Criminal Defence Lawyer

2 weeks ago


Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand New Zealand Government Full time
Te āhuatunga a te tūranga/About the Role
You will find challenge and satisfaction with a varied caseload, including trials and appearances.

You will have expert and talented colleagues around who will mentor you and support your development to the next level of your career.

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.

He pūkenga tou/Skills and Experience

To be successful you must:

  • Be passionate about criminal justice issues
  • Have a PAL1 listing, or close to obtaining
  • Be qualified to practice law in New Zealand
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 - and providing support and light relief when required.

You will have empathy and the ability to relate to a wide range of people. This is a challenging but truly satisfying job and our lawyers love what they do.

Ko wai mātou/Who we are

At Te Tāhū o te Ture - the Ministry of Justice, we're committed to working together for a fair and safe Aotearoa.

The Public Defence Service (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 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.

He aha ngā painga o tēnei mahi mōu/Why you will enjoy working here

We will provide you with:

  • Access to a welldesigned and embedded national training programme,
  • Professional development and opportunities to attend conferences
  • A professional supervision programme
  • Flexible working options
  • A laptop and mobile phone
There is so much more support and collegiality than anywhere else I have worked. You have so many experts around you to bounce ideas off. (Edith)

Utu ā-tau/Salary
The appointing salary for this role will be between $70,378 and $97,710. Based on skills and experience.

Tono mai/How to Apply

  • Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand New Zealand Government Full time

    Lawyer (PAL1), PDS Wellington at NZ Ministry of Justice, Wellington City Te Haeata/The OpportunityLooking for a challenge along with a varied caseload? Enjoy working in a collaborative and supportive environment? Have a strong desire to develop your career in criminal advocacy? This is a truly exciting opportunity.The Public Defence Service (PDS) is looking...


  • Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand New Zealand Government Full time

    Te Haeata/The OpportunityLooking for a challenge along with a varied caseload? Enjoy working in a collaborative and supportive environment? Have a strong desire to develop your career in criminal advocacy? This is a truly exciting opportunity.The Public Defence Service (PDS) is looking for a motivated and experienced criminal litigator to take up the role of...

  • Investigating Lawyer

    2 weeks ago


    Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand Serious Fraud Office Full time

    We are searching for a resilient Investigating Lawyer to join our dedicated team at Serious Fraud Office in Wellington Central, Wellington.Growing your career as a Full time Investigating Lawyer is an exceptional opportunity to develop essential skills.If you are strong in creativity, decision-making and have the right work ethic for the job, then apply for...


  • Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand New Zealand Government Full time

    SFO - Investigating Lawyer or Senior Investigating Lawyer - Wellington or AucklandThe Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is a highly specialised government department whose mission it is to disrupt and deter serious complex fraud through prevention, investigation, and prosecution. We take pride in the work we do to keep New Zealand safe from fraud and corruption.We...


  • Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand New Zealand Ministry of Justice Full time

    Te Haeata/The OpportunityA unique opportunity for a junior lawyer to get the training and support you need to get your criminal litigation career started. Join our expert team of supportive, dedicated criminal lawyers, at our Wellington office, and learn from the best. The PDS is renowned for its well designed and embedded training programme.You must be...

  • Supervised Provider

    2 weeks ago


    Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand New Zealand Ministry of Justice Full time

    Te āhuatunga a te tūranga/About the RoleThe Public Defence Service (PDS) is looking for a junior lawyer with a speciality in criminal advocacy, holding a duty lawyer listing would be optimal but is not essential, to join the team in our Wellington office.You will find challenge and satisfaction with a varied caseload. You will have expert and talented...

  • Reserve Legal Officer

    2 weeks ago


    Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand New Zealand Defence Force Full time

    This job offer is not available in your country.Skip to section : Career progression and training Entry requirements Not many legal specialists get trained to lead teams of people in all kinds of situations, handle weapons and develop problem-solving skills.As a Reserve Legal Officer, you could find yourself working in areas such as military law, military...

  • Rōia o Te Karauna

    2 weeks ago


    Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand New Zealand Government Full time

    Legal role with wide range of responsibilities Flexible location Fixedterm/secondment for one yearMō te Tūranga - About the roleThe System Leadership Team at Crown Law are looking for an experienced government lawyer to join us, working as Crown Counsel until June 2025.This role will work with the Government Legal Network to support the provision of high...


  • Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand New Zealand Government Full time

    Crown Counsel, Crown Legal Risk Group, Crown Law OfficeMō mātou - About usCrown Law provides legal advice and representation services to the government in matters affecting the executive government, particularly in the areas of criminal, public law and the Treaty of Waitangi. Crown Law's vision is to provide collaborative, indispensable legal...

  • Reserve Mto Officer

    2 weeks ago


    Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand New Zealand Defence Force Full time

    Skip to section :About the role Career progression and training Salary Entry requirementsReserve MTO Officers fuse maritime trade related information and experience with expert analysis and assessment in order to support the decision-making processes of military commanders at sea and ashore.Service NavySpecialisation Naval ReserveLocation Auckland, Tauranga,...


  • Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand New Zealand Government Full time

    Court Security Officer - Wellington2 x Permanent, Full Time PositionsTe whiwhinga mahi/The OpportunityAs Court Security Officers we take pride serving our community ensuring a safe and secure environment so people can access Justice without fear of intimidation or violence.Our roles have variety, diversity, challenges, and job satisfaction. We interact,...


  • Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand New Zealand Government Full time

    Mō te tūnga | About the roleYou will be responsible for delivering the Intelligence and Security functions for the Joint Military Police Unit (JMPU). This is a unit made up of Military Police from all three Services with a mix of military and civilian staff. Initially you will be leading and managing a team of three people in the Criminal Intelligence...


  • Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand New Zealand Government Full time

    Mō te tūnga | About the roleThe Digital Forensic Technician supports the Criminal Intelligence Team within the Joint Military Police Unit (JMPU) to detect, disrupt, prevent and prosecute criminal activity.You will be a key member of the small supportive team, assisting the Senior Digital Forensic Technician. In turn, the Senior Digital Forensic Technician...


  • Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand New Zealand Government Full time

    Senior Adviser Legal and Policy - Operations 12month fixed term position or secondment Bring your criminal legal expertise to this impactful role Wellington based office regular time in the office is required Small friendly team with a supportive and inclusive organisational cultureThe IPCA is an Independent Crown Entity established by the IPCA Act. The...


  • Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand New Zealand Government Full time

    Legal Team Manager, Treaty Issues, Crown Law at Crown Law Office, Wellington - Wairarapa Legal Team Manager, Treaty Issues, Crown LawNavigate complex issues in the Māori-Crown and Treaty relationshipsProvide robust yet pragmatic advice to Ministers and governmentBring strong leadership to help the organisation adapt to new ways of workingCrown Law provides...

  • Prosecutor 1

    2 weeks ago


    Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand New Zealand Police Full time

    Prosecutor 1, it starts with you- Hamilton City PPS:- PPS Career pathway salary $84,312:Permanent, Full-time (possibility of multiple vacancies):- Office of Constab/ Police Employee:Nationally Advertised VacancyAbout the roleNZ Police are offering an exciting opportunity to join the Police Prosecution Service (PPS) as a Prosecutor based in the Hamilton City...

  • Legal Adviser

    2 weeks ago


    Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand New Zealand Police Full time

    Legal Adviser - Legal- Based at Police National Headquarters:Legal Adviser I IV, salary range $87,401 to $148,818:- Permanent position - up to 2 vacancies availableAbout the roleWe currently have up to two vacancies for experienced lawyers to join Legal Services, based at PNHQ, to support the work of the Firearms Safety Authority. Although the positions are...

  • Prosecutor 1

    2 weeks ago


    Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand New Zealand Government Full time

    New Zealand Police is working with the community to make New Zealanders be safe and feel safe. With over 13,000 staff, we provide policing services 24 hours a day, every day. We operate by land, sea and air, manage over 860,000 emergency calls a year and are always actively preventing crime and crashes.We're working towards specific goals and targets that...

  • Prosecutor 1

    2 weeks ago


    Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand New Zealand Police Full time

    Prosecutor 1, Wellington - it starts with you- Based in Wellington Metro:- PROS 1 salary scale:- Permanent, Full time:- Police Employee/ Office of Constable:- Nationally Advertised Vacancy:- Multiple positions:- JR4581547Mō te tūnga | About the roleNZ Police are offering an exciting opportunity to join the Police Prosecution Service (PPS) as a Prosecutor...


  • Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand New Zealand Government Full time

    Kaiwhakahaere Tīma, Te Tari Ture o te Karauna Navigate complex issues in the Māori-Crown and Treaty relationships Provide robust yet pragmatic advice to Ministers and government Bring strong leadership to help the organisation adapt to new ways of workingMō mātou - About usCrown Law provides legal advice and representation to the Government in matters...