Solicitor/senior Solicitor

**Job Title**: Solicitor and Senior Solicitor

**Role type**: Permanent

**Location**: Wellington

**Solicitor Salary range**: $78,817 to $ 105,058 depending on skills and experience

**Senior Solicitor Salary range**: $92.073 - $124,570 depending on skills and experience

Kōrero mō te Tūranga - About the Role

Are you looking to contribute to the growth and protection of New Zealand's primary industries by providing legal advice within the large and dynamic organisation that is the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)?
This is an exciting opportunity to join the MPI Legal Services team and become part of a busy and collegial Directorate that provides legal advice across a diverse and rewarding range of work.

**We are looking for**:

- A Solicitor with commercial law experience to join our Agriculture, Forestry, and Corporate Law Team.
- Two Solicitors or Senior Solicitors to join our Food Safety & Fisheries Law Team.

These positions are permanent and preferably full time. There may also be fixed term opportunities and opportunities to work in other MPI Legal teams..
The commercial Solicitor position reports to the Manger of the Agriculture, Forestry, and Corporate Law Team. Although we are looking for a Solicitor with commercial law experience, this role provides an opportunity to advise across the wide range of work offered by this team.
The other two positions report to the Manger of the Food Safety and Fisheries Law Team. We are looking for Solicitors with public law or other relevant experience to advise across the full range of work in the team.
Mōu - About You

**To be considered for this role, you will need**:

- A relevant tertiary qualification in law and a current New Zealand practising certificate, or the immediate ability to hold one.
- Post-admission experience in public law or another relevant area of law.
- Good attention to detail and drafting skills
- Ability to identify and make process improvements.
- Ability to build and maintain effective relationships, good communication skills, and a collaborative work style.
- A can-do attitude with a proven track record in the delivery of useful and high-quality legal advice.
- Clear judgement and an ability to recognise and understand the implications of legal advice.

For the Solicitor role in the Agriculture, Forestry, and Corporate Law Team, you will also need post-admission experience in commercial or corporate law.
To be considered for a Senior Solicitor role, you will also need:

- Significant post-admission experience in public law.
- A proven track record in building strong relationships with, and providing useful advice to, senior-level officials.
- Experience in providing leadership in operational legal advice, litigation, or legislative development projects.
- Experience and a real interest in supervising, mentoring, and coaching less experienced solicitors.
- Ability to support the Team Manager in the planning and management of resources and making process improvements for the benefit of the team, directorate, and our clients.

**Desirable**:

- Experience working in-house for a large regulator.
- Experience with the development and design of legislation.
- Knowledge of legislation administered by MPI and the regulatory environment in which MPI operates.

Mō tō mātou Rōpū - About the Team

The Agriculture, Forestry & Corporate Law Team provides commercial and corporate law support across the Ministry. The team also provides general public law, legislative development, and litigation support to MPI staff working in the areas of agriculture, forestry and climate change. In particular to MPI Staff in the Agriculture and Investment Services, Policy & Trade, and Te Uru Rākau - New Zealand Forest Service Business Groups.
The Food Safety & Fisheries Law Team provides general public law, legislative development, and litigation support to MPI staff working in the areas of food safety, food export, and fisheries management. In particular to MPI Staff in the NZ Food Safety, Fisheries NZ, and Policy and Trade Business Groups.
MPI is committed to recruiting, recognising and creating opportunities for talented people to develop career paths within the organisation and beyond.
These teams sit within the Legal Services Directorate at MPI. Legal Services covers a wide range of interesting work including commercial arrangements, public law operational advice, development of legislation, involvement in emergency responses for food, trade, and biosecurity, prosecutions, civil and public law litigation support, legal and organisational risk management, and training. While Solicitors/Senior Solicitors are appointed to a particular team, we work very collaboratively, and have a rotation policy to provide the opportunity to move between teams.

Mō te Manatū Ahu Matua - About MPI

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) partners with New Zealand's food and fibre sector to be the world's most sustainable provider of high-value food and primary