Auckland Crown law work now up for grabs

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The Auckland Crown Solicitor warrant - which gives criminal prosecution work to the law firm associated with it - has been split in two and both are now up for grabs.

Law firm Meredith Connell, which has held the Crown Solicitor warrant in the region since 1922, says it will vie for the Auckland warrant but was not yet decided it would tender for the Manukau warrant.

Meredith Connell senior partner Christine Gordon, QC, has been the acting Crown Solicitor for Auckland since March, after Simon Moore was appointed as a High Court judge.

It was announced yesterday that Attorney-General Christopher Finlayson had split the Crown Solicitor warrant in New Zealand's biggest city.

The new Auckland warrant will about 60 per cent of the prosecution work in the region, while the new Manukau warrant will make up the remaining 40 per cent.

Both new warrants combined make up about 30 per cent of all Crown prosecutions.

The appointment process for both warrants begins immediately and is unlikely to be decided until next year.

Meredith Connell director of litigation Brian Dickey said if the firm decided to tender for the Manukau warrant it would need to open an office in South Auckland.

"Crown prosecution remains an important part of Meredith Connell and still represents 30 per cent of our total business, even as we continue to expand our commercial practice," Dickey said.