The Law Society welcomes judicial appointments

On behalf of the state’s 36,000 solicitors, I would like to congratulate Kylie Beckhouse, Director of Family Law with NSW Legal Aid, on her appointment to the Federal Circuit Court of Australia, and Federal Circuit Court Judge Thomas Altobelli, on this appointment to the Family Court of Australia.

As the head of one of Australia’s largest family law practices and family dispute resolution services, Kylie Beckhouse has long been recognised as an expert in the field of family violence and how it is dealt with in the family law system.

Ms Beckhouse is a highly respected family law solicitor, known for her drive and interest in improving access to legal services and ensuring these services meet the needs of children, young people, and families. Her passion to assist some of the most vulnerable in our community has been a guiding force in her career and will serve her well on the bench of the Federal Circuit Court. Ms Beckhouse, who currently serves on the Law Society’s Family Law and Children’s Legal Issues Committees, will take up her position in the Sydney registry on 30 November 2020.

Judge Altobelli has also enjoyed a long and distinguished career in law, as a solicitor in family law and civil litigation and more recently on the bench of the Federal Circuit Court, where he hears matters predominantly in the family law jurisdiction. Judge Altobelli is also accredited by the Law Society of NSW as a specialist in the areas of family law, children’s law, and mediation. He will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in family law to the Court. Judge Altobelli will commence in the Family Court’s Sydney registry on 23 November 2020.

These appointments could not come at a more crucial time for the court’s as they work to overcome significant delays and backlogs in family law matters which have been exacerbated by COVID-19 restrictions. 

Mindful that the pandemic has impacted on many in the legal profession this year, I would like to remind members about the range of mental health and wellbeing support services and resources that can be accessed through our Wellbeing portal. This includes the Solicitor Outreach Service (SOS), a  dedicated and confidential psychological service that can be accessed by all NSW solicitors. The SOS number is 1800 592 296. We have also just uploaded some outstanding new articles on our wellbeing portal offering guidance on “how to help a colleague who is suffering” and “self-care for solicitors”. 

Finally, a reminder of some upcoming online events for practitioners, including tomorrow’s forum on Modern Slavery and Specialist Accreditation Week, which begins next Monday.

Richard Harvey, President, Law Society of NSW

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