Public Defence Service - New Zealand Tech Stack

Criminal legal aid provider and largest public defence employer in New Zealand

Law Practice Wellington, Wellington 201–500 employees Founded 2004 Government Agency

Public Defence Service operates as New Zealand's primary criminal legal aid provider, with 10 offices and roughly 250 lawyers and support staff. The tech stack is entirely Microsoft-native (Teams, SharePoint, Dynamics 365, Power Platform, Azure DevOps), reflecting a government agency architecture. Hiring has accelerated, with 50+ legal roles currently open alongside infrastructure in HR, security, and ops — suggesting expansion into case-volume handling and organisational scaling, reinforced by active projects around process optimisation and people strategy.

Tech Stack 11 technologies

Core StackAzure DevOps Power Platform Dynamics 365 Microsoft Office Teams SharePoint Microsoft 365 Purview PRINCE2 Campaign Monitor CCTV

What Public Defence Service - New Zealand Is Building

◆Challenges

Employment relations issues
Changing legislation
High volume sensitive cases
Eliminate family violence and sexual violence
Inefficient procurement processes
Operational changes for justice sector
Upholding credibility of fines
Fulfil obligations under public records act
Managing information asset governance
Organisational change projects

▲Active Projects

Px process optimisation project
Developing px advisors
Te aorerekura strategy implementation
Lead development of od frameworks
Support people strategy evolution
Asset renewal projects
Building condition projects
Employee survey programme
Culture and inclusion initiatives
Relationship management with iwi

Hiring Activity

Accelerating85 roles · 40 in 30d

Department

Legal

Security

Government

Construction

Ops

Communications

Support

Seniority

Mid

Senior

Junior

Manager

Principal

C-Level

Director

Intern

Notable leadership hires: Chief Financial Officer

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About Public Defence Service - New Zealand

PDS is a government agency under the Ministry of Justice and the largest employer of criminal defence lawyers in New Zealand. The organisation provides legal representation to individuals who cannot afford private counsel across the country's criminal justice system, operating from 10 regional offices. The team ranges from Supervised Providers to senior Public Defenders (PAL 4) and includes specialist support staff. The agency emphasizes mentoring, flexible working arrangements, and access to training and professional development for its legal workforce. Internal priorities include process optimisation, organisational development frameworks, and cultural initiatives, alongside statutory obligations under public records management and legislative change.

HeadquartersWellington, Wellington

Company Size201–500 employees

Founded2004

Hiring MarketsNew Zealand, Sri Lanka, Australia, United States, Canada

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Public Defence Service headquartered?

Wellington. The organisation operates 10 offices across New Zealand and also recruits from Australia, Canada, United States, and Sri Lanka.

What technology does Public Defence Service use?

Microsoft-centric stack: Teams, SharePoint, Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, Power Platform, and Azure DevOps. Also uses Purview for governance and Campaign Monitor for communications.