Wellbeing Guide 2021
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Macquarie University Law Society 2021 Wellbeing Guide
Contents Introduction................................................................................................................... 5 Student Wellbeing........................................................................................................ 6 Macquarie Student Wellbeing................................................................................................. 7 Macquarie Law School: Dr. Madeline Taylor....................................................................... 8 MULS Student Representatives............................................................................................. 9 First Year Representatives: Sami Shami & Lara Huby............................................. 9 JD Representative: Daryl Lee......................................................................................... 11 External Representative: Courtney Wright................................................................. 12 Diversity Representatives: Rohan Marathe & Jacqueline Thowe........................ 13 Wellbeing in the Workforce......................................................................................... 15 Law Firms: K&L Gates Lawyer Juliette Windel................................................................... 16 Chambers..................................................................................................................................... 17 Emma Bartley (Sir Anthony Mason Chambers).......................................................... 19 Henry El-Hage (12th Floor Selborne/Wentworth Chambers)................................. 20 Courts............................................................................................................................................ 21 Owen Smith........................................................................................................................ 21 Pelin Ersoy........................................................................................................................... 22 Resources..................................................................................................................... 23
Contributors Sami Shami Lara Huby Daryl Lee Courtney Wright Rohan Marathe Jacqueline Thowe Juliette Windel Emma Bartley Henry El-Hage Owen Smith Pelin Ersoy Dr. Madeline Taylor
Editor Angela Dela Cruz Director of Publications Matthew Lo Designer Michael Graziano
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Welcome Editor’s note The Wellbeing Guide seeks to dispel the myth that a successful legal career requires individuals to put their mental health at risk. Rather, it seeks to promote a proactive and intentional approach towards maintaining one’s mental wellbeing. Building healthy habits and positive mental frameworks during one’s law degree is one of the best ways for law students to set themselves up for long-term success. This guide explores the avenues of support available to Macquarie Law students. This section is filled with practical resources and advice from MQ Wellbeing, MQ Law School staff, and MULS representatives. Our aim is to equip law students with practical resources to empower them to take charge of their own mental wellbeing. Additionally, this guide provides insight into wellbeing in the workplace through interviews with a variety of legal professionals. Through this, we hope to inspire a greater appreciation and awareness of mental health throughout your legal careers. Lastly, the back of the guide lists a number of available. Reaching out when you need support is an act of strength and courage. I strongly encourage students to reach out and seek support if they are struggling. Angela Dela Cruz MULS Editor
President’s welcome Mental health and wellbeing in the legal profession is an issue of critical importance. While solicitors and barristers carry out vitally important work on a daily basis, sometimes the pressures and stresses associated with that work can have a negative effect on a person’s mental health and wellbeing. The same pressures and stresses can apply and occur in law school. It is my belief that we all share a responsibility to open up and continue the conversation on mental health and wellbeing. It is vital, particularly in the early stages of our legal journeys and careers, that we counteract the fear and prejudice that traditionally has surrounded these topics. Moreover, wellbeing should be considered as an integral part of being a lawyer. Thinking wellbeing is separate from other aspects of being a lawyer – such as being competent and confident – undermines an individuals’ ability to feel happy and fulfilled at work. Yet, in reality, it is not sufficient for the legal profession to view wellbeing as only relevant to individuals. The legal community as a whole must work towards overcoming stigmas and promoting cultural change and wellbeing broadly, consistently and effectively. We all share a responsibility to promote being well in the law. I am really proud of the MULS team, particularly Angela Dela Cruz and Matthew Lo, for their work on this landmark guide. Thank you for your work in opening up this conversation. I hope you enjoy this guide! Lucy Sheppard President
Disclaimer
The mental health information in this guide is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional advice. Before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical advice. The use or reliance of any information contained in this guide is solely at your own risk. The editor, writers, and Macquarie University Law Society accept no liability for any harm, loss, or damage occasioned by any person or entity, as a result of a person relying wholly on or in part on any of the material included, omitted, or implied in this publication.
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Macquarie University Law Society 2021 Wellbeing Guide
Introduction Despite the prevalence of mental health issues in both law students and legal professionals, stigmas around the topic continue to exist. The MULS Wellbeing Guide hopes to shed light on issues and assure students that they are not alone - support and resources are available. The relevance of mental health is evident in the high rates of stress, anxiety, and depression reported by law students. Factors such as a competitive environment, high workload, and self-doubt have been reported to contribute to poor mental wellbeing. The Student Wellbeing section outlines the various services available to students, such as counselling, Wellbeing WISE and Welfare Services. Further, this guide gathers insight from a number of Macquarie law students on how they manage their own wellbeing. Additionally, our discussion with Dr. Madeline Taylor, senior lecturer at Macquarie Law School provides an academic’s perspective on wellbeing while studying. A greater focus on mental health in the legal profession has emerged in recent years, as greater measures have been introduced in workforces to lessen the stigma around seeking support. This guide is full of insights from a variety of legal professionals ranging from solicitors, barristers and judge’s associates/ tip staff. While each professional may have varied experiences in their positions, common themes around high workloads, tight deadlines, and reaching out for support arise in the articles below.
