Judicial Registrar (FCFCOA)

April 11, 2022
Application deadline closed.

Job Description

These positions sit within the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (FCFCOA) jurisdiction.

The Courts are seeking highly capable candidates who are enthusiastic, driven and motivated to assist in achieving the Courts’ objectives and performing the key functions of a family law Judicial Registrar.

This recruitment is an exciting opportunity to be involved in important family law court reforms that will lead to significant benefits for litigants through improved safety outcomes and minimising delays. The Courts received recent funding in the 2022/23 Budget for the national expansion of the ground-breaking Lighthouse project and to enhance culturally responsive support, which provides for further Senior Judicial Registrars, Judicial Registrars, Court Child Experts, Indigenous Family Liaison Officers, and support staff for the Courts. This funding builds on significant funding received by the Courts in the 2021/22 Budget to support fundamental family law court reforms.

The recruitment of Judicial Registrars by the Courts will assist the Courts to:
• enhance the ability of the Courts to respond to family violence and other risks to vulnerable parties and children,
• enhance culturally responsive support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,
• alleviate substantial workload pressures on judges and make the Courts’ processes as efficient as possible,
• underpin the continuing implementation of fundamental structural family law reform and key initiatives, and
• ensure the capacity of the Courts to implement the FCFCOA Act, including the legislated single point of entry for family law filings and other required changes.

One or more positions are also intended to be responsible for the management of Indigenous Family Liaison Officers and their work nationally.

The recruitment will occur in the context of the Courts (led by the Hon. William Alstergren as the Head of Jurisdiction), continuing to implement a fundamental reform agenda focused on ensuring disputes are resolved in a just, timely and safe manner, with harmonised rules and procedures and a national emphasis on dispute resolution. A key tenet of this reform is a coherent approach to case management across the Courts nationally, with an enhanced role for Family Law Registrars in case management and dispute resolution processes. Family Law Registrars will also have a key role in the expanded Lighthouse project across 15 FCFCOA family law registries with its ground-breaking design to identify risk issues early and to support vulnerable parties and children.

There is now a clear career pathway, taking into account operational needs, for highly capable people who join the Courts as a Family Law Registrar, and who demonstrate the necessary skills, leadership and experience for an appropriate period of time, to progress through the relevant levels of Registrar roles. This includes the possibility for a Judicial Registrar to progress to a Senior Judicial Registrar role (or Blended Senior Judicial Registrar/Judicial Registrar role).

Key responsibilities and duties of the position

Performing delegated judicial functions

Judicial Registrars will perform statutory duties, powers and functions of a Judicial Registrar in the FCFCOA pursuant to sections 98 and 254 of the FCFCOA Act, and other legislative instruments, as required.
Judicial Registrars will perform delegated judicial functions locally and nationally, including:
• conducting conciliation conferences and other forms of dispute resolution in both property and parenting matters, including complex cases;
• conducting case management of the workload of the Courts, including case management of various proceedings;
• carrying out delegated judicial functions in family law matters by way of presiding in Court in duty lists and other Court based events; and
• for certain regions, undertaking circuits for regional areas (in relation to FCFCOA (Division 2) matters).

Delivering court reform and key initiatives

Judicial Registrars will play a central role in helping to deliver court reform and key initiatives. They will need to show leadership both locally and nationally in the performance of their legal and other duties and functions, and assisting to drive forward the Courts’ reform agenda. There will be opportunities for Judicial Registrars to perform duties at a national level in support of the Courts’ operational needs in support of the Chief Justice/Chief Judge and the CEO/PR.

Judicial Registrars may also undertake additional national roles and responsibilities, including participating in case management initiatives within the Court, assisting with the development of coherent and consistent practice and procedure, analyses of workload, and liaison with, and education of, the profession.

Internal and external liaison

Judicial Registrars will liaise with key internal and external stakeholders in areas of Registrar practice and procedure and matters of jurisdiction, including with:
• The Chief Justice/Chief Judge, Judges of both Courts, the CEO/PR, Deputy Principal Registrar, Executive Director – Registrar Family Law Practice and Dispute Resolution, Executive Director – National Registrar Operations, Senior Judicial Registrars and Court staff;
• Relevant Courts, Tribunals and other government agencies;
• The profession generally, including any relevant User Groups of the Court; and
• State and National Law Societies and Bar Associations and other key stakeholders.

Judicial Registrars will play a key local role in liaison with the legal profession. A key component of this liaison is to actively seek feedback from local stakeholders in relation to areas of Registrar practice.

Managerial responsibility for Indigenous Family Liaison Officers

One or more positions will be responsible for the management of the Indigenous Family Liaison Officers and their work. This includes contributing to policy and relevant practice material, staff training and guidance, and protocols. The roles will oversee the management of Indigenous Family Liaison Officers nationally and/or regionally, and ensure that they have appropriate support. The position will also play a key role liaising with important internal and external stakeholders. Any candidate seeking to apply for this role (only or in addition to the broader Judicial Registrar role) should indicate clearly their intention in their application material.

More Information
For more information on the position, and application requirements, please visit the court’s website at: https://www.fedcourt.gov.au/about/employment/job-vacancies

A merit/talent pool may be created from this process, which may be used to fill similar vacancies over the next 18 months.

Applications close 1 May 2022