Victorian Indigenous Clerkship Program
24 February 2026
The Federal Court of Australia has proudly signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Victorian Bar in support of their Indigenous Clerkship Program, an initiative overseen by the Victorian Bar’s Indigenous Justice Committee.
The Indigenous Clerkship Program has been operating for 17 years and provides Indigenous law students enrolled at a recognised Australian universities with paid, structured work experience across select Victorian legal institutions.
The Federal Court has supported and participated in the program since approximately 2006. The MOU will ensure the Federal Court continues to support opportunities for Indigenous law students to gain practical experience and insights into judicial work.
As part of the program, participating clerks undertake four weeks of paid work experience, comprising:
- One week with a Barrister at the Victorian Bar.
- One week in the chambers of a judge of the Federal Court of Australia.
- One week in the chambers of a judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria.
- One week in the chambers of a judge of the County Court of Victoria.
At the time of the signing of the MOU, Justice O’Bryan is the Federal Court’s coordinating judge for the Indigenous Clerkship Program.
The signing of the MOU reflects the Federal Court’s ongoing commitment to supporting initiatives that strengthen pathways for Indigenous law students within the legal profession.
