About us
- Ford Sumner is a medium sized, Wellington-based law firm with clients across Aotearoa.
- We specialise in corporate and commercial, dispute resolution and employment law (along with family law and our private client practice).
- Having recently celebrated 20 years in business, we combine enduring client relationships with a team committed to growth and innovation.
- We deliver high-quality, timely legal advice, combining the capability of a large firm with the personalised and efficient service of a small practice.
- Our sector expertise includes aviation, construction, education and government.
About the roles
Legal
We are seeking experienced lawyers who can manage diverse caseloads and provide clear, effective legal advice, advocacy and solutions for our clients in the following roles:
Associate or Senior Associate - Corporate/Commercial
A technically capable 8yr + PQE lawyer, with experience in company law, M&A, business restructuring, and other transactional matters. This role will work closely with Partner Sarah Churstain and will lead and work across a wide range of matters with a diverse range of clients, from individuals, SMEs, large corporates and public sector clients including the aviation sector.
Associate or Senior Associate – Dispute Resolution/Litigation
A motivated and passionate 6yr + PQE lawyer to join our dispute resolution team. Working with Partner Jaesen Sumner, you will have experience practising civil litigation/dispute resolution and experience in Court and mediation processes. Whilst focused on general civil litigation, this role may also include some employment and construction matters.
Associate or Senior Associate – Employment
Our Employment team is looking for an experienced 6yr + PQE lawyer with broad employment law experience, including ERA, Court, and mediation processes. Working with Principal Paul Gillespie, you will ideally have (or be interested in developing) experience in collective bargaining, industrial relations, and workplace investigations.
Senior Lawyer or Associate – Family/Litigation
An experienced 5yr + PQE lawyer to join our family law team. You will ideally be developing your practice and have the ability and drive to generate some of your own work, as well as working under Special Counsel Joanne Cheer.
While ideally these roles are full-time and on-site in Wellington, we would be open to discussing part-time and/or remote/non-Wellington based options.
Non-Legal
Office or Marketing Manager (Part-time)
We are creating a job-share role to work alongside our Office Manager who works 3 days per week. We are seeking someone with marketing experience to manage and drive our website and social media content and oversee our CRM (HubSpot experience is an advantage) along with other administrative tasks. This role is ideally 0.6 FTE across Monday, Tuesday, and one additional day.
About You
Success at Ford Sumner requires more than legal expertise - team fit and client relationships are essential. You will bring:
- A positive outlook with strong communication skills and the ability to build rapport with colleagues and clients.
- A flexible, adaptable approach suited to a busy practice with varied work.
- Proven experience in your specialty area.
- Excellent attention to detail and commitment to high-quality work.
- A professional approach to service delivery and a focus on exceeding client expectations.
- The ability to work collaboratively while also managing matters independently.
- Strong organisational skills to manage a diverse workload.
- A current NZLS practicing certificate and the PQE level outlined above.
Why us?
- Ford Sumner offers strong opportunities for professional growth and development through active Partner/Principal and Senior Associate mentorship and collaboration.
- Our team works with a wide range of clients on complex and interesting matters.
- We foster a fun, supportive, collegial environment and value our people highly.
- Come join us!
If you think you’re the right person for any of these roles, please email your CV and covering note to ange@fsl.nz.
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