Litigants in Person and Pro Bono Coordinator

Federal Court of Australia; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Federal Court of Australia in Brisbane is seeking a Litigants in Person and Pro Bono Coordinator to provide operational and strategic support for the Litigants in Person and Pro Bono Project. You will act as a legal case manager to Judicial Registrars and help implement accessibility measures for vulnerable litigants.

The role involves triaging, coordinating pro bono referrals, managing mediation and court listings, and performing administrative duties with a focus on accuracy and efficiency.

Qualifications

• Strong organisational skills to perform in a high‑pressure legal environment.
• Experience communicating with unrepresented or vulnerable litigants.
• Knowledge of Federal Court practices, or ability to rapidly acquire it.
• Excellent written and oral communication with attention to detail.
• Strong problem solving and information synthesis abilities.
• Ability to work autonomously and collaboratively with high professional standards.
• Proficiency with Courtroom tech and online legal resources.

Responsibilities

• Initial triaging and assessment of litigant in person matters in consultation with Judicial Registrars.
• Coordinate pro bono referrals from Judges and Judicial Registrars and liaise with community legal providers.
• Support mediation and case management activities, including scheduling and documentation.
• Prepare registrar court listings, organize documents, and upload outcomes to the case management system.
• Manage diaries, calendars, and travel arrangements for Judicial Registrars.
• Perform other duties as required.

Skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Legal knowledge

Written communication

Problem solving

Autonomous working

Technology proficiency

Education

Law degree or enrolled in a law degree

Tools

Court case management system

Electronic legal resources

Job description

Litigants in Person and Pro Bono Coordinator

The Litigants in Person and Pro Bono Coordinator provides operational and strategic support to the Court’s Litigants in Person and Pro Bono Project and provides support as a legal case manager to Judicial Registrars in the Litigants in Person and Pro Bono Team.Judicial Registrars exercise statutory functions delegated by Judges or conferred by the Rules of the Federal Court.

The Litigants in Person and Pro Bono Coordinator provides operational and strategic support to the Court’s Litigants in Person and Pro Bono Project and provides support as a legal case manager to Judicial Registrars in the Litigants in Person and Pro Bono Team.Judicial Registrars exercise statutory functions delegated by Judges or conferred by the Rules of the Federal Court.

Position Overview

The key duties of the position include:

Position Duties

Initial triaging of litigant in person matters

• In consultation with Judicial Registrars, undertaking initial triaging and assessment of proceedings involving litigants in persons to identify triaging pathways and outcomes.

Pro bono referral program

• Coordinating the provision of services in fulfilment of pro bono referrals made by Judges and Judicial Registrars for litigants in person.
• Engaging with external service providers in the community legal sector, legal profession and elsewhere regarding service coordination.
• Supporting vulnerable litigants:
• Handling requests for reasonable adjustments made by litigants with disabilities, as well as other accessibility issues.
• Supporting the implementation of measures and procedures to support the needs of vulnerable litigants.

Mediation and case management administration

• Coordinating proceedings the Judicial Registrar is mediating or case managing, including liaising with parties, organising mediations and case conferences (virtual or in Court, or hybrid), preparing correspondence, ensuring facilities are arranged in accordance with the requirements of each mediation and/or case management conference and ensuring that relevant data on the Court’s case management system is accurate and up to date.

Registrar Court work

• Undertaking preparatory work for registrar court listings including checklists of documents filed, liaising with parties and listing matters on the Court’s case management system.
• Calling matters in Court and recording orders made.
• Undertaking post-Court work, including uploading orders and ensuring the Court’s case management system accurately reflects outcomes.

Other administrative duties

• Managing diaries and inboxes for Judicial Registrars as well the Judicial Registrars’ Calendar of Commitments and any travel arrangements.

Other general duties

• Performing such other duties, as required or directed, from time to time.

Eligibility

Selection Criteria

• Strong organisational skills with a demonstrated capacity to perform effectively in a high-pressure environment, preferably with experience in a legal setting.
• Experience in communicating with unrepresented litigants and/or vulnerable litigants, including an understanding of the challenges facing litigants in person.
• Knowledge of the Federal Court’s jurisdiction, practices and procedures, or the ability to quickly acquire this knowledge.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and attention to detail.
• Problem solving skills and the ability to evaluate large volumes of information quickly.
• The ability to work autonomously and collaboratively, including strong interpersonal skills, a proven ability to build and maintain positive professional relationships, and court appropriate presentation.
• Demonstrated proficiency with technology, including use of electronic legal resources and the ability to learn and use the Court’s case management systems and court room technology.

Formal Qualifications

There are no formal qualifications for this role, however a degree in law (or current enrolment in a law or related degree) will be regarded favourably, as will experience in legal administration or a court environment.

Notes

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in recruitment

Candidates may use AI tools to assist with their participation in this recruitment process unless otherwise advised. Where AI tools are used, candidates are responsible for ensuring that all information submitted is transparent, accurate, and genuinely reflects their own skills, capabilities, and experience. For more information, see:

Principles for candidate use of AI in Recruitment

Eligibility

Employment with the Court is subject to the conditions prescribed in the Public Service Act 1999, and the following:

• Australian citizenship – the successful applicant must hold Australian citizenship;
• Security and character clearance – the successful applicant must satisfy a Police Records Check, and may also be required to complete security clearances during the course of their employment;
• Health clearance – the successful applicant may be required to complete a health declaration or attend a medical assessment to confirm their fitness for duty.

Interested candidates who have received a redundancy benefit from an APS agency are welcome to apply but note that they cannot be engaged until their redundancy benefit period has expired.

Diversity and Inclusion

Federal Court Australia is committed to supporting an inclusive and diverse workforce and welcomes and encourages applications from People with Disability. First Nations peoples, LGBTIQA+ people, people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse backgrounds, mature age workers, as well as young workers and supporting an inter-generational workforce and supporting gender equity and families.

Federal Court Australia will provide reasonable adjustments for candidates to participate equitably in the recruitment process and discuss workplace adjustments to fulfil the inherent requirements of the role.

Getting to know the Federal Court of Australia

The Chief Executive Officer and Principal Registrar of the Federal Court, together with officers and staff identified under the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976, the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia Act 2021 and the Native Title Act 1993, constitute a single Statutory Agency for the purposes of the Public Service Act 1999. Employees are engaged to work in support of the following courts or tribunal:

• Federal Court of Australia,
• Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia,
• National Native Title Tribunal.

Employees are covered by the Federal Court of Australia Enterprise Agreement 2024-2027. The Federal Court and the Federal Circuit and Family Court each maintain a distinct statutory identity, with separate functions and judicial independence.