Legal Counsel, Market Regulation

About this role

Ko mātou tēnei | Who we are

Te Komihana Tauhokohoko | The Commerce Commission is New Zealand's competition, fair trading, consumer credit and economic regulatory agency. Our mission is to make New Zealanders better off by ensuring our markets work well and consumers and businesses are confident participants in those markets.

With our areas of responsibility continuing to expand, our in-house legal team, which is one of the largest in the country, takes a collaborative, cross-functional approach to the delivery of legal services.

Mō te tūranga | About the role

As a Legal Counsel at the Commission, you will be part of an expert Legal Services team with an impressive record of enforcement outcomes and defended appeals. You will be carrying out complex legal research and analysis and analysing complex information to identify solutions to legal issues, with support from senior colleagues.

This role is based in our Market Regulation legal team. The team is responsible for providing support and advice to the Market Regulation branch who are responsible for regulating the telecommunications, fuel, dairy, retail payment system and groceries industries, with a focus on rule setting, market monitoring, compliance and enforcement. In this team you would be delivering key regulatory decisions for sectors that are vital to the New Zealand economy, advising on administrative law issues and drafting secondary legislation.

Our broader Legal Services team covers a wide range of legal work across all of our regulatory branches, include Competition, Credit, Fair Trading and Infrastructure Regulation. It is intended that you will have the opportunity to work across these teams also.

This is a permanent role that may be based in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) or Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington).

The indicative salary range for this role is $104,400 - $122,824 plus 3% KiwiSaver employer contribution. The successful candidate will be appointed at a salary which reflects their individual skills, experience, and internal relativities across the organisation.

He kōrero mōu | About you

To be successful in this role, you will ideally have:

• An undergraduate degree in law with a strong academic transcript
• 2-8 years' Post Qualification Experience
• Experience or interest in competition, public law, and/or civil or criminal litigation, or advising on industry-specific regulation
• Demonstrated drafting ability in preparation of Court pleadings, secondary legislation and/or legal advice
• Sound legal research and analytical ability
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Above all, we are seeking a smart and curious lawyer who has a keen interest in working on important regulatory issues and is committed to public service and making life better for New Zealanders.Read more about the skills, experience and knowledge required for this position in the position description. If you are applying via SEEK, by clicking Apply Now you will be redirected to our careers page where you can access our position description.

Te wāhi mahi | Working here

We're friendly and collaborative and enjoy contributing to our shared vision of making New Zealanders better off.  Career growth and development is not only supported and encouraged, it's a part of everyday life here.  We also offer a range of benefits to show that we'll value your mahi, including generous leave entitlements, study support, a range of wellness initiatives and competitive remuneration. 

We are committed to our people's wellbeing.  Any support needed is freely given, providing the opportunity for everyone to thrive.  Our flexible working options are key to supporting that goal and our people have the technology they need to make it happen. We even offer a contribution to working from home set up costs.  Our environment is inclusive, and our people know they are free to be their authentic selves at work and structure the way they work to suit their lifestyle.

Ka pēhea te tono mai | How to apply

If you want to contribute to our vision to make New Zealanders better off, please click 'Apply for this job' below. You will need to complete an online application form and upload your CV and Cover Letter outlining your motivation for applying for this role and the skills and experience you bring.

For any queries contact Liz Martin on 04 924 3625. Closing date for applications Thursday 15 May 2025.

Studies have shown that women and people from under-represented backgrounds are less likely to apply for roles where they don't match the job description criteria exactly. If you're excited about this role and think you have what it takes, but your experience doesn't align 100%, we still want to hear from you and would encourage you to apply.

Our recruitment process is fair, inclusive and free from bias and we encourage our applicants to let us know if we can make it more user friendly for them.  We are an equal opportunity employer.  We value diverse perspectives and the contribution every one of our people makes to our culture.  Put simply – you can be yourself here.