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Student wellbeing In this section Macquarie Student Wellbeing Macquarie Law School Macquarie University Law Society
Macquarie Student Wellbeing Macquarie Student Wellbeing is equipped with a number of tools and resources to help students with their emotional, physical, financial and academic wellbeing.
Wellbeing WISE is an online portal which you can access via iLearn. The portal has been curated by Student Wellbeing to provide a comprehensive resource on wellbeing. You will find resources to help you manage your university assessments, your mental or physical health, or financial health.
Counselling services are provided to currently enrolled Macquarie students online or over the phone by qualified psychologists. Their services include: • short term, solution focused counselling, • cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), • mindfulness, • referral to external specialist services, and • on the day brief phone appointments for urgent support.
Welfare services are available for social, financial and academic help. Areas the Welfare Service can assist with include: • academic concerns, • adjustment to university life, • accommodation, tenancy and renting concerns, • financial concerns, • family concerns, • general health concerns (referrals only), • legal concerns (referrals only), • relationships including domestic and family violence, and • other social concerns.
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Macquarie Law School Dr. Madeline Taylor on mentorship, diversity, and advocacy Dr. Madeline Taylor is a senior lecturer at Macquarie Law School, where she specializes in energy and commercial law. Her research focus explores the complex relationship between energy, commercial, and property law. Alongside her academic role, Dr. Taylor works as a Climate Councillor for the Climate Council, providing legal expertise on regulatory frameworks and applications. We spoke with Dr. Taylor to discuss her experiences with wellbeing, both as a legal academic and advisor. Dr. Taylor’s interest in law stemmed from a desire to change the law, rather than to practice it. “I loved jurisprudence, the theory of law, history, and policy. Changing the law was what I was interested in,” she said. “But of course, like any good law student, I went off to try out what an in-house legal position would be like because I thought that it was too soon to go into academia.” As a result, Dr. Taylor briefly worked as a General Council at Billabong. After submitting a forty-page memorandum to the CEO, she realised that she wasn’t done with research and studying. “It was pretty funny because my professors sort of said to me, we knew you would be back.” After four and a half years of working as a research fellow while completing her Ph.D, Dr. Taylor worked as an academic at the University of Sydney for four years before joining Macquarie University. She has been teaching law students for a number of years and has seen the changes which have taken place at universities. “I’m very pleased that we’ve developed our understanding of mental health and how to support students,” she said. “I’ve had lots of students over the years who have had very difficult circumstances thrown their way. That’s what we’re here for; to support you through that and to make sure that you do the best you can in any given circumstance,” she said.
“It’s okay if you didn’t do so well in one assessment. If you need an extra bit of time, make sure you apply for special consideration. If you’re getting anxiety and it’s very serious, don’t suffer in silence. Reach out for help and be proactive about it,” said Dr. Taylor. “Student services are there for your support and so are we [the Macquarie Law School staff]. Her innovative teaching approach is centered around the desire to “enable students to reach their full potential by lighting a passion within them for any particular area of law”. As she notes, a lack of diversity can stifle innovation as people become “rusted onto the place”. It can become easy to become complacent and rely on taking a traditional view of how things operate.
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Macquarie University Law Society 2021 Wellbeing Guide
Empowering students to embrace their diversity is crucial to reach their full potential. “For students who are from a diverse background, if you don’t have any peers and you’re not empowered to look at material from similar authors from your own background, it can be extremely isolating,” said Dr. Taylor. Incorporating diverse perspectives enables students to approach complex cultural challenges from alternative perspectives. “Teaching with indigenous and diverse approaches, and prescribing academic readings from non-white authors is something I always try to do,” she said. “I’ve had so many First Nations students who have read a problem question and seen things that even I couldn’t pick up because they understand these alternative structures that are wonderful in customary law.” Beyond celebrating and highlighting diversity, “it’s important that we create culturally safe places as well,” said Dr. Taylor. “Ensuring all academic and extracurricular activities are culturally safe, especially for First Nations students is extremely important. You can really see how [cultural safety] impacts students and their ability to come to the law, and feel safe when learning about the law,” she said. Finally, we spoke to her about her work as a Climate Councillor for the Climate Council. “Another reason why I became an academic is due to advocating changes in the law, where the legal framework is not fit for purpose,” said Dr. Taylor. Her hope is for her research to lead to a better regulatory framework in the commercial world. “I love that the Climate Council promotes evidence-based research and allows me to disseminate my research into communities.” The realities of climate change can often be distressing for young people. Increasingly severe natural disasters and wildlife extinction has led to increased levels of climate anxiety. “I think that anyone with an interest in energy law, or anyone who’s just a generally educated citizen is concerned about this [climate change]. But I think that what’s more difficult is doing nothing and thinking to yourself, well it’s too hard and we’re on this path now and that’s the end,” Dr. Taylor said. Rather than sitting in despair and feeling hopeless about the future, Dr. Taylor emphasizes the power that we have as citizens to impact policy. “For me, it’s about using the knowledge that we have to pressure the government to do more. When it comes to changing the law, it’s always from the community. It’s always because community members will not allow a particular energy development, or because they don’t agree with a particular policy that’s set,” she said.
