Appointment to The Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1)

I am pleased to announce that the Governor-General, His Excellency the Hon David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), has accepted the advice of the Government and appointed Ms Rebecca Curran as a judge of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1).

The Government is committed to greater transparency in the judicial appointments process. In the lead up to this decision I consulted extensively with key members of the legal community seeking nominations of suitable, qualified people.

I established an advisory panel comprising the Hon William Alstergren AO, Chief Justice of the FCFCOA, the Hon Diana Bryant AO KC, former Chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia, and a senior officer of the Attorney-General's Department. The advisory panel assessed the nominations to the FCFCOA and provided me with recommendations on suitable candidates. Ms Curran was amongst those recommended by the panel.

On behalf of the Australian Government I congratulate Ms Curran on her appointment and thank her for her willingness to serve the people of Australia as a judge of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 1).

Ms Rebecca Curran

Ms Curran will commence on 6 February 2023 in the Sydney Registry. In 1993 Ms Curran was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory and was called to the Bar in 2012.

Ms Curran graduated from the Australian National University with a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws in 1993. Since being called to the Bar in 2012, Ms Curran has worked as a barrister in Burley Griffin Chambers, practising in all areas of family law.

Prior to joining the Bar, Ms Curran worked as a solicitor, and later a partner, at Phelps Reid Lawyers. She was also a senior associate at Ryan Kruger Lawyers. She was previously a Registrar of the then Family Court of Australia and the former Federal Magistrates Court of Australia.

Ms Curran has been recognised by the Doyle's Guide as a leading Family Law Mediator since 2016, and as a pre-eminent family law barrister since 2019. Ms Curran has served in various roles with the ACT Bar Association since 2012 and earlier this year became the association's first female president.