Associateships

What is an Associate?

A Judge's Associate assists a judge or court. In Australia, a judge's associate is a recent graduate or lawyer who performs various duties to assist a specific judge. There are also Associateships for Members of a Tribunal such as the AAT or QCAT, as well as the Fair Work Commission.

What does Associateship involve?

Associates are often in the early stages of their careers, and so it is a privilege to be able to work closely with a judge with extensive experience in the legal profession. In many instances, judges are incredible mentors for their associates, so the role provides an excellent foundation for a future legal career.

Being an associate involves attending court frequently, allowing you to observe a range of oral advocacy techniques and to become more comfortable in this particular environment, while also observing the judicial decision-making process in action. As such, the opportunity is certainly invaluable and directly relevant to anyone with an interest in being a barrister or working in litigation.

Daily tasks vary depending on the judge, but generally include assisting the judge in court, summarising upcoming matters, proofreading judgments, liaising with parties in relation to court arrangements and conducting legal research. Beyond this, there may also be opportunities to travel across the State on circuit with your judge or to assist with extra-judicial tasks such as function planning and speechwriting.

Observing the judicial role in its broader context and understanding the third arm of government on a practical level, can have tangible career benefits across innumerable fields and positions.

How to Apply?

Applications vary depending on which Court or Tribunal you wish to apply to, but all would generally require a CV, cover letter and academic transcript. An interview with the individual judge or member would typically follow for short-listed candidates.