Macquarie University Law Society (MULS) Student Representatives
MULS Student Representatives aim to help improve the campus experience for students by acting on behalf of all MULS members, regardless of their background, mode of study, or year of law. We spoke with our Student Representatives to discuss their unique perspectives on wellbeing.
First Year Student Representatives Lara Huby and Sami Shamsi How do you balance studying with all your commitments? I’m a huge advocate for getting involved, but you have to make sure you don’t bite off more than you can chew (I’m guilty of doing this). It’s okay to say no to things and prioritise what matters to you most! I’ve found that the best way to maintain balance is by having a consistent routine. I dedicate certain days of my week to studying. The rest of my week is divided between work and taking time to do the things I love with the people I love! Lara My friends know that I love getting involved with MULS, especially through competitions. I will admit that I am (very) guilty of doing too many things at once, which can make balancing commitments alongside academics particularly difficult at times. However, I highly recommend making a daily routine to help balance your commitments. I’m personally not used to rigid timetables. I prefer having a general schedule that incorporates studying, friends (zoom calls!) and rest. Having your day planned can help you enjoy what you’re doing without feeling guilty and avoid procrastinating. Final word of advice: back yourself! I know people (including myself) are often fearful of being overwhelmed when they start getting involved more. However, you’ve come this far, you know what works for you, so trust you’ll get through whatever happens. Sami
How do you personally manage your mental wellbeing? I try to find time everyday to do something I enjoy, whether that’s going for a long walk along the beach, playing tennis, or jumping in the ocean. There’s nothing selfish about chucking your earphones in, clocking out from the rest of the world, and focusing on yourself. I’m also a firm believer that staying active, getting some sunshine, and eating well plays a huge role when it comes to mental health. By nourishing your body you are also nourishing your mind, so eat your fruit and veg and drink plenty of water! Lara
I try to make sure I do something active every day for a few hours, whether it’s going for a run or playing a sport. I’ve found that being active helps get rid of any uni-related stress, and allows me to mentally reset for the rest of my day. I also strongly recommend staying connected with friends and family. These are very uncertain times, and it’s really hard to go through it all by yourself. Staying in contact and checking in with those around you is absolutely worthwhile. I’ve definitely relied on people close to me during lockdown, and I’m forever grateful for them. I encourage you to reach out to your support network. There’s nothing wrong with reaching out and asking for help. We’re all here for each other! Sami Macquarie University Law Society 2021 Wellbeing Guide
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What is your top wellbeing tip for students? Get up, make a coffee, watch the sunrise. They say an hour in the morning is worth two in the afternoon, and I stand by this. There’s no better alternative to starting your day than by watching the sun come up with a soy latte in hand. For me, it’s a calm moment to gather my thoughts, reflect on everything I’m grateful for and take a few deep breaths before a productive morning. Seriously though, set your alarm for 6am and soak up the sunrise, you won’t regret it. Lara Unpopular opinion: ditch Netflix and go outside! With our current situation, it’s really easy to start living in your bedroom, jumping between zoom classes, binging Netflix, and making the occasional online purchase for things we (probably) don’t need. Incorporating some physical activity every day will help break up your days and help avoid monotony, something we all sorely need. Sami
Most first year students have spent a large part of their university experience online. What are your tips on getting the most out of uni despite it being online? Getting the most out of uni online is difficult, there’s no two ways about it! I’d suggest considering being a part of Macquarie’s Global Leadership Program (GLP) if you haven’t already. During lockdown, I’ve loved attending virtual seminars and international conferences about topics that I’m passionate about and being able to share that passion with other uni students from across the globe. The seminars are always so engaging (yes, even on Zoom!) and help me feel just that little bit more connected with the rest of the world. Lara I can completely understand how difficult studying online can be. By the end of 2021, I will have spent half of my university experience online, which isn’t the greatest. Having said that, I really encourage everyone to try and make the most of it by studying together. Getting through lectures and readings by yourself can be particularly tough but having study calls with classmates will help keep you engaged and motivated to keep pushing. I also recommend getting involved with societies, especially MULS! There are many different webinars, competitions, and events run online by societies. I strongly encourage everyone to try and attend a few events in their spare time and experience something new, you have nothing to lose!
Sami
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Macquarie University Law Society 2021 Wellbeing Guide
JD Representative Daryl Lee
How do you balance studying with all your commitments?
What is your top wellbeing tip for students?
It is important to establish your priorities and allocate your time accordingly. I personally love using a digital calendar to keep track of everything, including all my assessment deadlines. Do what works for you; trial and error!
During lockdown, it’s important to keep in touch with friends and family. Zoom games and trivia nights are great ways to keep up your social life. The key point is not to isolate yourself and feel like you need to solve everything on your own; a lot of law students are in similar situations and sometimes working together is the better approach.
How do you personally manage your mental wellbeing? Exercise helps to release stress and keeps your body healthy. Getting enough sleep is essential to functioning at your highest level. I would recommend having activities outside of law. In my experience, it is very important to not be studying or working all the time as it can become overwhelming.
