Legal Case Manager/Senior Judicial Registrar Associate

This position is within the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia

Position overview

The Courts are seeking highly capable candidates who are enthusiastic, driven and motivated to assist in achieving the Courts’ objectives and perform the key functions of a Legal Case Manager and/or Associate to a Senior Judicial Registrar.

Senior Judicial Registrars and Judicial Registrars now undertake, under the new case management pathway, a significant proportion of first return directions and interlocutory work in the FCFCOA (Divisions 1 and 2) previously undertaken by judges, and perform dispute resolution to resolve proceedings. Legal Case Managers and Associates to Senior Judicial Registrars will support registrars in the case management of family law matters. This includes supporting registrars working on various areas across the Courts, including the Evatt List within the Lighthouse project, and in relation to PPP- 500 small claims property matters. Subject to their skills and experiences, successful applicants may also support Senior Judicial Registrars and Judicial Registrars who undertake judicial work nationally.

The role may support one or more registrars or national case management processes flexibly in order to account for workload demands.

Formal Qualifications and Experience

Completion of a law degree or Juris Doctor, or in the latter stages of studies for a law degree or Juris Doctor.

Experience within a court, or legal environment is highly regarded.

Key Responsibilities and Duties

A number of the following duties will be relevant to each position:

• Exercise legal skills to assist Senior Judicial Registrars and/or Judicial Registrars, including case law research, support with judgments/reasons, and important legal preparation and research for dispute resolution events;
• Assist in both a legal and administrative way in the efficient and effective running of the chambers of Senior Judicial Registrars and/or Judicial Registrars, including through preparing correspondence and reports and managing the schedule of hearings and engagements in the Court databases, and assistance with registrar case management more broadly;
• Use Court applications and associated documentation, to accurately enter and maintain information on Court databases, enter and disseminate listing information, and manage Court records and files;
• Assist registrars in the planning and case management of matters including in the preparation and
• publication of orders, liaising with Judges’ chambers, litigants and other services;
• Develop and maintain relationships with Court users and be responsive to requests from external and internal stakeholders;
• Assist with the referral of matters to judges, Senior Judicial Registrars, Judicial Registrars, Child Dispute Services staff and other registry staff; and
• Provide support to Senior Judicial Registrars and/or Judicial Registrars working on key initiatives, including the Lighthouse Project and on PPP-500 small claims property matters, including relating processes, case management and operation of the specialist list to Court users and internal staff.

Selection Criteria

The successful applicants will need to have:

1. Strong legal and legal research skills. 
2. Strong communication (oral and written) and liaison skills as well as the ability to communicate with people at all levels. Be able to exercise tact and discretion, act impartially and maintain confidentiality at all times.
3. Demonstrated ability to provide high-level case management and administrative support including demonstrated commitment to excellence in service delivery, attention to detail and strong research ability.
4. Demonstrated organisational skills, including the ability to manage several processes at once, attention to detail, excellent time management skills, and apply planning and problem solving skills.
5. Demonstrated working knowledge or clearly demonstrated capability to quickly acquire a sound working knowledge of court procedures, guidelines, policies and practice, including the computerised information systems used by the Courts.
6. Demonstrated ability to work both autonomously and as a member of a geographically dispersed team with limited direction, and the ability to adapt to changing situations and priorities and participate in collective work practices.
7. Sound IT proficiency, including the ability to learn and adapt to new systems and technology quickly and effectively.

Contact Officer

For more information, confidential enquiries can be made to Kirsten Hatwell or Lela Vidakovic, National Coordinators – Legal Case Managers/Senior Judicial Registrar Associates at **************@fcfcoa.gov.au.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply.