Senior Solicitor / Associate - Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Duncan Cotterill; Wellington; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Duncan Cotterill in Wellington Central is seeking a Senior Solicitor or Associate to join our Litigation & Dispute Resolution team. You will contribute to a broad contentious practice spanning insurance, professional negligence, construction, and regulatory disputes.

We value strong advocacy, client relationships and the ability to manage proceedings in District and High Courts, with opportunities to mentor juniors and build a thriving practice.

Qualifications

• 4–7 years’ PQE in litigation or dispute resolution.
• Qualification to practise in New Zealand is required or eligible.

Responsibilities

• Handle insurance and liability disputes across courts and tribunals.
• Manage professional negligence and disciplinary proceedings.
• Advocate in hearings and mediations, with client-facing responsibilities.
• Support broader disputes work across corporate and public sector clients.

Skills

Litigation experience

Advocacy and hearings

Client relationships

Judgement and commercial approach

Developing own practice

Education

NZ Practising certificate

Job description

Senior Solicitor / Associate - Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Duncan Cotterill – Wellington Central, North Island

The team

Our Wellington Litigation and Dispute Resolution team is looking for a Senior Solicitor or Associate to join them.

The team is around 16 lawyers supported by two dedicated support staff – one of the larger disputes practices in Wellington, and large enough to offer genuine variety without the narrow specialisation of a bigger firm.

We act for insurers and the professionals and businesses they insure, NZX-listed and international corporates, public sector agencies, not-for-profits, privately owned businesses, trustees and individuals – across sectors including agriculture, construction, education, energy, forestry, health, manufacturing
and transport.

The work

This is a genuinely broad contentious practice. Depending on your interests and experience, you could be working on:

• Insurance and liability work, including indemnity advice and defending insured claims
• Professional negligence claims and disciplinary complaints across a range of professions, before the courts and specialist complaints and disciplinary bodies
• Complex commercial and civil disputes for corporate and listed clients, including contractual, franchise, property and multi-party claims
• Construction disputes, product liability, and directors and officers claims
• First party and third party commercial losses arising out of major events
• Public law work, including judicial review and public law damages claims
• Regulatory investigations and prosecutions and coronial inquiries
• Trust and estate disputes and relationship property matters
• Insolvency and restructuring disputes

Could this be the role for you?

We are looking for a lawyer with approximately 4 to 7 years’ PQE who holds (or is eligible to hold) a New Zealand practising certificate.

We are open to candidates with experience in any of the areas our team works. What matters is the quality of your litigation experience and your appetite to broaden it.

You will bring:

• Solid experience managing and supporting seniors in proceedings in the District and High Courts or before specialist tribunals
• Confidence preparing for and attending hearings, mediations and investigations
• Sound judgement and a pragmatic, commercial approach to resolving disputes
• Strong written advocacy and the ability to build trusted client relationships
• The judgement and empathy to act for individuals as well as institutions
• An appetite to develop your own practice and support more junior lawyers

Applications from lawyers qualified overseas and eligible to practise in New Zealand are welcome.

What we offer

• Direct, day-to-day work with partners recognised by the leading legal directories
• The opportunity to build depth in an area that interests you while keeping exposure across the wider disputes practice
• Meaningful client contact and the opportunity to develop your advocacy
• A clear pathway to Senior Associate and beyond, with structured support along the way
• A collaborative Wellington team and a firm with a national platform

About Duncan Cotterill

Duncan Cotterill is one of New Zealand’s leading full-service law firms, with offices in Auckland, Wellington, Nelson, Blenheim, Christchurch and Queenstown. We act for leading private and public sector organisations, insurers and high net worth individuals, and we are known for combining technical excellence with a practical, client-focused approach.