When Her Honour Judge Kara Best started working as a Senior Judicial Registrar within the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1) and (Division 2), she knew straight away it was the right place for her.
After having worked in practice as a solicitor in family law for several years, Judge Best found herself drawn to working as a Senior Judicial Registrar “within a team that has been unapologetically focused on delivering safer outcomes” for children.
“It has been a fantastic job and probably one of the best of my career,” Her Honour said.
Judge Best is one of six recent judicial appointments made to Division 2 of the Court by Commonwealth Attorney General Michelle Rowland, five of which were sitting as Senior Judicial Registrars.
Chief Justice William Alstergren AO praised the decision, with 21 current family law and general federal law Judges having previously served as Registrars.
“The role of Judicial Registrar or Senior Judicial Registrar is the perfect environment in which to prepare for judicial office,” the Chief Justice said.
“Those roles provide unique experience and insight into being a judicial officer, and that our Registrars are being recognised in this way is a matter of great pride for the Courts.”
This career pathway, Judge Best described, is particularly well suited to those who are “driven by a desire to be protective when it comes to children and respond to risk”.
“That’s the job that you need to be doing, and it’s incredibly easy to do when you’re value-aligned,” she said.
Judge Best said a period in practice is “absolutely essential” for young or early career lawyers who might be interested in this career pathway.
“I think it’s something that you should look to after having bedded down specialist knowledge around family law, the kind of experience and the skill development that you only get by going to work every day and appearing in that court every day,” Her Honour said.
“If you find yourself at the conclusion of that period genuinely wanting to contribute in that space, where you’re attempting to support families to do better and also to resolve disputes at the earliest opportunity, then there’s no better work.”
Her Honour said another stand out factor in being a Registrar was working within a team that allows individuals “to mentor and to learn from a truly collegiate environment”.
“I think one of the best things about being a Registrar is that you get to work with not only fellow Registrars and Judges who are top of their game, but you work with a great group of court child experts, and those kinds of resources are at your fingertips,” she said.
“I’ve really enjoyed the fact that I’ve broadened my horizons in terms of my skill level and it’s not all legal.
“In fact, the majority of enhancing skills has really been about what it means to be truly trauma informed, and what it means to engage with a family in a way that is genuinely committed to improving their situation and their capacity to protect their own child.”
The upward movement of those employed within the Court is “exciting”, Her Honour added.
“You’re seeing people move up based upon the work that they’ve done and the quality of it,” she said.
“I’m genuinely excited about working with the other Judges who I’ve had long relationships with, appearing before and working with them as a Registrar.
“I really, genuinely love this Court.”
Now in her new role, Judge Best hopes to continue her work with families in much the same way she has as a Senior Judicial Registrar.
“It is potentially no different to what I’ve attempted to bring to work for the last four years but I think it’s just an opportunity to do that in a really privileged way as a Judge,” she said.
“The opportunity to resolve is significant prior to even reaching a Judge, so I appreciate that it’s even more difficult to necessarily support a family, to find a resolution and to take control of a situation once you reach a trial.
“I’m obviously focused on making sure that whatever I do is trauma informed, and that we keep one eye on the implication of the litigation for the co-parenting relationship and the wellbeing of a child well after the court concludes its work with a family.”
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