Psychological Health and Wellbeing in the Law: Australian Resources
This page lists Australian scholarly works on law students’ and lawyers’ psychological health and wellbeing. A detailed list of American scholarly works on these topics is available at: http://www.law.fsu.edu/academic_programs/humanizing_lawschool/humanizing_lawschool.html.
The resources list is a work in progress and will be updated at regular intervals. Links to articles are provided where possible, which may include pre-publication versions of published articles. If there are any errors in, or omissions from, this list please email Anna Huggins via the contact form here.
Antolak-Saper, Natalia, Lloyd England and Anthony Lester, ‘Health and Wellbeing in the First Year: The Law School Experience’ (2011) 36(1) Alternative Law Journal47
Link: http://www.altlj.org/publications/back-issues/2011-vol-36/2011-vol-36-1/product/9-health-and-wellbeing-in-the-first-year-the-law-school-experience
Key words: First year experience – psychological distress – Monash University – student support – support services
Australian Law Students’ Association, Depression in Australian Law Schools: A Handbook for Law Students and Law Student Societies (2011)
Link: http://www.alsa.net.au/images/2011/ALSA%20Depression%20Handbook.pdf
Key words: Depression – law students – law student societies – coping strategies – support services
Australian Law Students’ Association, LSS Mental Health Supplement (Australian Law Students Society, 2011)
Link: http://www.alsa.net.au/images/2011/2011_ALSA_Mental_Health.pdf
Key words: Mental health – law student societies – law school culture – mentoring – assessment
Baron, Paula, ‘Thriving in the Legal Academy’ (2007) 17 Legal Education Review 27
Link: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/LegEdRev/2007/3.html
Key words: law academics’ wellbeing – surviving – thriving – academic stressors – impact on law students’ wellbeing
Beaton Research & Consulting, 2011 Annual Business and Professions Study (2011)
Link: http://www.beatonglobal.com/pdfs/2011_Annual_Business_and_Professions_Study.pdf
Key words: Australian professionals – lawyers – mental health awareness – attitudes towards mental health – workplaces responses
Boag, Annan, et al, Breaking the Frozen Sea: The Case for Reforming Legal Education at the Australian National University (18 April 2011) Law School Reform
Link: http://lawschoolreform.com/files/lsr_breakingthefrozensea.pdf
Key words: Curriculum reform – legal education – law school culture – pedagogical approaches – law students’ wellbeing
Bromberger, Nikki, ‘Enhancing Law Student Learning – The Nurturing Teacher’ (2011) 20 Legal Education Review 45
Link: Currently unavailable
Key words: Students’ emotions – classroom environment – role of teacher – nurturing teacher – law students’ wellbeing
Cooper, Cameron, and Greg Dwyer, ‘Some Positive News About Depression’ (2011) Australasian Law Management Journal (Law Council of Australia)
Link: http://www.cald.asn.au/docs/altc_LawReport.pdf
Key words: Psychological distress – BMRI report – causes of distress – law school responses – support services
Field, Rachael, and Sally Kift, ‘Addressing the High Levels of Psychological Distress in Law Students Through Intentional Assessment and Feedback Design in the First Year Law Curriculum’ (2010) 1(1) International Journal of the First Year in Higher Education 65
Link: https://www.fyhe.com.au/journal/index.php/intjfyhe/article/viewFile/20/49
Key words: Psychological distress – BMRI report – first year curriculum – assessment and feedback practices – curriculum design
Fitzsimmons, Dominic, Simon Kozlina and Prue Vines, ‘Optimising the First Year Experience in Law: The Law Peer Tutor Program at the University of New South Wales’ (2006) 16 Legal Education Review 99
Link: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=958639
Key words: Legal education – peer tutoring – UNSW Law School – first year experience – student support
Kate Galloway and Rachel Bradshaw, ‘Responding to Changed Parameters of the Law Student: A Reflection on Pastoral Care in the Law School’ (2010) 3(1/2) Journal of the Australasian Law Teachers Association 101
Link: http://www.alta.edu.au/pdf/JALTA/(2010)jalta_ind_typeset_articles/2010_jalta_galloway_bradshaw.pdf
Key words: Bradley Review – equity students – James Cook University – pastoral care – student support
Galloway, Kate, et al, ‘Academic Identity, Pastoral Care and Student Wellbeing’ (2011) Legal Education Review (forthcoming)
Link: Currently unavailable
Key words: TBA
Hall, Kath, ‘Do We Really Want to Know? Recognising the Importance of Student Psychological Wellbeing in Australian Law Schools’ (2009) 9 QUT Journal of Law and Justice 1
