Junior Solicitor | Wellington City

Job Description

Role type: Permanent, Full Time

Location: Petone/Wellington

Salary range: $60,331 - $81,624 depending on skills and experience

Kōrero mō te Tūranga - About the Role

Do you care about New Zealand's natural resources and its reputation for producing sustainable, high value, food and primary products?

Do you want to be at the cutting edge of some of New Zealand's largest and most complex regulatory prosecutions?

To help us with our busy workload which has increased substantially in the past couple of years, we now have an exciting opportunity for a junior lawyer to join us in the Wellington region and to support us with the delivery of our work.

Our team is responsible for the provision of operational legal advice and prosecution services on an array of matters where non-compliance is detected. A core part of the job will involve conducting the Ministry's prosecutions in the regional District Courts in accordance with relevant policy and legislation and conducting reviews of investigation files submitted to Prosecutions Services. 

You will also have other responsibilities such as:
•    Working with the wider prosecutions team to undertake research on discrete legal issues
•    Contributing to the wider legal team with advice on the interpretation of statutory provisions and new legislation
•    Doing opinion work on specific issues and matters of statutory interpretation
•    Providing legal advice on OIA requests
•    Providing operational advice (e.g. search warrants and production orders)
•    Participating in training of our frontline compliance staff
•    Working closely with the Crown Solicitor network on cases on which you are the assisting solicitor

Mōu - About You

For this you will ideally have completed relevant litigation skills training, or will be prepared to undertake this, in terms of a level 1 classification under the Public Prosecutions Unit classification criteria.  And it goes without saying you will be passionate about advocacy and prosecutions work.

You will also need:

• Excellent written and oral skills and an ability to communicate with clients clearly and precisely
• Ability to provide well-researched, contextualised and solution-focussed legal advice with options for managing any legal risk identified
• Good interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and build and maintain effective professional working relationships with clients across MPI
• Full driving licence, as some travel to regional courts is required

You do not need to meet all of the role requirements to apply. We offer a breadth of development and learning opportunities and will welcome an application if you think you could make a great fit. 

Mō tō mātou Rōpū - About the Team  

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Prosecutions Team conducts well over 100 prosecutions a year across the various Acts MPI administers. Whilst the most common areas are Fisheries and Animal Welfare, it would not be unusual to also work across the Biosecurity, Forestry (climate change) Food and Wine sectors, and that's just in one day!

No two days are alike in this role, and the depth and breadth of the prosecutions work is fascinating and fulfilling.

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 products.

Ngā hua o te mahi i te Manatū Ahu Matua - Benefits of working at MPI

• Additional MPI leave days
• Annual Wellness payment
• Reduced premiums for Group Healthcare Schemes

Wā Mahi Ngāwari - Flexible Working

We support flexible working arrangements and are happy to discuss these options with you.

Ngā Taki Whakahaumaru - Security checks

Low level Security Clearance

• most preferably a New Zealand citizen, who has resided continuously in New Zealand for at least the last five (5) years, OR
• is a citizen of, and/or has resided continuously in one or more of the following countries for the last five (5) years: either Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom (UK) or the United States of America (USA); and has a background history that is verifiable and can be assessed as appropriate by the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (NZSIS) towards a recommendation of suitability for a security clearance at this level.
• click here to find out more about the national security vetting process and access the eligibility self-check tool.

If you do not meet these minimum criteria, we will not be able to accept your application.

Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi whaitake? - Are you ready to make a difference?
We are committed to being a good partner under Te Tiriti o Waitangi which includes working closely with iwi, hapū, whānau and hāpori.

We aspire to reflect the diverse communities we serve, so we welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, and identities. As an organisation, we are committed to making Manatū Ahu Matua Ministry for Primary Industries a great place to work for all.

In your cover letter we'd like to know about you, your values, your whakapapa; your interest and motivations for this role; the abilities, strengths, personal attributes and diverse perspectives you will bring to the role and this organisation, which may have also been gained outside of the workforce.

To view the position description and/or apply online, please click “APPLY FOR THIS JOB” or visit the MPI Careers Site. To apply, you must hold the right to work in New Zealand or be eligible to obtain it – click here to find out more about work visa eligibility and options.

Applications close at midnight on Monday 3^rd April 2023.

If you have any questions about the role, please email tegan.parry-thompson@mpi.govt.nz 

Whāia ngā tūhononga ki MPI i konei – Follow MPI here

Links to Facebook, MPI Careers, LinkedIn, Twitter