On 8 September, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) ('the Court') celebrated 6 judicial appointments, made by the Attorney-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, the Honourable Michelle Rowland MP. Of those 6 appointments, 5 were sitting as Senior Judicial Registrars of the Court. The appointments were as follows:
| Appointment | Registry |
|---|---|
| Dr James Renwick AM CSC SC | William St, Sydney |
| Senior Judicial Registrar Celia Conlan | Melbourne |
| Senior Judicial Registrar Kara Best | Brisbane |
| Senior Judicial Registrar Amy McGowan | Parramatta |
| Senior Judicial Registrar Sharney Jenkinson | Melbourne |
| Senior Judicial Registrar Kathryn Heuer | Adelaide |
The Chief Justice of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1) and Chief Judge of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) ('the Courts'), the Honourable William Alstergren AO, particularly commended the Attorney-General's insight in elevating Senior Judicial Registrars to Judges.
"Twenty one of our current family law and general federal law Judges previously served as Registrars of our Courts. The role of Judicial Registrar or Senior Judicial Registrar is the perfect environment in which to prepare for judicial office. 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."
Senior Judicial Registrars sit in Court and hear matters similarly to Judges, and hold delegated judicial powers to do so. The appointments in the family law jurisdiction recognise the enormous experience and skill of those serving in the role of Senior Judicial Registrar and that it is an appropriate pathway to judicial appointment, as is the role of senior solicitor or barrister.
In addition to these appointments, which will serve the Courts' family law jurisdiction, exciting career pathways are found in the Courts' general federal law and migration jurisdiction. Among the many former general federal law Registrars now holding positions in the Courts are Judge Peter Fary and CEO / Principal Registrar, Mr David Pringle PSM.
Judge Celia Conlan said:
"I came to the FCFCOA having practiced in family law and associated jurisdictions for over 25 years, including as a barrister. I hoped for an opportunity to engage with and give back to the larger family law community, including the parties and the stakeholders who support them. The reality of working here as a Senior Judicial Registrar has far exceeded my hopes and has provided me with a sense of meaning and purpose that I had not experienced previously in my career.
In my role as a Senior Judicial Registrar my main responsibility was to determine interim matters, including Evatt and Magellan matters as well as urgent applications, such as recovery orders. This responsibility was invigorating and engrossing, with every matter presenting new issues for families in very real distress. It is immensely gratifying to assist those families to at least progress their issues and often to resolve them.
In addition, I have enjoyed the wonderful experience of collaborating with an extraordinary array of talented professionals such as our Court Child Experts and our co-located organisations with the aim of continuing to hone and improve the services the FCFCOA provides to the community. This has been a highlight of my time at the FCFCOA to date. I will take this collaborative experience and the skills I have gleaned from these interactions with me into my new role as a Judge and I have no doubt I will provide a better service to the community as a result."
Judge Kara Best said:
"It has been a particular privilege and deeply enriching to work for the last four years within a team that has been unapologetically focussed on delivering safer outcomes to the children of separated parents under a Registrar-driven case management model.
It has been such a privilege and joy to work within the Registrar cohort, a group of exceptionally talented and driven lawyers.
The Court affords its Registrars the opportunity to work with a dynamic group of Legal Case Managers and Associates, whom represent the best and brightest of the next generation. That capacity to teach, to mentor and to learn from a truly collegiate environment is a significant feature of working within the FCFCOA.
Whilst the work that we do is challenging, and heartbreaking at times, it is highly rewarding, and we are supported by a remarkable level of infrastructure, including particular focus on our personal and professional development.
I am so encouraged by the recent national elevation of a significant number of our Senior Judicial Registrars to Judge. Each have served a remarkable apprenticeship of sorts in the exercise of delegated judicial power at the coal face of the work that we do, making decisions under pressured circumstances, often in the face of contentious evidence and with significant risks arising to children and their carers. My hope is that the privilege of this work will allow for each of us to contribute significantly from Day 1 as Judges of Division 2 of the Court."
Judge Kathryn Heuer said:
"The appointment of Senior Judicial Registrars is testament to the success of the Courts' revised case management system.
The high volume and complex nature of interim work done by Senior Judicial Registrars demands the ability to work calmly and effectively under pressure whilst addressing risk and delivering prompt and sound decisions. These are some of the many attributes of the judges in our courts. The skills of the SJRs, together with the Courts' extensive focus on continuing legal development particularly in the area of family violence, ensures SJRs hit the ground running and immediately contribute to the delivery of services to the families in our court.
A desire to help people is why I became a family lawyer. Each step in my career has honed my ability to achieve that goal in a meaningful way. As a Judge I will be able to do that in a way that addresses the particular needs of children and their families experiencing the challenges of separation."
All Judges commenced on 17 September 2025.
The Courts are now seeking applications to fill several Senior Judicial Registrar positions in multiple locations nationally. Click here
