Crown Law Office | Te Tari Ture o te Karauna
Crown Counsel, Attorney General’s Group, Treaty Team

 About us | Mō mātou

Crown Law’s purpose is to serve New Zealand by supporting the Government to operate lawfully. 

Crown Law’s functions are:

• Supporting the Law Officers (the Attorney-General and Solicitor-General) of the Crown
• Providing legal services to Government with excellence
• Leading the government legal profession
• Overseeing public prosecutions

Crown Law provides legal advice and representation services to the Government in matters affecting the executive government. The services Crown Law provides include matters covering judicial review of government actions, constitutional questions including Te Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi issues, the enforcement of criminal law, and the protection of revenue. Crown Law also administers the prosecution process in the criminal justice system, in particular, Crown prosecutions.

About the Role | Mō te Tūranga

We are looking to appoint an experienced lawyer (10+ years PQE) to the Attorney- General’s Group, in the Treaty team in our Auckland office.  We are especially interested in candidates with strong litigation experience in public law, resource management and land matters.

The Treaty team focuses on a diverse range of public law matters relating to the Māori-Crown relationship and te Tiriti o Waitangi/the Treaty of Waitangi. We work on matters relating to constitutional, public, administrative and resource management law, statutory interpretation, commercial negotiation and equity/trusts. Our litigation work is primarily in the Waitangi Tribunal and the senior courts.

This role will suit someone with knowledge and understanding of the Crown’s responsibilities as a Treaty partner, the relationship between common law and tikanga Māori, or a desire to develop this expertise. 

As Crown Counsel, you will manage litigation files (as lead counsel or as part of a team of lawyers), provide advice to Ministers and senior government officials, manage client relationships, and mentor and develop more junior team members. You will work collaboratively with other colleagues within your team and have opportunities to work with other teams. 

About You | Mōu

To be successful in these roles you will bring:

• A Bachelor of Laws and current practising certificate (or eligibility to get one).
• A minimum of 10 years’ PQE, with a strong background in public law, judicial review, legislative processes, and/or civil litigation. (A mix of advisory skills and litigation experience in the senior courts is preferred). 
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Keen analytical and problem-solving skills, and a desire to work on challenging legal issues.
• Excellent relationship-building skills and a desire to contribute to a collaborative and high-performing environment.
• A passion for working on impactful and interesting legal issues.
• General knowledge of the role in the law of the Treaty of Waitangi, te ao Māori and tikanga Māori or a willingness to build skills in these areas as Counsel for the Crown.

Auckland | Tāmaki Makaurau 

The role is Auckland based and located at Crown Law’s Auckland CBD office in the HSBC Tower at 188 Quay Street, part of the Britomart and Commercial Bay precinct.

What we Offer | Ngā painga

• A starting salary range of between $139,815 and $185,912 with further room to progress. The appointing salary will be based on skills and experience.
• An annual wellness payment;
• 5 weeks’ annual leave plus 3 additional leave days (Crown Law days);
• Opportunities for development and growth across Crown Law.

Apply Now | Tono mai ināianei

All applications should include a covering letter and curriculum vitae 

To be considered for a position at Crown Law you must have a legal right to live and work in New Zealand and are required to complete a Ministry of Justice Criminal Records check

If you have any additional questions about this role, or if you have a disability that affects the submission of your application through the online process, please email people.capability@crownlaw.govt.nz.

Applications close at 5pm on 26 July 2026