What are the challenges JD students commonly face to their wellbeing. What are your strategies or tips for dealing with these? JD students often have a number of responsibilities such as full-time work, kids, or caring for elderly parents. My tip for JD students is to reach out to others in their cohort and make friends. Even if your personal lives are drastically different, your student lives are quite similar. Studying together and explaining legal concepts to one can be highly beneficial.
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External Students Representative Courtney Wright
How do you balance studying with all your commitments?
What is your top wellbeing tip for students?
It may sound counterintuitive, but schedule in your ‘fun’ activities first when you’re drawing up a timetable. If your Wednesday nights are reserved for Zoom beers with mates, don’t book in for a 9am tutorial on Thursday. You’ll never go to your class and that’s not ideal! Making sure there’s time to keep up with friends will do wonders for your mental well-being, and that’ll transfer across to your studies.
Studying is stressful and a lot of students, myself included, vastly underestimate just how tiring the workload can be. It’s important that you keep an eye out for the signs around burnout. If you’re having difficulty bringing yourself to work, or seem to lack passion and drive in the things that used to academically spur you forward, maybe it’s time to take a step back and reassess your mental wellbeing. There’s no shame in asking for help, and you’ll find that more often than not, there is someone there to help you.
For those of us working from home, it can feel like you’re never away from your desk. Study and work commitments tend to mold together to the point where you’re dreaming about documents. It can be helpful to break work and study commitments up with an activity that is completely separate, such as art, music, cooking, or whatever you fancy! So long as it puts you into a different mindset that isn’t hyper-focused on getting work done. Also, try to make your environment suited to your work, like keeping a separate workspace from your relaxing space, or changing to ambient light after 5pm so eyes aren’t struggling from staring at a screen.
How do you personally manage your mental wellbeing? I will never be the type of student that can sit down in front of my laptop and cram for hours on readings. It stresses me out to no end and I find my anxiety just snowballs. I make sure to physically change up my study space every hour or so, and take regular snack and tea breaks. This allows me to take a step back from my work and keep my mind as calm as possible. Also, eating well and exercising actually does help to regulate your mood. Who would’ve guessed!
Many external students find it challenging and isolating to study off-campus. What are your tips for managing or making the most of this? Being disconnected from the social environment of university can drastically affect your motivation. Even more so, a lot of students won’t have the resources for an isolated study space free of the distractions of life. While not having access to the library or the study nooks around campus may be disheartening, it can be helpful to try your best to emulate those conditions wherever you’re studying. If you frequent the library for group study spaces with your mates, then try having someone on a Zoom call with your friends while you study. You’ll help to keep each other on task and there’ll be plenty of opportunities for brainstorming. If your study breaks almost always consist of a coffee in hand and a walk around campus, chuck on a mask and venture out for a socially distanced change of scenery. Most of all, be kind to yourself.
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Macquarie University Law Society 2021 Wellbeing Guide
Diversity Representatives
Rohan Marathe and Jacqueline Thowe
How do you balance studying with all your commitments? Setting up to-do lists has been the key to balancing my studies and other commitments. I find that having a checklist of the tasks that I need to complete keeps me focused and time-efficient. Whether I complete the tasks or not, the method still reduces my anxiety and allows me to confidently make other plans regarding work, family, and friends. Communication is also so important! Discussing my academic requirements with my employer, friends, and family has helped me balance all my commitments and find time for things I’m passionate about. Jacqueline I like to allocate discrete portions of the day to various commitments. For example, I like to set specific times for each of my commitments and then adhere to them strictly, even when I don’t feel like it. For example, in lockdown, I’ve been watching lectures from about 9am, heading to work at 3pm, and finishing my day on a call with some friends at 9.30pm. For me the hardest part of this plan is the consistency; It’s all too easy to sleep in one morning and throw the entire system out of sync. That being said, once a routine has been built, it’s all too easy to slot in leisure time around study commitments. Rohan
How do you personally manage your mental wellbeing? I manage my mental wellbeing by ensuring that I have a well-balanced day and remain kind to myself. Lockdown has made it increasingly difficult. However, setting up an hour a day to put all devices away and get some physical activity has helped me manage my stress. Journaling and practicing gratitude in the morning before starting my day has also been a great way to remain positive and process my emotions. My mental wellbeing relies heavily on completing my daily tasks, so separating my studies from relaxation time is essential. Even just focusing on making my bed every morning and sitting at my desk allows me to shift mindsets and get productive. Jacqueline Wherever possible, I like to spend my time outside. Soaking in the sun with my dog next to me or working out at the outdoor gym near my house allows me to mentally reset and organise my thoughts. I also really enjoy trying new hobbies, even if I’ve outgrown them or am not very good at them. I started learning how to skateboard recently, something I’ve wanted to do from a very young age. I don’t mean to brag, but after some rigorous training, I can *almost* skate the length of a footpath without stacking it. It’s important to remember that in today’s age of Instagram highlights and curated videos, it can be intimidating to try something new at the risk of being bad at it. I try not to let perfect be the enemy of the good.
