More resources are needed for a family law system "in absolute crisis", according to specialist Alexandra Wearne.
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Ms Wearne frequented the Federal Court and Family Court circuits in Albury up until the end of 2019 and is returning to the city to speak at the Hume Riverina Community Legal Service's Women in Law breakfast.
"At a minimum, we need to go back to a much greater number of circuits down there," she told The Border Mail.
"Getting a matter into a list isn't the problem, as I understand it - there's bottlenecks when people are there for final hearings."
The Family Law Courts' Children's Committee member now works with Reid Family Lawyers, after starting out as an Independent Children's Lawyer in 1994.
"I took over ICL practice at the court in 2001 and I did it until I left Legal Aid in 2017," she said.
"I've retained some files since then; I'm a really strong believer in continuity of care, so if particular kids and their families end up back in the court system, I pick their cases up again.
"I feel really blessed to have worked in Albury.
"Family lawyers there are just incredibly focused on best outcomes for their clients without reaching for litigation."
Ms Wearne will speak on her 30-year career at Mantra Albury on Thursday, as part of Law Week.
Hume Riverina Community Legal Service manager and principal lawyer Sarah Rodgers said the Women in Law Breakfast was making a welcome return to the biggest week of the year for lawyers.
"This has been our major event for Law Week for more than 10 years," she said.
"The response to this year's event has been overwhelming, with the highest number of registrations we've seen for some time.
"Having Alex as a guest speaker is a real draw-card."
Ms Rodgers said Law Week was an opportunity for the legal service to highlight the work it does to help people who need legal assistance the most.
"As a community legal centre, we value the relationships we have with other community services, including the private law firms in our region, who play an important role supporting vulnerable people in their time of need," she said.
