Bar’s online portal manages referrals and amicus curiae appointments
Australia’s Federal Court has announced the official launch of a 12-month pilot to use the Victorian Bar’s online portal as a central mechanism for managing amicus curiae appointments and referrals for pro bono assistance under Division 4.2 of the Federal Court Rules 2011.
According to a news release, through the collaborative initiative between the Federal Court and the Victoria Bar’s Pro Bono Committee, the court will use the bar’s online portal to:
The court noted that it will not use the online portal for migration matters and other proceedings requiring highly specialised experience. The court explained that the new scheme seeks to:
Broadly, the initiative aims to:
Over the past two years, the Federal Court of Australia and the Victorian Bar co-developed the pilot, modelled on existing court and tribunal processes.
“Congratulations to the Pro Bono Committee, particularly Chair Geraldine Gray and Deputy Co-Chair Laura Hilly, for facilitating the scheme’s expansion,” said Fiona Ryan, Victorian Bar president, in an update.
According to the Federal Court’s LinkedIn post, a signing ceremony and seminar at the court’s Victorian registry on 11 March 2026 celebrated the initiative’s official launch.
Debra Sue Mortimer, chief justice of the Federal Court of Australia, signed the protocol. Elizabeth Bennett, Federal Court judge, delivered the keynote address. Ryan and Christopher Brown gave additional presentations.
In the update for the Victorian Bar, Ryan noted that Mortimer and Bennett discussed the importance of pro bono work for parties and the court assisted by pro bono counsel.
“Chief Justice Mortimer and Justice Bennett each made outstanding contributions to the administration of justice by appearing pro bono in many significant matters whilst they were at the Bar, and I am thankful to them for their support of this scheme,” Ryan said.
Ryan also commended Brown for his insights during the panel discussion.
In its news release, the Federal Court urged Victoria’s barristers, across all seniority levels and practice areas, to begin accessing pro bono referrals and amicus curiae appointment opportunities through the Victorian Bar’s online portal.
The court expressed its gratitude to the state bar and all barristers who supported the initiative.