Rohan Macquarie University Law Society 2021 Wellbeing Guide
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What is your top wellbeing tip for students? Law school is stressful, so remembering to be kind to yourself is crucial to mental wellbeing. Some days will be more productive than others, and that’s okay! Slow progress is still progress. Jacqueline I can’t recommend meditation enough. Meditation isn’t just sitting in a circle, chanting ’ommm”. Rather, meditation is simple. All you have to do is set aside 5-10 minutes a day to empty your mind, listen to the sounds around you and do your best to be present in the moment. When I’m finished I tend to think more clearly and have greater productivity throughout the day. Try it, you won’t regret it! If meditating on your own seems intimidating, there are many resources available for free such as dedicated meditation apps or YouTube videos. Rohan
What are the challenges diverse groups of students face? What are some helpful wellbeing tips or resources for them? Especially now, with fully online learning, diverse groups of students aren’t receiving the same experience as they would in person. The shift to online learning is considerably more difficult for individuals with language barriers, intellectual disabilities, or other circumstances. There are several wellbeing resources regarding mental health, medical services, welfare, and counseling available through the Macquarie University website. I would also recommend joining MQ student societies such as MULS. We run both academic events and social events for law students, which is a great way to meet other students and have a bit of fun. For culturally diverse students, there are various MQ student associations regarding ethnicity, language, or religion where you can also meet students and attend events that may interest you. There is also a range of external resources available should students need them. It’s important to remember during these uncertain times that help is available! The resilience shown, especially by MQ diverse students is incredible!
Jacqueline Just as people are diverse, so too are the challenges they face. People from diverse cultural backgrounds may have their opinions disregarded or alternatively become a ‘token’ for diversity in group discussions. One common struggle I’ve noticed is the lack of awareness a lot of people have in acknowledging the challenges of people from diverse backgrounds. Before lockdown, many students relied on various student-led societies where they could share their experiences with similar people. Recently, many of those societies have launched on Macquarie University’s Discord Hub, providing a virtual replacement for inperson events. As a member of multiple such societies myself, I can attest to their value! Rohan
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Macquarie University Law Society 2021 Wellbeing Guide
In the workforce In this section Law firms Chambers Courts
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Law Firms Juliette Windel on checking in with yourself, capacity, and reaching out
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Juliette Windel is a real estate lawyer at K&L Gates. Having graduated from Macquarie University in 2019, we spoke with her to discuss her experience as a commercial lawyer at a global law firm. Juliette has been at K&L Gates since university, starting as a summer clerk in 2018. After her clerkship, she worked as a paralegal during her final year. After graduating, she continued at the firm as a graduate before settling in the Real Estate team this year. Throughout her process of becoming a lawyer at K&L Gates, Juliette reflects on the firm’s strong focus on fostering a supportive environment, from the start of her clerkship to the present.
K&L Gates provides a number of formal and informal initiatives to combat wellbeing issues in the legal workforce. “We have the Employee Assistance Program, which provides free, 24/7 access to psychologists and clinicians,” said Juliette. Also, K&L Gates provides mentoring programs for employees, such as Women in the Profession groups. This international, firmwide program seeks to support women as they progress through their careers and advance women in the legal profession. Through cultivating a wide network of support, employees’ are encouraged to prioritise their wellbeing and seek out support.
Commercial law firms have been known to foster a toxic work environment, with long hours and a ruthless workplace culture. However, as Juliette notes, the culture is changing. “There has been a turning away from what the legal industry has done for many years. The celebration of struggling and pushing on, wearing the deterioration of your mental health as a badge of honour,” she said. Rather, Juliette celebrates the shift towards health and wellbeing coming before one’s job. “It’s something that the legal industry is still catching up on but in some ways, we’re making great strides,” she said.
“We all get to a point where we feel overwhelmed or we have too much on. If you are drowning, the best thing you can do is reach out,” said Juliette. “If you don’t speak up, it’s hard for anyone to help you.”
Macquarie University Law Society 2021 Wellbeing Guide
Like many things, the earlier that you can take action, the better. When you can recognise the signs of stress, you can start reaching out to your support networks, either formally or informally. “No one will ever completely understand what you’re going through, but speaking about it always helps.” “Check in with yourself. It’s very easy for all of us to only recognise the signs further down the line, when we’re not doing well mentally, physically, and emotionally. So getting to know yourself and spending time recognising the situations that tend to make you feel overwhelmed or stressed is important,” she said. “For me, if I’m finding it really hard to focus, it’s usually a sign that I need to take a break,” said Juliette. “We have this myth that we talk ourselves into, that we have got to just sit there and put in the long hours,” she said. “But, I think there’s a lot to be said for working smarter, not harder. Sometimes the smarter thing is to take a break.” “Another thing for me is sleep. If I’m feeling stressed, I will wake up a lot in the night, and start having dreams about what I’ve been working on,” said Juliette. When she starts dreaming about work, Juliette makes sure that she sets aside time to relax. For her, this looks like going for a walk down to the water with her partner. Additionally, Juliette stresses the importance of self-care and self-compassion. “When something lands on my desk that I can see objectively shouldn’t be that stressful to me, but I still feel overwhelmed or stressed, I recognise that I need to take some time to look after myself.” she said.
