Associate Counsel

Tau ake rā te moana nei, e papaki kau ana ki te ākau tangata, kakenga waka ka mauru te tohu ki te arearenga o Mauao, he pou herenga mōu, he pou hononga mōu, kia herea ki te tika, kia herea ki te pono. Kia mau, kia ita, kia ū – haumi e, hui e, tāiki e!

Te Tūranga | About the role

As Associate Counsel, you will lead and manage a team of lawyers responsible for Council’s litigation, regulatory enforcement, and other contentious legal matters.

Reporting to the General Counsel, this role is primarily operational and people‑focused, with accountability for the day‑to‑day management, prioritisation, and quality of work delivered by the litigation and regulatory legal team.

While the role has a strong emphasis on litigation and regulatory work, the Associate Counsel is expected to operate as a senior legal generalist, with the ability to oversee and supervise advice across a broad range of legal topics as required.

On a day‑to‑day basis, this role will involve:

• Leading and managing a team of lawyers handling litigation, prosecutions, regulatory enforcement, and other contentious matters
• Overseeing active court proceedings and disputes, including strategy, risk management, and cost control
• Instructing and managing external counsel where required, with a strong focus on value for money
• Allocating work, setting priorities, and ensuring timely, high‑quality legal outputs
• Developing team capability through mentoring, supervision, and performance management
• Establishing and improving systems, templates, and processes for managing contentious legal work

The Associate Counsel team regularly works across a wide range of legislation, including (but not limited to):

• Local Government Act 2002
• Resource Management Act 1991
• Building Act 2004
• Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
• Civil Procedure, District Court and High Court Rules
• Criminal Procedure Act 2011 and Summary Proceedings Act 1957
• Public Works Act 1981
• Privacy Act 2020 and Official Information legislation

Ngā Pukenga | What you’ll need to succeed

• Admission as a barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand
• At least 8 years post‑qualification experience in litigation, regulatory, or contentious public law matters
• Demonstrated experience leading or supervising other lawyers
• Strong judgement in managing legal risk, court strategy, and enforcement decisions
• Experience working in or with local government or similarly regulated environments a bonus

Tō Tātou Kaunihera | About Tauranga City Council

Tauranga City Council is one of Tauranga’s largest employers, and we are always looking to attract great talent to join our driven, passionate, and community-focused team.

We always strive to ensure that you feel valued and supported in the workplace.

To highlight that our people are our greatest asset, we offer a wide range of benefits that include 5 weeks annual leave, flexible hours and work from home options, as well as career development opportunities.

You can find out more about working at Tauranga City Council here.

Te Tukanga | How to apply

If you want to be part of an energetic, fun, and supportive team, then we'd love to hear from you. For more information, please contact our Talent Acquisition team at Recruitment@tauranga.govt.nz

Please note we will not be accepting applications via email. If you wish to apply, please click ‘Apply’ at the bottom of this page and follow the link.

Applications will close Sunday 12th April. 

We’re reviewing applications as they come in, so don’t wait, applications may close early if a successful candidate is identified before the closing date.

We’re committed to building a diverse team that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including those living with disabilities.
If you need any support or adjustments to take part in our recruitment process, please contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruitment@tauranga.govt.nz

• You must have the legal right to live and work in New Zealand to apply for this role.
• Tauranga City Council does not accept unsolicited contact or applications from recruitment agencies. We will not pay fees or commissions related to unsolicited contact.

Job Description: Associate Counsel