Senior Solicitor (Prosecutions) | Wellington - Petone

Job Description

Job Title: Solicitor or Senior Solicitor (Prosecutions)

Role type: Permanent, full-time preferred

Location: Petone or Wellington CBD

Salary band & range: Solicitor E: $87,008 to $111,782 depending on skills and experience

Senior Solicitor D: $100,934 to $129,804 depending on skills and experience

About the Role – Kōrero mō te Tūranga

We're looking for either a Solicitor or a Senior Solicitor to join our highly skilled Prosecutions team. You'll provide operational legal advice and prosecution services across a wide range of matters where non-compliance with legislation administered by Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is identified. A key part of your role will be conducting prosecutions in the District Court, applying relevant policy and legislation.

You'll work closely with compliance teams across Animal Welfare, Biosecurity, Fisheries, Food and Forestry, offering expert legal advice and prosecution support. You'll review files for evidential sufficiency and public interest, draft sentencing submissions, and appear in court for hearings, sentencings, and pre-trial matters. You'll need initiative, sound judgment, and the ability to quickly pick up files and run with them, while knowing when to seek guidance.

This is a unique opportunity to work with a wide breadth of law, including multiple Acts and complex legal issues. You'll be part of a team that believes in the work we do, upholding environmental principles, protecting animal welfare, and contributing to sustainable resource use. No two cases are the same, and you'll never be bored. You'll feel proud of the impact you make and the results you help achieve.

You will:

• advise on the interpretation of statutory provisions and new legislation.
• provide legal advice on OIA requests and support business units with managing legal risk.
• offer operational improvement advice (e.g. search warrants and production orders)
• support continuous improvement training of frontline compliance staff across MPI.

Travel to regional courts within your area, with occasional overnight travel and AVL appearances are needed for this role.

About You – Mōu

You have completed litigation skills training and bring strong trial and courtroom experience, ideally at level 2 or 3 of Crown Law's classification of in-house prosecutors.[1] You may have worked in New Zealand Police, Crown prosecutions, or in defence law, and are confident managing criminal matters in court. You have a solid understanding of the Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Criminal Disclosure, and Sentencing Acts.

You're a team player who knows when to ask for guidance and can quickly pick up files and run with them. You have good judgment and an eye for detail, producing high-quality work even under pressure. You're robust, adaptable, and able to manage competing priorities while maintaining thoroughness in administrative tasks.

You're motivated by meaningful work and keen to grow your technical legal skills across a wide suite of legislation. You're confident in court and committed to making a difference through the work you do.

To be successful in this role, you will need:

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to provide clear, contextualised legal advice with options.
• Experience acting as lead counsel in prosecutions.
• Familiarity with Criminal Procedure, Evidence, Criminal Disclosure, and Sentencing Acts.

You must have a current full New Zealand driver licence (not temporary, learner, or restricted), and any endorsements required for the type of driving you'll be doing.

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.

About the Team – Mō tō mātou Rōpū

This team is part of MPI's wider national Prosecutions Team, which includes 14 prosecutors, two regional managers, and a national manager. We work together across regions, sharing subject matter expertise and contributing to MPI's strategic goals. You'll be joining a team that's collaborative, committed, and proud of the work we do.

We're a collegial and passionate team with diverse backgrounds, including former Crown and police prosecutors, criminal barristers, and private sector lawyers. We value lively discussion, different perspectives, and supporting each other to deliver high-quality legal work. We're dedicated to protecting New Zealand's primary industries through expert prosecution services.

About MPI – Mō te Manatū Ahu Matua

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

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

• Additional MPI leave days.
• Annual Wellness payment
• Bi-annual paid eye test and contribution to the costs of corrective lenses/frames

Security checks - Ngā Taki Whakahaumaru

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.

Credit check - Tirotiro nama

Please note, given this position is identified as carrying financial risk, the preferred candidate(s) will be required to satisfactorily pass a credit check.

Are you ready to make a difference? - Kua rite koe mō tēnei mahi whaitake?
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 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. Please let us know if you were looking to apply as a Solicitor or a Senior Solicitor.

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 11.59pm 19 November 2025  

If you have any questions about the role, please email Sophie.Hallett@mpi.govt.nz 

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[1] https://www.crownlaw.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Classification-of-in-house-public-prosecutors-Guidance-July-2020.pdf