Minds Count Annual Lecture 2025

The 2025 Minds Count Lecture will be held in-person at the Federal Court of Australia in Sydney and televised via closed web-cast on Thursday 30 October 2025, starting at 5.30pm.

This year's keynote titled "Out Here, It’s Just Me: Legal Practice, Isolation and Wellbeing” will be delivered by Chief Judge Elizabeth Morris AM, Chief Judge of the Local Court of the Northern Territory and Judge Michael Allen, Chief Magistrate of the Local Court of New South Wales.

Chief Judge Morris and Judge Allen will join Dr Michelle Sharpe, barrister and advocate for wellbeing at the Bar, Michael Guilday, General Counsel and Head of Property at Sydney Fish Market and Greg de Moore, psychiatrist based at Westmead Hospital and Minds Count board member for a Q & A panel session following the keynote moderated by Tyrilly Csillag, Director of Legal Transformation at Thomson Reuters.

Chief Judge Elizabeth Morris AM, Local Court of the Northern Territory

Born and raised in Narromine, western NSW, Chief Judge Morris moved to the Northern Territory in 1990 after completing her degree. Judge Morris’ legal career includes work with NT Legal Aid Commission and the Office of the Coroner. She held various executive positions within the Northern Territory, including Executive Director of Racing, Gaming and Licensing, and Deputy CEO of the Department of Justice. Judge Morris was appointed as a Magistrate to the Northern Territory Magistrates Court in 2010, now the Local Court, and was appointed as Chief Judge of the Local Court in 2019.

Judge Morris currently serves on the Governing Councils of the Australian Institute of Judicial Administration, the Australian Judicial Officers Association, the Cultural Diversity Justice Network and the Australian Association of Women Judges. She also serves on the Northern Territory Law Reform Committee. Her past appointments include Chair of the Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission, Chair of the Northern Territory Community Benefit Fund, Vice President of the Criminal Lawyers Association of the NT, and as a Councillor for the Law Society.

Judge Morris’ community work has included leadership of various organisations such as NT Scouts, the Darwin Community Legal Centre and the Forster Foundation for Drug Rehabilitation. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Winston Churchill Trust. She was appointed Second Dormant Commissioner Holder as Acting Administrator of the Northern Territory in 2022.

In January 2024, Judge Morris was made a Member of the Order of Australia for her significant service to the law in the Northern Territory, and to the community. She is also a life member of the Criminal Lawyers Association of the NT.

Judge Michael Allen, Chief Magistrate of the Local Court of New South Wales

Chief Magistrate Michael Allen Commenced his career as a solicitor in private practice in 1986, practicing in industrial law and personal injury (plaintiff) litigation. He later worked with the NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions at Penrith and later in private practice in rural NSW and the ACT for several years. He was then employed as a solicitor and senior solicitor with Legal Aid NSW in regional NSW and the Western Sydney metro region, Chief Magistrate Allen practiced at the NSW Bar from 2002 until 2009 when he was appointed as a Magistrate. He was appointed Deputy Chief Magistrate in 2018 before appointment to the District Court initially as an Acting Judge then Judge commencing in 2022.

His work as a barrister involved appearances in jury trials in Central West, Western, Southwestern, North Western, Sydney Metropolitan and Hunter Valley areas of NSW. He was appointed Chief Magistrate on 8 July 2024, when sitting as the list Judge at Penrith District Court.

Dr Michelle Sharpe, Victorian barrister

Dr Michelle Sharpe is a barrister, and a member of the Victorian Bar, practicing primarily in the area of general commercial and regulatory law specialising in contract and consumer protection law. She has appeared both for and against regulators and businesses both large and small. She regularly appears in all jurisdictions in Victoria and in the Federal Court and New South Wales Supreme Court.

In November 2018 Michelle was named 'Barrister of the Year' in the Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards. Michelle was ranked by Best Lawyers in 2025 the areas of commercial law and property law.
Michelle was a foundational member of the Victorian Bar's health and Wellbeing Committee in 2006 and served as its Chair twice. She was involved in establishing a wellbeing program which included a 24/7 counselling service for barristers. This program was a finalist for the Australian Psychological Society Health and Wellbeing Award for 2015. She was also involved in establishing a pilot reflective practice program for the Victorian Bar in 2023, the production of a film on wellbeing at the Bar titled "Bar None" and numerous webinars and journal articles on wellbeing in legal practice.
In January 2025, Michelle was appointed to the International Bar Association Professional Wellbeing Commission as a Commissioner.

Michael Guilday, General Counsel & Head of Property, Sydney Fish Market Pty Ltd

Michael is General Counsel & Head of Property at Sydney Fish Market. As member of the Executive Group, he is responsible for the Legal and Property Functions at Sydney Fish Market, including executive level strategic decision making in relation to commercial, operations, legal and ESG aspects of the iconic Sydney Fish Market.

Prior to his current role, Michael held senior in-house legal and governance positions with Lendlease Corporation, Cbus Super Fund, Commonwealth Bank and Goodman Group; where he has been responsible for leadership within high performing legal functions and providing high quality legal and governance advice to operational businesses and Boards.

Michael has a passion for leading business projects and transformations, motivating and mentoring teams, advocating for regulatory and policy advancements, encouraging innovation and disruption, promoting robust and ethical decision making, recognising Australia’s First Nations People, promoting workplace neurodiversity, and elevating the importance of holistic health and wellbeing.

Michael’s volunteer appointments include: Non-Executive Director of ADHD Australia, In-House Corporate Lawyers Committee Member of the Law Society of NSW, and NSW Executive Committee Member of the Association of Corporate Counsel Australia.

Greg de Moore, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Psychiatrist based at Westmead Hospital and Minds Count board member

Greg de Moore is a psychiatrist, historian and author based at Westmead Hospital. He is Conjoint Associate Professor with the School of Medicine of Western Sydney University, and recent Director of Clinical Services, Mental Health, Western Sydney local health district. Previously in his role as Director of Training, he developed a keen interest in the welfare of junior doctors; currently he is director of a programme at Westmead which offers mental health support to medical staff.

Greg is also a board member of the Minds Count Foundation. In addition to his hospital work he is a consultant to Cricket Australia and Cricket NSW providing mental health care for players and staff. His 4 books include Finding Sanity: John Cade, lithium and the taming of bipolar disorder, the story of Australia's greatest mental health achievement: the discoveryof lithium for the treatment of bipolar disorder.

Ticket Options

IN-PERSON (Physical attendance at Federal Court of Australia, Sydney)

Event Time: 5.30pm-7.30pm (light refreshments to follow lecture)

General Admission: IN-PERSON - $25.00

Concession/Student: IN-PERSON - $15.00 with discount code "MC2025"

WEB-CAST (Secure live-stream)

Event Time: 5.30pm-7.30pm

General Admission: WEB-CAST - $15.00

Concession/Student: WEB-CAST - $10.00 with discount code "MCWC2025"

Organisation: $150.00 ( 10 + attendees)

*Web-cast attendance note:

Login details for web-cast attendance will be emailed to registrants on Wednesday 29 October 2025.

RSVP/Ticket sales will close by Tuesday 28 October 2025.

Enquiries

For further information, please contact [email protected]

Can't attend but would like to donate? Scan the QR code below.

This event is proudly sponsored by Thomson Reuters, ACAP University College, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer and McCabes Lawyers .

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Federal Court of Australia, 184 Phillip Street, Sydney, Australia