Willis Legal is a leading, progressive law firm with two modern offices across Te Matau a Māui/Hawke’s Bay. We’re known for delivering excellent service to a diverse and valued client base, and for building a team where people genuinely enjoy the work they do. Our Dispute Resolution Team acts in some of the region’s most significant and complex disputes.
With a key Dispute Resolution team member heading overseas, we’re looking for a Solicitor to join us in our Napier office (Willis House, Dickens Street).
About the role
Our Dispute Resolution Team is highly regarded and consistently busy, with a variety of interesting work from long-standing clients and a steady flow of referrals from across the region and nationally. The team is made up of a Partner and an Associate, who are adept and skilled in their field of practice and committed to developing the people they work with. This is a fantastic opportunity for a lawyer who has already worked in dispute resolution or who has worked in another area of law and wants to give it a go.
You will work closely with the Partner and Associate as part of a collaborative team, taking responsibility for your own files and gaining early advocacy experience, with day-to-day supervision and support from across the team and firm, plus the resources you need to keep developing your skills and career.
Your work will include:
Relationship property disputes, including complex and high-value matters;
Trust disputes;
Estate disputes;
Property disputes;
Commercial and contractual disputes;
Debt recovery and enforcement; and
Advocacy and appearances in the High Court, District Court and Family Court.
About you
You’re a New Zealand-admitted solicitor with around 1–2 years’ PQE and experience in New Zealand in either dispute resolution or another area of law. If your experience doesn’t match this exactly, or you’ve taken a different path into law, we’d still love to hear from you. You’re technically capable, detail-focused, and take pride in delivering high-quality work.
You enjoy being part of a team, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and communicate clearly and confidently with clients and colleagues alike. Most importantly, you bring a positive, proactive approach and a genuine interest in building your career.
This is a full-time role and is based in our Napier office.
What you’ll get
Meaningful work, early advocacy opportunities and the chance to run your own files with close support;
Genuine mentoring and supervision from experienced practitioners;
A collegial, supportive and fun team; and
Modern, cloud-based technology so you can work efficiently and flexibly.
About us
Willis Legal is a long-established Hawke’s Bay firm with a strong reputation for excellence, integrity, and forward-thinking. We work on high-quality and often complex matters for a varied client base, and we’re proud of the expertise and care we bring to everything we do.
What really sets us apart is our culture. We combine high professional standards with a genuinely collegial, fun and supportive work environment, where people are encouraged to grow, take ownership of their work, and enjoy what they do.
We invest in modern, cloud-based technology, including Actionstep, NetDocuments, Mitimes, VXT, Claude and Jude AI, which enables our team to work efficiently and flexibly while maintaining exceptional service for our clients.
We are guided by our values: Tūturutanga (Authentic), Whanaungatanga (Team), Mana Tangata (Pride), Whakatupuranga (Growth) and Iho Matua (Mindful). Willis Legal is a place where people build lasting careers and feel proud of the work they contribute to.
If this sounds like the right fit for you, learn more about us on our website or through our social channels.
To apply
Please upload your CV, cover letter and academic transcript. There’s no formal closing date — we’ll be reviewing applications as they come in, so we encourage you to apply early.
For a confidential discussion, contact Alison Donovan, General Manager, at [email protected] or 022 172 2122.