-site; NZD 130,000 - 168,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

4.4 weeks holiday leave

Flexible work hours

Online professional development portal

Access to inclusive networks

Job summary

Ministry of Justice - New Zealand in Wellington seeks a Principal Solicitor to provide strategic legal advice on complex public law, Treaty settlements, and Takutai Moana matters. You will work across policy, legislation, operations, and litigation issues, supporting high-profile litigation and advising on Māori rights in Treaty contexts.

You will have significant autonomy, mentorsolicitors, and contribute to capability and success of the legal team, reporting to the Chief Legal Advisor in a

Qualifications

• At least 10 years' post-qualification legal experience.
• Strong experience in public law, Treaty-related matters and litigation.
• Proven ability to provide strategic, high-quality legal advice.
• Excellent relationship management and communication skills.
• A commitment to developing cultural capability and understanding of te ao Māori and the Treaty of Waitangi/Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic legal advice on complex public law, Treaty settlements, and Takutai Moana matters.
• Work across policy, legislative, operational, and litigation issues, including supporting high-profile litigation and advising on Māori rights and interests.
• Demonstrate autonomy while mentoring solicitors and contributing to team capability and success.

Skills

Post-qualification legal experience

Public law

Treaty-related matters

Litigation

Relationship management

Job description

Job Description

Roia Aporei

Te Tari Whakatau | Te Tari o ngā Whakataunga Tiriti me te Takutai Moana

Te Whanganui-a-Tara

Te Haeata

E kimihia ana he tāngata ngākau whiwhita mō te orangatonutanga o te hono a te Karauna ki te Māori. He uaua, he taumaha hoki ā mātou mahi. He whāinga tiketike hoki ā mātou.

Ko tāu hei Roia Aporei, he tuku kupu hautū mō ngā ture tūmatanui, mō ngā whakataunga Tiriti me ngā take Takutai Moana. Ka pā ō mahi ki ngā wāhanga kaupapa here, kaupapa ā-ture, kaupapa ā-tari, kaupapa ā-kōti, me te tautoko i ngā take kaupapa ā-kōti whakamanea, me te hāpai i ngā mōtika me ngā aronga a te Māori i roto i te horopaki whakataunga Tiriti, Takutai Moana anō hoki.

Ka mahi ngātahi koe me ngā upoko o Te Tari Whakatau me Te Tari Tohutohu Pāremata, hei hautū i ngā tini take manganga, take hou anō hoki. He mana motuhake hoki tōu hei ārahi i ētahi rōia e rongo ai te katoa i ngā hua o angitū.

Ka tuku rīpoata koe ki te Mātanga Kaitohutohu Ture, ko ia hei mana hautū mōu, ā, hei ara tēnei e taea ai e koe te tuku ō pūkenga ki te āwhina i ngā whakataunga Tiriti, i ngā whakataunga Takutai Moana, me te orangatonutanga o te hono a te Karauna ki te Māori.

Ō pūkenga

• Kua 10 tau neke atu tō roa e mahi ana i roto i te ture mai i te wā i whakawhiwhia ai koe ki tō tohu rōia
• He wheako nui ōu i roto i ngā mahi ture tūmatanui, take Tiriti, me ngā take ā-kōti
• E hau nei tō rongo mō te tuku kupu hautū ā-ture, ā-rautaki hoki
• Tau ana ō pūkenga whakawhanaungatanga me te tūhonohonotanga
• E ngākau pūmau ana tō aro mai ki te whakapakari i te mōhiotanga me te whakatinanatanga o te ao Māori me Te Tiriti o Waitangi

Mō mātou

He tari tū wehe a Te Tari Whakatau i raro i te maru o Te Tāhū o te Ture. Ko tā mātou mahi he āwhina ki te whakatau i ngā kerēme Tiriti me te hāpai i ngā mōtika ake a te Māori e pā ana ki te Takutai Moana.

Ki te kuhu koe ki roto i Te Tari Whakatau, ka ō mai koe ki roto i tētahi wāhi hāpai mana tangata, arā, ngā ira katoa, ngā pakeketanga katoa, ngā mātāwaka katoa, ngā tuakiri katoa, ngā aronga taihema katoa, ngā hauā katoa, ngā whakapono katoa. He whānau kaimahi mātou.

Ngā painga o tēnei wāhi mahi

He Nui Ngā Whaipainga e Horahia Nei Hei Tautoko i a Koe e Rawe Nei Tō Mātou Tari. Anei Ētahi

• 4.4 wīki hei hararei
• He hāora mahi pīngore
• He tāwaha whakawhanake ngāiotanga
• He tomokanga ki ētahi tūhonohonotanga

Ki konei ka kitea ngā whaipainga katoa.

Mā konei hoki e taea ai e koe ō pūkenga te whakapakari, te whakawhānui anō hoki.

Utu ā-tau

Ko te rohenga utu o tēnei tūnga, he $130,129 - $168,062, ā, ka whiria tō utu tīmatatanga i runga i ō pūkenga me tō roa e mahi ana. Ka taea e mātou te whakanui te utu tīmatatanga kia aro mai ai te tangata e tino hihiri nei mātou.

Principal Solicitor

We are looking for people passionate about making a difference to the Māori Crown relationship. Our work is challenging and complex. Our goals are ambitious.

Te Tari Whakatau | Office of Treaty Settlements and Takutai Moana

Wellington

Te Haeata/The Opportunity

As a Principal Solicitor, you will provide strategic legal advice on complex public law, Treaty settlements, and Takutai Moana matters. You will work across policy, legislative, operational, and litigation issues, including supporting high-profile litigation and advising on Māori rights and interests in the context of Treaty settlements and Takutai Moana.

Working closely with senior leaders at Te Tari Whakatau, the Crown Law Office and the Parliamentary Counsel Office, you will be a trusted adviser helping to navigate complex and often novel legal issues. You will have significant autonomy while also playing a key role in mentoring solicitors and contributing to the capability and success of the legal team.

Reporting to the Chief Legal Advisor, this is an opportunity to apply your expertise to work that helps advance Treaty settlements and Takutai Moana determinations, and support Māori-Crown relations.

Ō Pūkenga/Skills And Experience

• At least 10 years' post-qualification legal experience
• Strong experience in public law, Treaty-related matters and litigation
• Proven ability to provide strategic, high-quality legal advice
• Excellent relationship management and communication skills
• A commitment to developing cultural capability and understanding of te ao Māori and the Treaty of Waitangi/Te Tiriti o Waitangi

Mō Mātou/About Us

Te Tari Whakatau is an independent departmental agency hosted by the Ministry of Justice - Te Tāhū o te Ture. Our work involves resolving historical Treaty of Waitangi claims and supporting the recognition of Māori customary rights and interests in Takutai Moana.

Joining Te Tari Whakatau means you will become part of an organisation that welcomes and supports people of all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, disabilities and religions. He kaimahi, he whānau.

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:

• 4.4 weeks 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 remuneration band for this role is $130,129 - $168,062 – 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 21 October 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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