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If you keep pushing through, it starts to have a medium to long term effect on your health. It’s normal to sometimes finish the day and feel stressed. There’s a difference between doing that ten times in a row or saying to yourself, I had a really stressful day and need to look after myself so it doesn’t become a pattern; if you don’t recognise it in yourself and speak up, you can end up only realising you are not doing well far down the line. That can be really dangerous because it’s harder to fix when you are deeper in the hole than you realise.
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“We all go through stressful stages”, said Juliette. These are short periods of time which eventually pass. By acknowledging when you’re going through these phases, you can reach out for support and adjust accordingly. When your capacity is high, your resilience and ability to cope with stress are high. When your capacity is low, it’s a lot harder. Taking care of yourself doesn’t have to require spending hundreds of dollars on expensive ‘self-care products’ or expensive gym equipment. “It can be as simple as making sure that you go for a walk every morning that week, or making sure that you log off by a certain time. Or, it can be as simple as putting your hand up and saying, ‘I’m actually feeling really stressed, overwhelmed, and unwell. I need to take a day off as my mental health day, or speak to my boss about taking an afternoon off,” said Juliette.
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Chambers Barristers are typically sole practitioners who represent clients in court. In this section, we speak to Emma Bartley and Henry El-Hage on their experiences as barristers.
Emma Bartley on pressure, identity, and burnout. Emma Bartley was called to the bar in September 2020 and is currently in her first year of practice. In this piece, she reflects on her personal struggles and breakthroughs through university, and how it has shaped her current approach to work as a junior barrister. As a self-identified Type-A personality, Emma, like many other law students, fell into the trap of basing her worth on academic achievement. With this, came an immense amount of pressure to succeed. “I certainly had a moment in about my third year where I did some unlearning of seeing myself first as a law student. Instead of seeing myself first as a law student, I said to myself, first, I’m a human being. Then I’m a daughter, a sister, and a friend...and then, maybe I’m a law student. So rather than embodying being a law student — this is what I am and therefore my achievements at law school dictate my value as a human being — I did some unlearning to try and change the story, and to acknowledge that it’s okay if I’m not absolutely perfect in my studies,” said Emma. When Emma learned to stop putting so much pressure on herself to be “absolutely perfect in her studies”, she found that she was able to work more efficiently and productively. In doing so, her perspective changed. Rather than studying for the sake of passing an exam, she was able to intentionally work towards her future career.
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Apart from medicine, or the sciences, a law degree is one of the hardest degrees you can undertake. But there are plenty of productivity books, resources and Youtube videos that can assist you with the skills of how to [manage the workload]. I think that a far more pervasive problem is the identity stuff, internalizing this perceived notion of who a law student is, and needing to meet this kind of arbitrary expectation.
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Macquarie University Law Society 2021 Wellbeing Guide
When it comes to untangling your self-worth from your grades, a tangible solution is to ask yourself, why are you studying law? “If you actually have a good, well-reasoned ‘why’...I think that helps [with] unpacking some of the identity stuff,” said Emma. “Instead of just blindly following this desire to achieve just for the sake of achieving,” you are able to work towards something outside of yourself. “There’s a level of anxiety or stress that’s healthy and that will push us towards doing what we need to do...but it far too easily becomes unproductive, crippling, and leads to burnout,” said Emma. Burnout has become a popular term in our vernacular and it seems like almost everybody is talking about it these days. In some ways, it has become almost acceptable in our “hustle culture”. The concept of “being on 24/7” and “being ‘go go go’ constantly” has become popularised in the media through shows like Suits. “Aside from not being healthy, I would challenge whether it’s actually helpful. Does busyness to the extent of constant overwhelm actually assist you in being the most effective student or lawyer you can be?” “I think [that] I do far better when I’ve had a chance to distance myself from [work]. It’s actually amazing how much clarity comes when you’ve taken a break. I was a better student and am a better lawyer when I am well balanced,” said Emma. Having a strong sense of self and burnout is like a double-sided coin. On one hand, when your identity is deeply intertwined with your work, and so it is easy to push yourself to the point of burnout. On the flip side, when you’re able to form a sense of self outside of the law, it’s easier to set boundaries and allow yourself to rest.
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If I were no longer a barrister, I would still be just as valuable as a human being. I would still be able to make just as meaningful a contribution to the community; maybe not in the same way, but I will still be just as valuable. And so, I think that hugely helps because I can sit back and say, well, this isn’t all there is. This doesn’t dictate how I see myself. If something devastating happens in my work...it’s not necessarily going to devastate me and my self-worth.
