Our History

Executive Director Courts, John Griffin; CEO, Lyn Slade; Attorney General, the Hon Rob Hulls

The Working Party

In July 2000 the Honourable Rob Hulls, MP, Attorney-General of Victoria, formed a working party to help establish an education scheme for Victorian judicial officers. Chaired by the Honourable John Harber Phillips AC, then Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria, the working party included senior judicial officers, Crown Counsel, and officers of the Department of Justice.

As a result of the working party’s report, the Judicial College of Victoria was established under the Judicial College of Victoria Act 2001. It began operating in November 2002, with Chief Executive Officer Ms Lyn Slade at the helm.

The Launch of the Judicial College of Victoria

The Attorney-General formally launched the College on 13 May 2003, acknowledging the many months of hard work since the Judicial College of Victoria Act 2001 was passed. Numerous judges, masters, magistrates, coroners, and VCAT members attended the launch.

In his address, the Attorney-General enthusiastically endorsed the College:
"It is naive to expect the judiciary to function at its optimum without adequate support or access to information and training, and opportunities for exploring the complex issues facing the community. The Judicial College of Victoria, I believe, is a very important instrument in harnessing the intellect and passion of the judiciary for the law as an evolving body of knowledge".

The Chair of the College, the Honourable John Harber Phillips AC, Chief Justice, warmly endorsed this view:
"With the government wishing to broaden appointments to the bench, there must be facilities for judicial education in place so that new appointees can learn the special skills required for their important work".

Legislative Support

The Courts Legislation Amendment (Judicial Education and Other Matters) Act 2007 bolstered support for judicial education. Each Victorian judicial officer is expected to participate in at least ten hours of professional development each year at the College through a Continuing Professional Development Scheme, which accounts for around two days of the five days recommended in the National Standard for Professional Development for Australian Judicial Officers.