Link: http://ljj.law.qut.edu.au/editions/v9n1/pdf/Psycological_Wellbeing_in_Schools_HALL_Publish.pdf
Key words: Psychological wellbeing – BMRI report – cognitive dissonance – rationalisation – law school staff
Hall, Kath, Molly Townes O’Brien and Stephen Tang, ‘Developing a Professional Identity in Law Schools: A View from Australia’ (2010) 4 Phoenix Law Review 19
Link: http://www.phoenixlaw.edu/downloads/volume_iv.pdf
Key words: Psychological distress – ANU College of Law – professional identity – empathy – resilience
Huggins, Anna, ‘The Threshold Learning Outcome on Self-management in the Discipline of Law: A Proposed Focus for Teaching Strategies in the First Year Law Curriculum’ (2011) 2(2) International Journal of the First Year in Higher Education 23
Link: https://www.fyhe.com.au/journal/index.php/intjfyhe/article/viewFile/82/90
Key words: Threshold Learning Outcomes – TLO 6: Self-management – psychological distress – first year curriculum – intrinsic motives
Huggins, Anna, Sally Kift and Rachael Field, ‘Implementing the Self-Management Threshold Learning Outcome for Law: Some Intentional Design Strategies from the Current Curriculum Toolbox’ (2011) Legal Education Review (forthcoming)
Link: Currently unavailable
Key words: Threshold Learning Outcomes – TLO 6: Self-management – curriculum design strategies – student autonomy – reflective practice
James, Colin, ‘Seeing Things as We Are. Emotional Intelligence and Clinical Legal Education’ (2005) 8 Clinical Legal Education 123
Link: PDF (294Kb)
Key words: Clinical legal education – emotional intelligence – law students’ wellbeing – personal skills – thinking/feeling
James, Colin, ‘Lawyer Dissatisfaction, Emotional Intelligence and Clinical Legal Education’ (2008) 18 Legal Education Review 123
Link: Currently unavailable
Key words: Lawyer dissatisfaction – causes of distress – emotional intelligence – clinical legal education – practical legal training
James, Colin, ‘Lawyers’ Wellbeing and Professional Legal Education’ (2008) 42 The Law Teacher: International Journal of Legal Education 85
Link: PDF (211Kb)
Key words: Lawyer dissatisfaction – lawyers’ wellbeing – professional legal education – emotional intelligence – University of Newcastle Legal Centre
James, Colin, and Jennifer Anne Finlay-Jones, ‘I Will Survive: Strategies for Improving Lawyers’ Workplace Satisfaction’ (2007) 15(1) Legal Education Digest 32
Link: PDF (184Kb)
Key words: Lawyers’ distress – teaching and learning – personal development – clinical legal education – University of Newcastle Legal Centre
Kelk, Norm, et al, Courting the Blues: Attitudes Towards Depression in Australian Law Students and Lawyers, (2009) Brain & Mind Research Institute Monograph
Link: http://www.cald.asn.au/docs/Law%20Report%20Website%20version%204%20May%2009.pdf
Key words: BMRI – Tristan Jepson Memorial Foundation – depression – law students – lawyers
Kelk, Norm, Sharon Medlow and Ian Hickie, ‘Distress and Depression Among Australian Law Students: Incidence, Attitudes and the Role of Universities’ (2010) 32 Sydney Law Review 113
Link: Currently unavailable
Key words: Psychological distress – depression – attitudes towards depression – final-year law students – Tristan Jepson Memorial Foundation
Kendall, Christopher, Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Psychological Distress and Depression in the Legal Profession (March 2011) The Law Society of Western Australia
Link: http://www.lawsocietywa.asn.au/client/multimedia/News/Report%20of%20PDD%20Ad%20Hoc%20Cttee%20FINAL%20Public%20Release%2016%20May%202011.pdf
Key words: Law Society of Western Australia – psychological distress – depression – legal profession – Law Society’s mental health initiatives
Kift, Sally, Mark Israel and Rachael Field, Learning and Teaching Academic Standards Project: Bachelor of Laws Learning and Teaching Academic Standards Statement December 2010 (11 February 2011) Australian Learning and Teaching Council
Link: http://www.altc.edu.au/system/files/altc_standards_LAW_110211.pdf
Key words: Learning and Teaching Academic Standards Project – Threshold Learning Outcomes – Bachelor of Laws Degree – TLO 5: Communication and Collaboration – TLO 6: Self-management
Law Council of Australia, Depression in the Legal Profession (2010)
Link: http://www.muls.org/index.php/download_file/view/265/87/
Key words: Law Council – Constituent Bodies – depression – services – members
Leahy, Catherine, et al, ‘Distress Levels and Self-Reported Treatment Rates for Medicine, Law, Psychology and Mechanical Engineering Students: Cross-Sectional Study’ (2010) 44(7) Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry 608
Link: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/00048671003649052
