Assistant Office Public Defender, PDS Manukau

at  New Zealand Ministry of Justice

TE HAEATA/THE OPPORTUNITY

The Public Defence Service (PDS) is looking for a motivated and experienced criminal litigator to take up the Assistant Office Public Defender role at our Manukau office. Reporting directly to the Office Public Defender, you will:

• Be an integral part of both the office Leadership team and the wider PDS.
• Be critical to the achievement of PDS’s operational and strategic goals.
• Deliver effective and efficient legal services.
• Provide day-to-day management and leadership of a team of lawyers.
• Engage in key external relationships to support the delivery of an improved legal service.

HE PŪKENGA TOU/SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

To be successful, you must be passionate about criminal justice issues and:

• Have strong leadership and people management skills, including expertise in mentoring, coaching and training.
• Be passionate about criminal justice issues.
• Have a track record of building and maintaining strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Have a PAL 3 or 4 legal aid listing, having had significant experience in conducting a variety of criminal matters before our courts. Around half of your time will be focused on leadership and management within our office, with the balance spent representing clients as part of an interesting and challenging caseload comprised of PAL 3 and 4 criminal cases.

This is a challenging but truly satisfying job.

• Be an integral part of both the office Leadership team and the wider PDS.
• Be critical to the achievement of PDS’s operational and strategic goals.
• Deliver effective and efficient legal services.
• Provide day-to-day management and leadership of a team of lawyers.
• Engage in key external relationships to support the delivery of an improved legal service