Biographical details - Andrew Phelan, General Manager Corporate Services, Family Court of Australia

Andrew Phelan joined the Family Court in 1998. As General Manager Corporate Services, he is responsible for planning, performance analysis and reporting and corporate support functions in the Court.

Andrew has been a Member of the Council of the AIJA since 1998.

Prior to joining the Family Court, Andrew held a number of senior executive government positions, including as a member of the executive team which established Centrelink.

Andrew has had 25 years experience in senior legal, investigative, international and general management positions. He has degrees in Arts, Laws and Business, trained as a detective with the NSW Police and was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW in 1978.

In 2001, Andrew was awarded a Senior Executive Fellowship by the Australian Government, through which he has been examining the ways in which courts around the world have been responding to the changing needs of the communities they serve. Earlier this year, Andrew visited courts and related organisations in India, the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Finland, the United States, Canada, Hong Kong and Singapore, interviewing over 100 judges, senior court officials and others in the process. The practical use of technology in courts has been a key area of focus of the Fellowship.