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Henry El-Hage on interests outside the law, human connection, and learning from others. Henry El-Hage has been practicing as a barrister since 2009. Before coming to the bar, he worked as a solicitor advocate. Prior to this, Henry was an Associate to a Federal Court Judge and had lectured in law part-time. With more than twelve years of experience in the legal industry, he shares how his experiences while working in the court have shaped his own perspective on wellbeing. One of the biggest challenges to wellbeing in the legal profession is the temptation to allow the law to consume an individual’s time and energy. “The practice of law and running cases can be taxing, and requires a great deal of dedication. It’s important to have outside interests, whether it be family, hobbies, socialising... outside interests are critical to having balance in life” said Henry. For Henry, this can look like exercising, spending time with his young son, and reading about things outside the law. Additionally, when he’s not busy reading cases, Henry can be found reading about different cultures, wine-making, and biographies. Within Henry’s chambers, conversations with his colleagues indicate an increasing openness to speaking about wellbeing in the law. He notes that this shift is occurring on both a formal and informal level. “I have colleagues who speak to me, and I speak to them, about wellbeing issues. We try and reinforce to each other the need to have breaks and engage in outside interests and [encourage] each other to travel or spend time exercising or sharing experiences outside the law,” he said. On a more formal level, “the Bar Association is able to provide assistance. You can speak to more senior colleagues, who can try and help you.”
Having worked in the legal industry for more than a decade, Henry’s perspective on wellbeing has evolved alongside his career. “Now, I have different types of pressures, different sources of stress. The nature of the challenges changes in life,” said Henry. While working as an Associate to a Federal Court Judge, Henry was inspired by his judge’s resilience in the face of enormous stress. “I found that even in the toughest of cases, he would just try and do his best to deal with it,” he said. Having seen the ways with which his judge was able to productively manage the stress and pressure of his role has guided his own approach towards wellbeing.
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With experiences through life, you tend to realize that things you thought were really really crucial and important and unchangeable, are in fact, not that important.
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Finally, having worked across a broad spectrum of the law, Henry has been inspired by the diverse range of issues experienced by his own clients. “I’ve worked on cases where people have been underpaid or mistreated by the government. Their toughness has been a learning experience to bring perspective to difficulties and stresses I experience” he said.
As Henry looks back on his university years, interpersonal relationships and human connection have played a significant role in managing his wellbeing. More than a decade after graduating, Henry has managed to maintain close friendships with some of his friends from university. “One thing that my friends and I did was meet up and try to have study groups,” said Henry. “We also helped each other by dividing up the summaries of textbooks or chapters.” Rather than viewing each other as competition, Henry and his friends were able to work together towards a common goal and building lasting friendships.
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Court Judges’ Associates or Tipstaff in courts play a crucial role in ensuring that proceedings run smoothly. In this section, we speak to Owen Smith, a Judges’ Associate at the District Court of NSW, and Pelin Ersoy, Tipstaff at the Supreme Court of NSW, to discuss their thoughts on wellbeing in the courts.
Owen Smith on agency and keeping perspective.
Despite the high-pressure nature of being a Judges’ Associate at the District Court of NSW, Owen’s approach to wellbeing provides a reminder that there is more to life than career success. “Having a robust network of strong connections and family ties who are not lawyers…[and ] having friends who you can relate with is really valuable,” he said. As dialogue around mental health in the legal profession continues to emerge, it is clear that the industry has responded. “When you start, there is training on how to deal with the stress of the role. As much as these things are difficult to handle, you’re definitely given tools to help you get through them.” Working in the District Court requires a degree of separation from your personal feelings and your role. “The kinds of trials that come into the District Court are some of the most serious trials and some of the content can be pretty shocking,” said Owen. “I think that one thing that I personally, and I think a lot of other people working in courts, have difficulties with [is] being able to make sure that the court runs well with what’s going on around you.” Additionally, there is the pressure to be perfect and not make mistakes. “You’re the first port of call for litigants and when you communicate something to them on behalf of the judge, it’s very important to get it right,” said Owen. “There can be a lot of pressure to be perfect when of course, no one is.” Having just graduated from Macquarie University, Owen reflects on his time at university and the importance of extracurriculars in supporting his wellbeing. During his studies, Owen volunteered as a Walanga Muru Indigenous Students’ First-Year Mentor, touch football referee, and moot court judge for several MULS competitions.
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Macquarie University Law Society 2021 Wellbeing Guide
“It’s going to sound really cheesy, but I think that acts of service...being part of something bigger than yourself and contributing your time and intellect to help others...helps you to put your degree into context,” he said. “Looking back, if you could have done anything differently to better your wellbeing, what would you have done?” we asked. “I would have been easier on myself,” said Owen. “I still tutor law, do Walanga Muru, and tutor privately... and it shows me how hard people are on themselves. And then I remember that’s exactly what I was like.” Like many other law students, the end years of your degree can be filled with uncertainty about the future. “I think that the trouble in uni is that you just don’t know what’s after that precipice. So, once you get out there and get a good perspective...you see the dredge, but you also see the good stuff,” he said. From Owen’s perspective, wellbeing is about not letting your emotions dictate your responses. “I think it’s having the agency to make a choice...if you have perspective, you have a choice,” said Owen. Rather than feeding into the narrative that success is about earning the ‘big bucks’ and filling the top roles at the top firms, Owen stresses the importance of living a fulfilling life.
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My hot tip in law is to do other non-law stuff.