Key words: Distress levels – self-reported treatment rates – University of Adelaide – university students – law students
LexisNexis, The Pace of Change in the Australian Legal Industry (August 2011)
Link: http://www.lexisnexis.com.au/paceofchange
Key words: Roundtable discussion – lawyers – depression – personality types – impact of legal life
Marychurch, Judith, Good Practice Guide: Threshold Learning Outcome 6 Self-Management (Working Paper, Australian Learning and Teaching Council, 30 September 2011)
Link: PDF (367Kb)
Key words: Threshold Learning Outcomes – TLO 6: Self-management – good practice guide – literature review – good practice examples
O’Brien, Molly, ‘Facing Down the Gladiators: Addressing the Law School’s Hidden Adversarial Curriculum’ (2011) Monash University Law Review (forthcoming)
Link: Currently unavailable
Key words: Adversarial curriculum – hidden curriculum – curriculum reform – non-adversarial pedagogy – grades
O’Brien, Molly, ‘Walking the Walk: Using Student/Faculty Dialogue to Change an Adversarial Curriculum’ (2011) Journal of the Australasian Law Teachers Association (forthcoming)
Link: Currently unavailable
Key words: ANU College of Law – student/faculty dialogue retreat – hidden curriculum – law students’ distress – curriculum reform
O’Brien, Molly, Stephen Tang and Kath Hall, ‘Changing our Thinking: Empirical Research on Law Student Wellbeing, Thinking Styles and the Law Curriculum’ (2011) Legal Education Review (forthcoming)
Link: Currently unavailable
Key words: ANU College of Law – rational thinking – experiential thinking – law students’ wellbeing – student/faculty dialogue retreat
O’Brien, Molly, Stephen Tang and Kath Hall, ‘No Time to Lose: Negative Impact on Law Student Wellbeing May Begin in Year One’ (2011) 2(2) International Journal of the First Year in Higher Education 49
Link: https://www.fyhe.com.au/journal/index.php/intjfyhe/article/viewFile/84/92
Key words: ANU College of Law – law students’ wellbeing – first year experience – depression and anxiety – thinking styles
Orenstein, Joel, ‘The Mindful Lawyer: Meditation and the Practice of Law’ (2011) 85(7) Law Institute Journal
Link: http://www.liv.asn.au/News-and-Publications/Law-Institute-Journal/Archived-Issues/LIJ-July-2011/The-mindful-lawyer–meditation-and-the-practice
Key words: Legal practice – lawyers’ distress – mindfulness – meditation – benefits
Seligman, Martin, Paul Verkuil and Terry Kang, ‘Why Lawyers are Unhappy’ (2005) 10(1) Deakin Law Review 49
Link: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/DeakinLawRw/2005/4.html
Key words: Lawyers – unhappiness – psychological explanations – adversarialism – role of law schools
Stallman, Helen, ‘A Qualitative Evaluation of Perceptions of the Role of Competition in the Success and Distress of Law Students’ (2011) Higher Education Research and Development (forthcoming)
Link: Currently unavailable
Key words: Law students’ distress – role of competition – competitive behaviours – perceptions of staff and students – law students’ wellbeing
Tani, Massimilano, and Prue Vines, ‘Law Students’ Attitudes to Education: Pointers to Depression in the Legal Academy and the Profession?’ 19(1) Legal Education Review 3
Link: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1526024
Key words: Legal education – law students’ attitudes – depression – personal autonomy – competitiveness
Vines, Prue, ‘Working Towards the Resilient Lawyer: Early Law School Strategies’ in Leon Wolff and Maria Nicolae (eds), First Year Experience in Law: A New Beginning? (Halstead Press, forthcoming)
Link: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1914891
Key words: Law students’ wellbeing – depression – causes of distress – resilient lawyer – law school strategies
Watson, Penelope, and Rachael Field, ‘Promoting Student Wellbeing and Resilience at Law School’ in Sally Kift et al (eds), Excellence and Innovation in Legal Education (LexisNexis, 2011) 389
Link: PDF (715Kb)*
Key words: Law students’ wellbeing – resilience – curriculum design – pastoral care – Peer Assisted Learning
* This chapter is extracted from the book Excellence and Innovation in Legal Education edited by Sally Kift, Michelle Sanson, Jill Cowley and Penelope Watson © 2011 Reed International Books Australia Pty Limited trading as LexisNexis. This book is copyright. Except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth), no part of this publication may be reproduced by any process, electronic or otherwise, without the specific written permission of the copyright owner. Neither may information be stored electronically in any form whatsoever without such permission. Inquiries should be addressed to the publishers. Visit LexisNexis Butterworths at www.lexisnexis.com.au.