Careers

Tipstaff positions

Tipstaves and researchers provide a high level of legal research and administrative support to judges. The positions involve a substantial amount of court work, and also involve research, proofreading of judgments, summarising and preparing files for hearing, liaising with the Court registry and the profession, and performance of a variety of other tasks to facilitate the smooth running of chambers.

Salary

Salary and other terms and conditions of employment are determined by the NSW Department of Justice and Attorney General.

Applying for a Tipstaff or Researcher position

Tipstaves are generally appointed for a period of one year, and vacancies are not always advertised.

Applications should be made early in the year prior to the year of the appointment. You should contact the associate of the judge or judges to whom you wish to apply in order to confirm whether a closing date has been set and/or whether the judge is currently accepting applications.

Interviews are usually conducted in June and July, with the successful applicant commencing work in late January or early February the following year.

Positions as tipstaves or researchers are highly competitive. Suitable candidates should have completed, or be in the course of completing, all the requirements for a degree in law. The successful candidate would usually have an excellent academic record, with an interest in environmental, administrative and/or criminal law. Applicants are expected to display the following skills and attributes:

• highly developed legal research, conceptual and analytical skills
• excellent organisational skills
• strong interpersonal skills
• high level computer and keyboard skills.

Tipstaves are expected to possess highly developed communication and interpersonal skills, proficiency in the use of IT, be professional and be able to display tact, confidentiality and confidence in their interactions with court users, practitioners, the judiciary and other court staff.

If you wish to apply for a tipstaff or researcher position, please include in your application a covering letter, curriculum vitae, a current academic record and contact details of at least two referees.

Applications are to be directed to the current associate of the judge or judges to whom you wish to apply.

Judicial and statutory positions

Find out about current judicial and statutory positions. See also more information about careers for judicial officers and other statutory officers.

Other positions at the Department of Justice

Other positions in the Department of Attorney General and Justice, including court officers, are advertised on I Work for NSW.