Pelin Ersoy on resilience, making mistakes, and overcommitment. Pelin Ersoy currently works as a Tipstaff at the Supreme Court of NSW. Tipstaves are typically appointed to a judge under a one-year contract, where they assist with legal research, court procedures, and whatever tasks the judge requires. Confronting cases and tight deadlines may characterize some of the challenges faced within this role. “I think one of the things you have to remember is to not take things personally. If you do something wrong, no one’s angry at you. It just happens. It happens every year because every year, a judge gets a new tippy. It’s just always going to be a slow start for every person that has come in the job before you as well,” said Pelin.
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Just ask questions. I think a lot of things can be avoided if you can say, ‘I know this is going to be annoying to interrupt and have to ask this question’, but it will save time down the track.
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Working in the Equity division of the Supreme Court, alongside commercial cases, Pelin gets to witness some adoption cases. “Most judges get the kind of happy ones, where they just sign off on the paperwork. My judge does all the contested adoptions, where a grandparent or someone, usually a birth parent, will be contesting the adoption,” she said. “I don’t think I’ve seen anyone win a contested adoption. I guess because by the time it gets to that stage, there’s a good reason for wanting to have that child adopted. They can be really intense emotional hearings.” On one of her first days as a Tipstaff, Pelin witnessed an adoption case where the parents started crying as soon as the adoption order was made. During another case, the birth mother started screaming on the floor after the order was made. “[You know that] it’s in the best interest of the child, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s really hard to sit there and listen to this person scream,” said Pelin. Within her role, Pelin works in a small team consisting of herself, an associate, and a judge. Due to the often confidential nature of her work, Pelin notes the importance of debriefing as a way of processing confronting experiences. “You do still have those people that you can talk to about anything. You can speak to your judge and associate and just go, ‘well, that was a lot,” she said.
Learning how to switch off and set boundaries around your work and personal life can be challenging “If you’ve got a big judgment that you’re working on, it can be easy to think about it all the time, even when you’re not working,” said Pelin. “I think it’s important to set those boundaries, but it can definitely be difficult at times.” The same can be said when it comes to studying at university. “I think sometimes it is hard to switch off. Especially at university where there is no clear delineation. You might be in classes at certain times, but if you’re not in class or at work, you could technically always be studying, or thinking about studying, the next assignment or exam.” During Pelin’s first few years at university, she was busy with extracurriculars. Like many law students, the appeal of participating in every opportunity possible was appealing. It wasn’t until she stopped juggling all her commitments and spent some time away on exchange that her perspective shifted. “Exchange was the first time where I didn’t have any responsibilities except for studying. It was the first time where I felt like I had so much time,” she said. “I didn’t realise how stressed I was before I went on exchange. I got back and realised that there was no way that I could go back to the way that I had been approaching uni. It was the kind of epiphany, where I asked myself, ‘am I happy with the way things are?’ No, so I’m going to change them,” said Pelin.
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You have to assess; do I actually need to be doing all these things? Do I actually need to, or want to, be mooting, writing this extra essay for some competition and all these different things? If you’re overcommitted, seriously think about if there’s something you can drop. It’s better to be committed to a few things and get really involved instead of trying to do it all, and then not doing any of it properly.
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Resources MQ Wellbeing Australian Hearing Hub 16 University Avenue Macquarie University NSW 2109 T: +61 (2) 9850 7497 E: wellbeing@mq.edu.au Beyond Blue 1300 224 636 Access support and resources from one of Australia’s most renowned mental health organisations. Lifeline 13 11 14 lifeline.org.au 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services. Headspace 1800 650 890 Free online and telephone service that supports young people aged between 12 and 25 and their families going through a tough time. 1800RESPECT 1800 737 732 24/7 National sexual assault, domestic and family violence counseling service. Relationships Australia 1300 364 277 A provider of relationship support services for individuals, families, and communities. MensLine 1300 789 978 24/7 Counselling and resources for men in crisis. National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline 1800 250 015 Free and confidential advice about alcohol and drugs. QLife 1800 184 527 Australia’s first nationally-oriented counseling and referral service for LGBTI people.
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Macquarie University Law Society 2021 Wellbeing Guide
MQ Wellbeing App The MQ Wellbeing App provides resources on mindfulness, productivity, stress management and interpersonal skills. Access relevant posts from the Macquarie Wellbeing Team, as well useful tools such as guided meditations, breathing exercises, a mood tracker and habit tracker. Headspace App Headspace is a subscription-based app that provides you with a catalog of resources to help improve your mental health. This includes resources such as guided meditations, white noise, exercise routines, and breathing exercises. Breathwrk App Breathwrk guides you through breathing exercises that alleviate stress and anxiety, improve focus and energy, and help you fall asleep. Forest Forest is a productivity timer app that helps you stay productive and better manage your time. Whether you prefer working in concentrated bursts or longer periods of time, the Forest app acts as an accountability tool to stop from endlessly scrolling on social media. Pzizz Getting enough sleep is crucial to maintaining a healthy wellbeing. Pzizz provides calming sound effects to help users rest soundly with a patented system of psychoacoustics. Through the app, users are able to customise the duration, volume and gender of the speaker to suit their own needs and preferences. Reflectly Reflectly is a journaling app that helps users practice mindfulness and gratitude. Based on positive psychology, mindfulness and cognitive behavioural theory, this app provides users with a series of tools to build a healthy mindset and habits.
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