New Zealand Careers

As New Zealand's first global business law firm, we provide a full range of legal services, covering all major regions and key markets. We provide a seamless service, advising international clients doing business in New Zealand and New Zealand organisations doing business elsewhere.

On a local basis, we support New Zealand-focused businesses, and clients in government and public organisations, providing in-depth knowledge and networks. You’ll be working with an incredibly talented team of commercially astute lawyers, including many of the country’s leading legal minds.

For further information on our vacancies, please contact the recruitment team.

Innovation and Law&

DLA Piper has spearheaded many innovations in the legal sector.  So much so, we were named Most Innovative Law & Related Services Firm' in the beaton Client Choice Awards in 2022', Most Innovative Law Firm in 2021 by the Financial Times; our Global Co-CEO, Simon Levine, was named Most Innovative Leader and the firm won the award for Most Innovative Law Firm Transformation for its Law& brand. Law& delivers solutions beyond traditional legal services to help our clients succeed in the modern business environment. From consultancy to cutting-edge AI, it integrates technology with first class commercial and legal expertise.

High profile work

DLA Piper offers the opportunity to do work that matters. Here are some recent examples:

• Advising Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Rawa Limited on its three largest corporate and real estate transactions including two joint ventures with Precinct Properties, being Te Toangaroa (railway lands) rejuvenation and the future development on the Downtown Car park site of two high rise towers including office, retail and residential.
• Advising Air New Zealand on a range of privacy and cybersecurity matters, including in relation to the implementation of biometric technology.
• Acting for New Zealand Green Investment Finance (NZGIF), a Crown-owned green investment bank, on numerous matters, including a deal in which NZGIF led a USD170 million capital raise, attracting international investors to launch its newly created NZGIF Solar Finance programme. The Climate Bonds Initiative-certified solar loan will initially finance Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest residential PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) portfolio, managed by solarZero.

Supportive and values-based culture

We may be one of the biggest law firms in the world, but it never feels like that. You will find yourself in a close-knit, diverse and supportive team. We pride ourselves in our friendly and collaborative culture where everyone is approachable. We take pride in our values-based culture which promotes openness, flexibility, belonging and wellbeing. Trusting and collaborative relationships with our clients and each other are at the heart of our success.

Strong sector experience

We value the importance of providing sector expertise to our clients. Our sector approach promotes cross-practice and cross-jurisdiction working and ensures we are strengthening the engagement we have with our key clients. As a firm we are proud to actively support 10 industry sectors which we are continually investing in.

Global service and international opportunities

Because our clients are often global, we have to be too. DLA Piper was the first global business law firm to operate in New Zealand, giving us a key point of difference. Sharing our insights, we work together across borders and jurisdictions in more than 40 countries across the world to provide a seamless service to our clients. As well as having a global team of experts at your disposal, this will mean real opportunities to work abroad and gain international exposure.

Diversity, inclusion and inspiring women leaders

Diversity and Inclusion underpins how we live our values and everything we do. We are defined by our people and are committed to recruiting, developing and retaining the highest calibre of professionals who reflect the diversity of our clients and the communities and markets we work in. We welcome the unique contribution that each person brings to our firm. Our people own our D&I journey, which is why over a third of our people are active in one of our four D&I committees:

IRIS: Promoting an inclusive work environment for colleagues who identify as LGBTTQIA+.

MOSAIC: Aims to promote a culture that is inclusive of all races whilst recognising the uniqueness of Maori as tangata whenua.

THRIVE: Promoting and enhancing our workplace agility and wellness (including mental health).

LAW: Leadership Alliance for Women Group, our network that plays an integral role in our vision for a gender balanced and inclusive firm.

Pro bono, giving something back

We also have a deep commitment to pro bono. We work with individuals and organisations that could not otherwise afford counsel, providing advice across a wide range of specialisms and geographies. 92% of the New Zealand firm mare actively involved in pro bono work, at an average of 37 hours per lawyer per year. This is well above the New Zealand average of 20.4 hours reported in the Thomson Reuters’ Pro Bono Trust Index 2022, which ranked DLA Piper as the highest pro bono contributor when compared to local law firms. Additionally, all our people are allocated two days a year to participate in firm-organised volunteering activities in the community. 

To deliver on our commitment of providing equal opportunity and breaking down barriers faced by under-represented groups when entering the business of law, we partnered with The Prince’s Trust NZ in 2020 to launch our Head Start New Zealand programme. 

Sustainability

DLA Piper strives to be a leader in environmental sustainability. We undertake initiatives to reduce our own operational environmental impact and we believe that our greatest contribution to a sustainable environment is the advice and support we provide to our clients – both in managing their own environmental impacts and assessing and responding to climate-related risks and opportunities.

We also make an active contribution to international climate policy discussions and the development of investments in low-carbon technology and infrastructure.

Some of our goals and initiatives include:

Energy: Our Auckland and Wellington Office are in Green Star 5 rated buildings, with energy efficient air-conditioning, energy sensors, rainwater capture systems etc.

Waste: We have recycling and waste minimisation programmes in both offices. We also have a worm farm in our Auckland office.

Sustainable procurement: We are currently in the process of implementing a supplier portal to encourage all of our major suppliers to provide us with regular, consistent sustainability performance data. We have also adopted a sustainable procurement policy.

Head for Sustainability and ESG: In April 2020, we appointed the firm's first International Head for Sustainability and ESG. It is a global topic which requires a global response and we are ideally placed as a firm to guide and assist our clients in this important area, and to play our role in helping to make business better.

Our people come from a diverse range of backgrounds. We don’t have a set profile – that’s what sets us apart. Not only does this allow us to serve our diverse clients better; it opens up a range of different and unique perspectives. Below are just a few of the elements that can make an individual stand out from the rest:

• Motivation – To work in the legal industry and start your career with us.
• Learning – Desire to learn more, and proactively seek opportunities to do so.
• Relationship building – Connecting with others to create long lasting relationships.
• Quality – Taking pride in every aspect of your work, where no detail is too small.
• Adaptability – Adapting your approach depending on the situation and in the face of any setbacks.