Lawyer PAL2

Job Description Public Defence Service - Hamilton Criminal Defence Lawyer – PAL 2 Te Haeata/The Opportunity Looking 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. Role The Public Defence Service (PDS) is looking for a motivated and experienced criminal litigator to take up the role of Lawyer PAL2 at our Hamilton office. Reporting to a Legal Team Manager you will: Deliver high quality defence representation to legally aided clients. Manage a varied caseload of criminal matters. Provide support to intermediate and senior lawyers. Assist in the coaching and mentoring of Junior Lawyers. Ō Pūkenga/Skills And Experience To be successful you must be passionate about criminal justice issues and: have a PAL 2 approval level and be qualified to practice law in New Zealand. have confidence in your ability to develop credibility with judges, peers and others in the legal community. enjoy sharing legal expertise, exchanging ideas and brainstorming. 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: 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 $74,490 to $100,642 – while the appointing salary will be $74,490 to $95,403, based on skills and experience, we are willing to pay higher in the band to attract strong candidates into this role. Tono mai/Apply You can view a detailed position description here, as well as complete an online application form by attaching your CV and cover letter. Applications close on Monday 7 September; however, we will be reviewing CVs as they come in and inviting successful candidates to interview before the close date. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] and include “MOJ XXX” (job number) in your subject line. Follow us on LinkedIn

Deliver high-quality defense representation to legally aided clients and manage a varied caseload of criminal matters. Provide support, coaching, and mentoring to junior, intermediate, and senior lawyers.

Candidates must have PAL 2 approval and be qualified to practice law in New Zealand. Passion for criminal justice and the ability to build credibility with judges and peers are essential.

• 4.4 Weeks Holiday Leave • Flexible Work Hours • Online Professional Development Portal • Inclusive and Proactive Networks

• CommunicationPreferred

Identified from the job description. Confirm important requirements above.

• Criminal Litigation
• Criminal Advocacy
• Case Management
• Legal Representation
• Coaching
• Mentoring
• Empathy
• Communication

• Legal
• Government & Public Sector

Minimum education

Professional degree

Minimum experience

2+ years

Apply by

Sep 16, 2026

Posting language

English

Working hours

40 hours per week

Seniority

Mid-Senior level