Senior/Principal Legal Counsel

He angitūtanga: The opportunity 

Te Kaunihera o Tāmāki Makaurau/Auckland Council has an opportunity for a permanent full-time Senior/Principal Legal Counsel to join its Public Law team, reporting to the Associate General Counsel in Ngā Ratonga Ture/Legal Services. We are a team of 10-12 specialist public lawyers working in a flexible, collaborative and supportive environment.

This is an incredible opportunity to utilise your expertise across the spectrum of public law issues within a complex organisation. The work is varied and high-quality with the potential to specialise in your areas of interest and work with key internal and external stakeholders, including the Office of the Auditor-General, the Ombudsman, the Privacy Commissioner and central government departments. In the last year, we have been involved in high-profile judicial reviews, complex human rights claims, Te Tiriti o Waitangi issues, advising on law reform and drafting legislation, among many other things.   

As a trusted advisor to the wider organisation, you will be responsible for providing sound and robust legal advice on a wide range of public law matters.  You will be adaptable, able to work with a degree of autonomy and be able to earn the respect of a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.

You will play a critical role in ensuring that Auckland Council acts lawfully, fairly and is open and transparent.

Click here to view the Position Description.

He kōrero mōu: About you 

You will have a minimum of 8 years legal experience. With political and organisational acumen, you will have a confident and collaborative working style.

Experience in public law is preferred but not essential. If you are smart, hard-working and have an interest in public law, then we want to hear from you.

This is an opportunity to utilise your interpersonal and relationship-building skills while working across a large and varied portfolio. You will be solutions-focused and be able to support the organisation in managing risk and thinking proactively.  

Ngā āhuatanga kei a mātou: What we offer

Auckland Council is the largest local authority in the Southern Hemisphere and is New Zealand’s main urban “growth” council. The challenges and opportunities in the public law space are significant.

Legal Services is a large in-house team of lawyers working across five teams (Public Law, Commercial, Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Regulatory & Enforcement, and Property). We empower Auckland Council to do the right thing, the right way, for an Auckland we can all be proud of.

In return, we will offer you a flexible working environment, the knowledge and support of other like-minded professionals and an enthusiastic and hard-working team to work with.  

We are proud to be recognised for our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. We are accredited by GenderTick, a signatory of the Pride Pledge. These commitments reflect our ongoing efforts to create a workplace where all staff feel valued, respected, and empowered to thrive. 

Together, we can create a Tāmaki Makaurau we can all be proud of.

As part of our organisation, please view a range of our: benefits

Tono inaianei: Apply Now!

Applications close 19th of January 2026

Auckland Council is an equal opportunity employer. We serve the diverse communities of Tāmaki Makaurau and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds - regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, educational background, or religious beliefs. We also welcome applications from our Rainbow communities as well as disabled and neurodivergent people. We are committed to making our hiring process accessible to everyone. If you require any support or adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know.