Special Counsel - Public Law

He angitūtanga: The opportunity 

Te Kaunihera o Tāmāki Makaurau/Auckland Council is seeking a permanent, full-time Special Counsel to join its Public Law team. Reporting to the Associate General Counsel in Ngā Ratonga Ture/Legal Services, this is a senior role leading the delivery of high-quality advice across a specialist public law workstream for Auckland Council and its CCOs.

We are looking for an outstanding advisory lawyer ready to step into a leadership role and make an immediate impact. You’ll advise elected members, the executive team and senior leaders on complex, high-profile public law issues in a dynamic environment, with work that is varied, strategic and influential. This is a chance to help shape public law practice within New Zealand’s largest local authority.

As a trusted advisor across the council group, you will provide clear, practical and defensible advice on a broad range of public law matters. You’ll work with a high degree of autonomy and credibility, engaging confidently with diverse internal and external stakeholders.

The Legal Services’ Public Law team is a group of around 12 specialist public lawyers working in a flexible, collaborative and supportive environment. In this role, you’ll provide leadership across the team and wider Legal Services function, including coaching and mentoring colleagues.

Click here to view the Position Description.

He kōrero mōu: About you 

You will have a minimum of 15 years legal experience with a solid public law background. With political and organisational acumen, you will have a confident and collaborative working style. 

Experience in public law is essential, and knowledge of the local government legal framework is preferred.

This is a rare 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 high profile and interesting work, 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 Mai: Apply Now!
Applications close Tuesday 12th of May at 11:59pm

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.